There is another new watch for photographers: the custom-made Casio M-Edition, inspired by Leica M cameras, is sold exclusively by PPPcameras. Here are the details:
FujiAddict reports that at least three Chinese manufacturers are working on autofocus medium format lenses for the Fujifilm GFX mount. One of the lenses will most likely be the Venus Optics Laowa 200mm f/2 (the second manufacturer could be Viltrox):
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Photo: Mitchell Clark
We recently got the opportunity to get a Leica M11-P (which is, at its heart, the same as the M11, M11-D and M EV1) in front of our studio scene. While we've attempted to shoot the scene with the standard M11 before, we weren't able to get hold of an optimal lens to do so. Leica has this time been able to lend us the APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH, which has given us a much better representation of the camera's performance.
Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors, and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
Image Comparison
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With its base ISO of 64, the Leica M11-P's processed Raws start out cleaner than most (though not all) of its full-frame, color-filter-bearing competitors and are roughly similar to the noise levels we see from cameras like the Nikon Z7 II, which also has a sub-100 base ISO. Unsurprisingly, it captures lots of detail, on par with what we expect from other cameras using Sony's 61MP sensor. At mid and high ISOs, its Raws are on par with other modern full-frame cameras.
The M11-P's JPEG engine produces pleasing colors, but isn't quite as successful at revealing the full extent of the detail captured by the Raws, even at base ISO. This becomes more evident at higher ISOs, with the camera doing a decent, but not class-leading, job of retaining details despite its noise reduction. That noise reduction also doesn't appear to be as sophisticated as what Canon, Nikon and Sony are using, leaving more chroma and luma noise in the JPEG.
We noticed the effects of shutter shock in images shot with lower speeds using the mechanical shutter, and have used electronic shutter shots for some of the samples to provide the sharpest results possible. While it's a characteristic worth being aware of when shooting with a tripod, for shooting handheld, your ability to focus the camera and hold it steady, combined with its unstabilized sensor, would more likely be the limiting factor on sharpness.
In terms of dynamic range, the M11-P performs as well as we'd expect given the excellent results we often see from this sensor, giving you plenty of latitude to pull shadows up in post or to shoot to preserve highlights.
The M11-P is capable of excellent image quality under studio conditions, even if, realistically, that's not where the camera and its rangefinder focusing mechanism are most at home. Still, it's good to know that whatever you're trying to accomplish with it, the sensor is more than able to deliver the image quality you need.
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Sample gallery
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Product photos: Richard Butler
Ricoh has released a monochrome version of its GR IV enthusiast compact camera. The GR IV Monochrome features the same 26MP BSI CMOS sensor and 28mm equiv F2.8 lens as the color version, but is black-and-white only.
Key specifications
26MP BSI CMOS sensor with no color filter array
On-sensor phase detection
ISO 160-409,600
In-lens shutter allows flash sync to 1/4000th sec
E-shutter allows use of F2.8 at up to 1/16,000 sec
Built-in red filter, giving punchier blues.
53GB of internal memory
250 shot-per-charge battery rating
UHS-I Micro SD memory card slot
The GR IV Monochrome will sell for a recommended price of $2199. This is a 46% premium over the list price of the standard GR IV, suggesting Ricoh feels that the mono version will have a smaller audience to foot the development costs. The MSRP in the UK is £1599, which is only a 33% mark-up over the standard version's original list price.
As the name implies, the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is a black-and-white only variant of the GR IV.
You get all the usual benefits and costs of a mono-only sensor: a higher base ISO, because less light is being lost to a color filter array (a 2/3 of a stop increase, in this instance), and much sharper detail, as there's no demosaicing taking place.
You also get better noise performance at any given ISO: again because there's no color filter sapping any light, but with that advantage disappearing if the color version can use its lower base ISO.
However, with only a single color channel, there's a lot less flexibility to the Raw files: once the image appears to be clipped, there's no way to approximate highlight data from unclipped channels.
The electronic shutter can deliver exposures down as low as 1/16,000 sec, letting you use the maximum aperture even in good light
To prevent overexposure when shooting at F2.8, the GR IV Monochrome lets you switch from its in-lens shutter to an e-shutter. The electronic shutter can deliver exposures down as low as 1/16,000 sec, letting you use the maximum aperture, even in good light, despite the camera not having an built-in ND filter. As with the regular GR IV, the mechanical shutter has an upper limit of 1/2500 sec at F2.8: you need to stop down to F5.6 to achieve the 1/4000 sec maximum.
Interestingly, Ricoh says the GR IV Monochrome's autofocus is the same as that on the GR IV, which means it has on-sensor phase detection. This would mean that, unlike the Leica Q3 Monochrom, it has to do some degree of interpolation during processing, to hide any impact of those phase-detection pixels. We've not seen any negative impact from this in our preliminary shooting, even when trying to induce flare to highlight any issues.
The company also says that the sensor is not the same one used in the K-3 III, though it wasn't specific about how the two differ.
Red Filter
Other than the lack of color filter array, the other difference is that the GR IV Monochrome has a slot-in red filter, rather than the neutral density filter in the color version. This selectively lowers the impact of blue and green light on the sensor, which gives more dramatic skies and higher contrast, generally.
The filter in the GR IV Monochrome reduces the overall light to the camera by around 3 stops, for a neutral subject (it's around a 4 stop cut for blues, 3.5 for greens and closer to a single stop for reds).
Body and handling
As you might expect, the GR IV Monochrome looks and handles exactly like the regular GR IV: it's a tiny camera for one with such a big sensor and yet it manages to put a lot of control at your fingertips without seeming too cramped.
The finish of the camera is also a little different, with a less textured matte black finish. The shutter button is also black and the GR logo on the front is a very dark grey, rather than white. The green LED ring around the power button is also white, to keep with the monochrome theme. Sadly, Ricoh has not borrowed the beautiful 'Monochrome' typography from its Pentax K-3 III Monochrome DSLR.
The control logic is well worked through, as you'd expect for the eighth generation of a design (prior to 2013's GR, with its APS-C sensor, were four iterations of GR Digital, which used a much smaller Type 1/1.7 sensor in a very similar body).
Despite its size, the GR IV's magnesium alloy body makes it feel very solid, without being overly weighty. And, unlike almost all modern cameras, it will sensibly fit in a pocket.
Ricoh says the GR IV's lens was specifically designed to reduce the risk of dust ingress, but that they had to make the choice between the small form factor that a retractable lens makes possible and complete weather sealing, so there are no promises around the level of sealing.
Ricoh was kind enough to lend us a pre-production GR IV Monochrome, to let us get a feel for the handling, but we were asked not to make measurements or publish images from it, as it's not necessarily representative of final production performance.
But, even in the limited time we've spent with the camera, its appeal shines through: it forces on you that same way of looking at light and shade that Leica's monochrome cameras bring. And I maintain that using a camera that can only capture black and white is a completely different experience to using a normal camera in mono mode. Knowing that you can't switch, no matter how appealing the colors are in your scene means you solely focus on light, shadow and contrast.
The inclusion of a built-in, switchable red filter is a brilliant idea, letting you add that punch to your images at the touch of a button, without having to add a filter ring adapter or carry filters round with you. I'm sure there'll be people who would have preferred a different color, but red seems like a sensible option since they had to choose one. And the option to engage electronic shutter, so that you can still shoot wide-open in bright conditions feels like a reasonable work-around.
Even more so than the standard GR IV, the Monochrome version is going to be a niche proposition. Some people will immediately know they want one, while I suspect a great many people will be baffled at the idea that a regular GR IV in mono mode wouldn't be similar enough. And cheaper.
The price of adopting a decidedly niche camera is that there are fewer people to share the development costs with. The Ricoh is just over a quarter of the price of the other dedicated mono compact on the market – though the Leica Q3 mono has a sensor more than twice the size and a maximum aperture that's over a stop brighter, so can capture more than four times as much light – but there's still something inherently counter-intuitive about having to spend more, for less.
The CEO of Insta360 posted the above photo on Chinese social media, along with the words 向新的焦段进发, which translates to “Venture into new focal lengths.” The camera appears to be APS-C mirrorless (in white) based on the size relative to the hand. The mounted lens is f/1.8. Some of the buttons are:
For our most recent Question of the Week, we asked about a topic that's near and dear to my heart: photography projects. We wondered what projects you are taking on to spark creativity and move your photography forward. We also invited you to share ones that have made a difference for you in the past, even if you're not currently working on one.
You all had some wonderful responses (and photos), sharing about long-term projects, the constraints you put on yourself to help you see things anew and the regular challenges that keep you picking up your camera.
Constraints to drive creativity
This image is from Maoby's project, which involves photographing the same subject at different times of year and with different cameras. Photo: Community member Maoby
Many of you mentioned projects that may not be based on a specific period of time, but instead are more focused on applying narrow constraints on what or how you take photos. That could be taking images of the same subject or location repeatedly, or only using certain types of gear. The important thing was working on one specific thing over and over again.
Maoby: As already mentioned in your article of January 11, with a mini statuette, an approach which I have just taken up again. Another (fairly classic) example is to photograph the same subjects at different times of the year and with different cameras. Or recently, photographing with old M42 Helios lenses M42 Helios 44-2 & 44M 58mm F2.
This image of a violet-green swallow is part of Faunagraphy's project to photograph swallows and swifts right as they splash on the water. Photo: Community member Faunagraphy
Faunagraphy: The last major project that I assigned to myself was to photograph swallows and swifts as they splash on water...Despite (or because of) the challenges, I learned so much from this project. I experimented with different wetsuit thicknesses and designs, making the most of less-than-ideal light, how to use my gear to squeeze the most juice out of it, but above all, I learned so much about my subjects!
gary_mak: My new project for 2026 is learning – and mastering – taking wide-angle landscapes with short telephoto lenses - and then pan stitching into a single "wide angle" image. I recently attended a session by Dennis Hammon at Imaging USA 2026. After seeing his magnificent landscapes and hearing his presentation about the reasons for not using a wide-angle lens, it made a lot of sense to me, so I decided that would be a good "technical improvement" project for 2026 for me: Learn how to do landscapes with short telephoto lenses and master pan stitching.
Sirhawkeye: Another project I might also do is a prime lens project (possibly with different focal lengths, but probably will start with 50mm as this is a common focal length). While these types of projects have been done to death by the photo community, they can be a good exercise in learning how to see, and how to approach a scene, especially considering you have one focal length to work with.
Time-based projects
An image from SpiderJacek's photo-a-week project. Photo: Community member SpiderJacek
In my post, I shared that I have completed many projects that involve taking a photo a day for a year, or a photo every week for a year. There were a handful of you who are tackling (or have in the past) something similar, focused on projects that have at least a rough endpoint.
JJack: I did many kinds of projects with the main purpose to either advance my skills or to overcome a creativity block, but none had such a profound effect as joining the Monthly Scavenger Hunt, which required me to shoot 20 differently-themed photos each month. (Actually, it allowed for some slack about using older photos as well – but new ones were much preferred.) Themes varied quite wildly – some simple, some bordering on impossible (at a given time and place). That caused me to keep the list of them in my pocket wherever I went (along with a camera, of course). And since photos were all rated at the end of the month, it was a bit of competition among the participants as well. Very friendly and good-natured, of course, but it provided that bit of extra oomph that kept me doing it for a few years.
It made me really look differently at the world around me. Every little thing became a potential motif – and a speculation about what future hunting themes might bring, so my shooting rate skyrocketed. And to this day, I still tend to shoot everything that's even a bit out of the ordinary, which has provided me with quite diverse themes for photo exhibitions as well during the years.
Jaberg: In December of 2023, I began what was intended to be a "one-year" (thirteen-issue) project, publishing a monthly minizine. Mostly of my vernacular photography, though some event and special project work was included. Limited to 25 copies, distributed to close friends, mostly fellow photographers and artists.
Unfortunately, my father’s health took a turn and, as his primary caregiver, I lost the thread of the project and stopped publishing after seven issues. I don’t beat myself up for this failure. In fact, I don’t look at it as such. I’ve said elsewhere here that I consider process to be more important than product. I got value and learned much from the work that I did. I will return to publishing soon, though possibly switching to a quarterly production schedule.
Long-term projects
NiVoak is working on a long-term project photographing Romanesque Architecture. Photo: Community member NiVoak
The most common responses were projects that are long-term and still ongoing. Many of these focus on specific subjects, but have been years in the making.
Vidja: One other project is to photograph the old doors and windows in old barns and farms around the region before they are gone. This started after an accidental photo of a barn door in my hometown. I now have a collection of more than 200 barn doors and old windows within walking distance of my house.
NiVoak: My Romanesque Architecture is a huge ongoing project. I was fascinated by some Romanesque column capitals in a small country church in the mountains. I have ended up photographing this architecture all over Northern Italy. The subjects range from small county churches, through to the big cathedrals.
I have put together a series of shift lenses. I love this slow photography, and I have developed a lot of new skills. I enjoy playing with perspective effects. I use a tripod when I can and use HDR as standard. I have accumulated a small library of books on the subject, as understanding what you are photographing helps enormously. So photography has been a positive cultural advancement.
Cherry_F likes to photograph plastic and junk as a challenge to find interesting images, even of the mundane. Photo: Cherry_F
Cherry_F: I have various projects that I keep going on in parallel, but my favorite themes are plastic and junk. I believe my creativity most increased when photography prompted me to take a closer look at my environment. Especially about things we find so mundane, we don't even bother about.
Challenge yourself
The common thread between all of these projects is that they are designed to challenge you in some capacity. Whether it's learning a new skill or mastering your gear, gaining a better understanding of a specific subject or forcing yourself to see things in new, fresh ways, your projects aim to push you in some way. If you're feeling stuck in your photography, maybe some of these responses can help you find ideas to source new inspiration or motivation.
Stay tuned for next week's edition of our Question of the Week series. You can also still participate in this question via the link below.
We put the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Samsung T7 Shield, USB4 SanDisk Extreme Pro and Thunderbolt 5 OWC Envoy Ultra head-to-head. Photo: Mitchell Clark
These days, there are an overwhelming number of options when it comes to buying an external SSD to expand your computer's storage (an increasingly important ability as Raw sizes and video bitrates balloon). The highest-end options use protocols like Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 to achieve blistering speeds, but this raises the question: do photographers need all that performance?
We tested several SSDs across a range of price points to see if each one had more to offer for photographers, or if the returns quickly diminished.
What we tested and how we tested them
For this article, we used a 1TB Samsung T7 Shield as our sample for USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 2TB SanDisk Extreme Pro to represent USB4 and a Thunderbolt 5 2TB OWC Envoy Ultra. The tests were carried out on a 2024 MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor, which supports Thunderbolt 5, and we tested each SSD one at a time, using the cable it came with.
While this isn't meant to act as a review for the specific SSDs we used for our testing, the results can't necessarily be universally applied to each product in their class. For example, the USB4 SanDisk SSD is using the faster 40Gbps version of the spec, but another USB4 SSD may only be able to reach 20Gbps speeds. We may also see faster USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 drives as the market around those specifications matures, but, as of early 2026, the drives we've tested are some of the best in their respective classes.
How do the drives stack up?
USB 3.2 Gen 2
The magic of USB-C: it can be used for almost anything. The downside of USB-C: it can run at almost any speed.
Starting with our standard-bearer for USB 3.2 Gen 2, the Samsung T7 Shield handled a number of photography-related tasks with aplomb. We didn't notice any hiccups scrolling through a Lightroom Classic library with over 3600 images, and it wasn't meaningfully slower than the competition when we were copying hundreds of Raw/JPEG pairs to it from a CFExpress or SD card. However, it did take noticeably longer to import and build previews for that Lightroom library, and copying files to the drive from the computer (and vice versa) could take several times longer than on our faster drives.
For the photographers who occasionally stumble into the land of video, we also found that the slower SSD struggled a bit more when editing footage off of it. Adobe Premiere would frequently drop frames during playback, and more complex sequences could slow it to a crawl. Final Cut fared a bit better and was surprisingly usable, though there were still occasional hitches.
USB4
Despite the USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive's general competence, there were definitely times when the USB4 drive made it obvious that it was using a next-generation interface capable of real-world read and write speeds anywhere from 2.5 to 6.4 times faster than those of the Samsung model. Moving files back and forth between it and the computer was very quick, and most of the playback issues in our video editing suites disappeared or were substantially less noticeable. And, of course, it handled all our photo editing and organization tasks with the same ease as the lower-end model.
Thunderbolt 5
The point of the Thunderbolt spec is to be an assurance of performance; USB4 may just be Thunderbolt 4 in a trenchcoat, but until you do some digging, you won't know exactly what speeds a piece of USB4 gear can deliver. That's not the case with Thunderbolt.
Unsurprisingly, the Thunderbolt 5 drive easily handled everything we threw at it, and it never felt like it was a performance bottleneck. However, there also weren't any scenarios we ran into where it was noticeably faster than the USB4 drive, outside of our synthetic benchmarks*. While there are probably some users who'd be able to push it to its limits, we suspect most photographers and video editors wouldn't see a ton of benefit over a good USB4 drive.
* - And even there, the gains weren't nearly as large a jump as the one from USB 3.2 Gen 2 to USB4; our Thunderbolt 5 drive ran around 1.2 to 1.8 times faster than our USB4 one, not quite realizing the theoretical 2x improvement that the standard would allow for.
What's in a name?
No discussion of external SSDs would be complete without a rant on just how confusing things have become when it comes to USB ratings and speeds. What was once relatively simple (USB 2 = slow, USB 3 = fast) has become incredibly complex, with the version of USB that your device supports actually telling you very little about what speeds it supports. For example, a device labeled "USB 3.2" may only run at 5Gbps, or it could rival earlier versions of Thunderbolt, supporting up to 20Gbps. USB4 has the same issue, with potential speeds ranging from 10Gbps to 120Gbps.
Wikipedia has an excellent chart showing all the permutations of the USB specification and the speeds they provide. Which explains a bit why the standard is such a nightmare for those who care about performance. Graphic: Wikipedia
While external SSDs usually come with maximum speed ratings that tell you what they should be capable of (even the fastest SSDs won't be capable of fully saturating USB4's top speeds), it's more of a concern when it comes to the port on your computer and the cable you use to connect the two. While the USB Implementers Forum has been leaning on people to label equipment with their speed and power delivery ratings, not everyone will, so you'll want to make sure you're familiar with which ports on your computer are the fastest, and that you're using a high-quality cable that's capable of providing the speeds your SSD needs. If you have a random USB-C to C cable laying around your house that came with some device, assume it runs at USB 2 speeds, and shouldn't be used for transferring data.
The cable that comes with the SanDisk is, thankfully, labeled with the speeds and power delivery that it's capable of, but this is currently far from the norm. Photo: Mitchell Clark
Thankfully, the story is simpler with Thunderbolt, as each generation has only a single speed. If you have a Thunderbolt 4 cable, you know it should run at 40 Gbps. Of course, this is part of the reason why the price floor for Thunderbolt devices and accessories is so much higher than it is for their USB counterparts. It's also worth noting that Thunderbolt is cross-compatible with USB; if you plug a Thunderbolt drive into a 20Gbps USB-C port on your computer, it will still work, albeit at the lower speeds allowed by the connection.
Summary
This isn't a review of the OWC Envoy Ultra, but it's been a very enjoyable drive to use. The attached cable may be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of repairability but means you can never accidentally leave it at home.
For most photography tasks, you can get away with a relatively standard USB 3.2 SSD with a port and cable rated for 10Gbps speeds. If you frequently move around large chunks of data, edit complex videos, or are just generally impatient, though, it may be worth upgrading to a faster USB4 one, with the greatest gains to be had by going with a model that supports a 40Gbps connection. Most photographers and videographers will be able to stop there; unless you just enjoy having the best version of a thing possible, or need a specific feature, capacity or form factor only offered by a Thunderbolt drive,
Viltrox has released a range of high-end lenses for Nikon Z-mount, including the 85mm F1.4 Pro. These appear to have been released without a license from Nikon.
Photo: Viltrox
Nikon has responded to reports of it taking legal action against the maker of Viltrox lenses by focusing on its work with licensees of its lens mount.
"Nikon has always worked with officially licensed partner companies to expand the Z-mount ecosystem." the company said in response to questions about the lawsuit: "We promote technological advancement through healthy competition and encourage the use of third-party lenses from manufacturers licensed by Nikon."
The statement notably neither acknowledges nor denies the reports of legal action being taken.
Up until now, a large number of lenses have been available for Nikon's Z-mounts made by third-party makers that aren't part of Nikon's license program; these come in addition to the specific lenses it has issued licenses for, from Tamron and Sigma.
Translations of the court docket by Nikon Rumors suggest Nikon is claiming Viltrox's lenses infringe on patented work. A hearing is scheduled for March 2nd, 2026.
"We... encourage the use of third-party lenses from manufacturers licensed by Nikon"
Like Canon, Nikon has been selective about which third-party lenses it's issued licenses for, but whereas Canon pursued both Samyang and Viltrox to prevent them from offering unlicensed products, this is the first instance we've seen of Nikon taking legal action against companies that haven't licensed the mount and its communication protocol.
If Nikon prevails in the case, we'd expect to see Z-mount Viltrox lenses withdrawn from the market. It's unclear where that would leave existing owners of Z-mount Viltrox lenses. Firmware updates for cameras have previously caused compatibility issues with unlicensed lenses, and Viltox may be blocked from updating them if the patents in question relate to the communication protocol.
Success for Nikon may also prompt other third parties to withdraw their Z-mount lenses, if they conclude their designs touch on the same patented technologies.
This month, DxO Labs released 326 new DxO camera and lens modules for the latest releases, expanding support to more than 110,000 camera and lens combinations in total. It includes compatibility with some of the latest and most notable equipment from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Hasselblad, Leica, and others — all precisely measured in DxO’s independent laboratories to deliver the highest possible image quality. All DxO Modules are engineered through an exclusive, laboratory-based measurement process that corrects optical flaws
Incorporating DxO Modules into their workflow allows photographers to achieve sharper, clearer, and more accurate images — whether they’re shooting with the latest high-end gear or trusted older equipment.
Developed in DxO’s independent laboratories, each Module is a unique mathematical profile that characterizes a specific camera–lens pairing. Every profile is measured across the full range of focal lengths, focus distances, and apertures, enabling DxO software to automatically correct optical flaws and extract every ounce of detail and performance from the equipment. DxO Modules are integral to DxO PhotoLab, DxO PureRAW, DxO ViewPoint, and DxO FilmPack.
A library without equal
Over two decades, DxO’s experts have built a library of more than 110,000 camera–lens combinations, covering every major manufacturer in the industry. This unmatched body of optical research continues to set DxO apart, reinforcing its position as the leader in precision image processing and optical correction.
Adobe has announced Premiere 26, the latest version of its video editing software that brings a useful feature out of beta, adds support for the R3D NE Raw files that Nikon introduced with the video-focused ZR and comes with a subtle change to the program's name.
The flagship new feature of Premiere 26 is Object Masks, which the company started publicly beta testing late last year. It updates the editor's built-in masking tools to make it much easier to select a specific subject in your video, such as a person or object, and cut it out so you can apply effects to it independently from the background (a process video editors will know as "rotoscoping"). Like Final Cut's similar "Magnetic Mask" feature, Premiere can then track the mask forwards and backwards through the footage, so it follows the subject and adapts its shape as it or the camera moves. Of course, the program allows you to tweak the mask it generates, if the AI behind it doesn't create a perfect cut out.
While it took a long time for Premiere to get support for Nikon's proprietary NRaw video codec, things have moved a little faster with the company's latest format, R3D NE. Just a few months after the camera that debuted the format launched, Adobe has added native support for it to Premiere, letting you edit and color grade R3D NE footage.
The updated Adobe Stock panel. Image: Adobe
The update also brings updated versions of the Frame.io and Adobe Stock panels, making it easier to pull media from your own projects and elsewhere into your edit. However, perhaps the most interesting (though most superficial) is that Adobe seems to have taken a cue from The Social Network and Final Cut by dropping a word from the program's name: the app, formerly known as Premiere Pro, is now simply Premiere. During a briefing, Adobe representatives said this subtle rebranding doesn't signal a move away from it being a tool for professionals; instead, it seems to be Adobe just accepting that most editors were already just referring to it as "Premiere" anyways.
Premiere 26 is available for Creative Cloud subscribers to download starting today.
The new 2026 ON1 Effects is now officially released and available as a standalone application or as a plugin for Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. Version 2026 introduces new 1-click subject and background masks, layer-based masking, improved mask quality, and four new creative filters, all designed to give you speed without sacrificing control. Additional information:
Photo RAW users can already access Effects inside that app; this release adds a standalone option
Subject and Background Masks: AI-powered one-click masking to instantly isolate the main subject or background in an image, enabling precise adjustments without manual brushing.
Depth Lighting Filter: Uses AI depth detection to add cinematic lighting effects, balancing light and shadow for dramatic, three-dimensional results in portraits or landscapes.
Split Field Filter: Simulates a tilt-shift lens to compress perspectives, bringing distant backgrounds closer while keeping the foreground sharp—ideal for creative landscape edits.
Double Exposure Filter: Easily blends two images or exposures into artistic composites without needing multiple layers or in-camera techniques, turning simple shots into surreal artwork.
Motion Filter: Applies realistic motion blur effects like panning, zooming, or twisting to static photos, adding a sense of movement and dynamism.
Effects Starting Points: Kick off edits with pre-selected favorite filters or looks applied instantly, streamlining the creative process for consistent styling across images.
New Add Filter Dialog: An updated interface for quicker access to commonly used filters, with search, favorites, and the ability to hide unused options for a more personalized workflow.
BCN Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, announced the winners in the camera category for 2026. BCN collects POS sales data from most retail stores in Japan (January to December, 2025). Here is the latest ranking:
Mirrorless cameras:
Sony: 29.9%
Canon: 27.4%
Nikon: 15.1%
DSLR cameras:
Canon: 44.3%
Nikon: 38%
Ricoh/Pentax: 17.7%
Digital compact cameras with an integrated lens:
Kodak: 24%
Fujifilm: 13.9%
Kenko Tokina: 13.3%
Action cameras:
DJI: 40.1%
Arashi Vision: 37.9%
GoPro: 18.9%
Video cameras:
DJI: 64.7%
Panasonic: 18.9%
Sony: 11.1%
Interchangeable lenses
Tamron: 23%
Sigma: 17.8%
Sony: 13.1%
Overall Trends and Insights
Mirrorless Growth vs. DSLR Decline: Mirrorless rankings show a fragmented but vibrant market, with Sony holding strong. DSLR sales are likely shrinking, as evidenced by lower overall volumes implied in historical data (e.g., Canon’s 2025 DSLR share was 69.4%, but no 2026 figure available). Nikon remains competitive in both but could benefit from more aggressive Z-system marketing.
Non-Traditional Brands Rising: DJI’s double win in video and action categories signals a shift to versatile, tech-integrated devices over pure camera hardware. This could pressure traditional brands like Nikon to innovate in video features.
Lens Market Dynamics: Third-party lenses leading points to price sensitivity in Japan. For Nikon fans, this means opportunities to pair Z-mount bodies with affordable Tamron or Sigma glass, potentially boosting system adoption.
Nikon-Specific Analysis: Nikon appears in three categories (DSLR 2nd, mirrorless 3rd, binoculars 3rd), a respectable showing amid intense competition. Compared to 2025 (where Nikon was 3rd in mirrorless and 2nd in DSLR), there’s consistency, but to climb higher, focusing on entry-level mirrorless or hybrid video capabilities could help. No appearance in lens top three suggests Nikon’s native optics are premium-positioned, not volume leaders.
These awards reflect Japanese retail trends, which may differ globally due to regional preferences (e.g., instant cameras are popular in Asia).
Late last year, Tamron announced that it was bringing its venerable 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 to Nikon's Z mount. We took the opportunity to shoot a sample gallery with it, to get an idea for how it performs, and how much it asks you to give up compared to a heavier, larger and more expensive 70-200mm F2.8.
That is a bit of a spoiler for what the experience of shooting with the lens was like. Its size makes it much more usable as an everyday walkabout lens than your typical 70-200mm F2.8, and I found myself taking it places I normally wouldn't bring this class of lens, just because it'd be too much of a hassle to do so.
Even extended, the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 isn't particularly long (unlike its name).
The autofocus motors in the lens were snappy enough that I never felt like they were holding the camera back, even when I was shooting fast-moving subjects like horses. I also appreciated the lens's inclusion of optical image stabilization, which, when paired with the Z8's in-body stabilization, let me get sharp handheld shots at shutter speeds that would typically be difficult to manage with a telephoto lens.
Optically, you do give up a bit compared to the more premium options; as evidenced by several photos in our sample gallery, there's some pretty heavy vignetting at F2.8, though it's noticeably better at F4, and pretty much clears up by F5.6. There's also, of course, the 20mm difference at the long end, though in most scenarios, most photographers won't really notice the difference between a photo shot at 180mm and one shot at 200mm. The lens is also reasonably sharp throughout its range, and has relatively pleasing bokeh wide-open.
The vignetting will be most noticeable when shooting relatively bright, featureless surfaces like the sky, and is less distracting in other situations.
Finally, there are the controls. The lens has a single customizable button, which is always a nice inclusion, and Nikon allows you to assign a wide variety of functions to it. I also appreciated the inclusion of a lock switch to keep the lens retracted. It's an extending zoom design (which isn't my favorite, but makes sense given its size), and having the ability to keep it from walking while I was carrying it around was much appreciated. However, it's worth noting that it's quite a strong lock; unlike with some of Sigma's lenses, you can't overpower it if you forget to deactivate it before raising the camera up to your eye.
My biggest complaint with the lens is the focus ring, which is quite sensitive, and is situated exactly where I'd typically rest my hand. This led me to frequently bump the camera into manual focus mode at inopportune times. If I spent long enough with the lens, I'm sure I'd adapt to it (and the focus ring's location will be more familiar to those who only shoot Nikon), but I ended up simply setting it to do nothing in the camera's settings.
The buttons are nice to use, but the focus ring can be quite touchy, and doesn't leave you much room to hold the lens.
Minor complaints and personal preferences aside, I found the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 to be a capable and versatile lens, especially for the price. But be sure to check out the gallery below so you can make your own assessments.
Some random websites are reporting that a new Fujifilm X-Pro4 camera is coming soon. The Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera has been discontinued for a while without any replacement in sight:
Digging deeper with AI, the Fujifilm X-Pro4 camera rumors appear to be just clickbait:
The Fujifilm X-Pro4 remains in the realm of rumors and speculation, with no concrete evidence of an imminent launch (e.g., within the next few months). Most credible sources point to a potential release sometime in the second half of 2026 or even later, possibly tied to Fujifilm’s next-generation X-Trans VI sensor and processor updates, but this is unconfirmed. Here is a break down all references found online:
Official Fujifilm Websites
Searches across Fujifilm’s global and regional sites (e.g., fujifilm-x.com, fujifilm.com, fujifilm.com.cn) yield no official references to the X-Pro4. These sites focus on existing models like the X-Pro3 (released in 2019), X-T5, X-H2S, and others.
Fujifilm’s product pages and news sections discuss updates to current lines but make no mention of an X-Pro4.
In interviews (e.g., with Fujifilm executives like Yuji Igarashi), the company has acknowledged demand for an X-Pro successor but emphasized it won’t be a “boring refresh” and is still in conceptual stages, with no timeline given.
No product listings, teasers, or firmware mentions appear on Fujifilm China (fujifilm.com.cn) or other regional variants. If it were officially coming soon, we’d expect teasers or placeholders on these sites, but there’s nothing.
Retailer References
Major retailers show no active listings or pre-orders for the X-Pro4, indicating it’s not available for sale or even teased commercially. Searches often redirect to the X-Pro3 or unrelated accessories.
Social Media References (X/Twitter)
On X (formerly Twitter), the X-Pro4 is a hot topic among photography enthusiasts. No official Fujifilm accounts mention it. Key themes:
Rumors and Predictions: Many posts cite 2026 as the likely year, often linking to articles speculating on specs like a 40MP APS-C sensor, IBIS (in-body stabilization), improved hybrid viewfinder, and new film simulations.
User Wishes and Debates: Posts express frustration over the delay (X-Pro3 is 7 years old) and debate features, such as keeping the optical viewfinder (OVF) vs. going all-digital with an EVF. Some suggest it might be renamed (e.g., X-Pro5 or X-Pro6) to align with current numbering.
Broader Predictions: Some accounts bundle it with other 2026 cameras (e.g., X-T6).
No leaks from insiders or Fujifilm reps.
Chinese Websites
Chinese e-commerce sites like JD.com and Taobao have indirect references to the X-Pro4, but not as a sellable camera – only in accessory listings (e.g., flashes like EF-X8 or EF-60) that claim compatibility with future models, including “X-Pro4”. This seems precautionary (listing potential compatibilities) rather than evidence of a release. No actual camera pages or pre-orders exist on these platforms.
Summary and Rumored Timeline/Specs
Is it coming soon? Unlikely in the immediate future. Rumors suggest a 2026 release or later if Fujifilm focuses on mass-market models like the X-T6 first.
Rumored Specs: 40MP non-stacked APS-C sensor, faster processor, IBIS, articulating screen, new film simulations (e.g., Reala Ace), and possibly a refreshed hybrid viewfinder. Price estimates: $2,400–$2,600.
Why the Delay? Sources suggest Fujifilm is prioritizing broader-appeal cameras and wants a significant upgrade to justify the X-Pro line’s niche.
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