I received the following (unconfirmed) Canon EOS R3 Mark II camera rumors (replacement for the current EOS R3 model):
The Canon EOS R3 Mark II has already made its mark at the Winter Olympics. It is not a high-resolution variant of the EOS R1, but rather an entirely new and more experimental product. It features an industry-first dual native-resolution back-illuminated stacked CMOS image sensor that supports switching between 54-megapixel and 24-megapixel native resolutions. The 24-megapixel, 90 fps, and 54-megapixel, 40 fps continuous shooting modes are extremely convenient. EOS R3 Mark II employs a unique Enhanced Sensitivity Bayer array:
R R G
G G B
G G B
In 24-megapixel native resolution, adjacent pixels of the same colour are merged:
R-Binned Green
G-Binned B-Binned
The binned green pixel dominates the SNR of the decoded image. It achieves approx. 80% increase in sensitivity compared to the single green pixel found in the EOS R3. Combined with triple native ISO, EOS R3 Mark II delivers the industry’s finest high-sensitivity performance among full-frame cameras.
The Quad Pixel CMOS AF system employs four photodiodes per pixel, facilitating dual cross-type autofocus across all 54 megapixels. This innovative feature enables phase detection across four distinct directions: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and opposite diagonal.
RAW video recording in-camera up to 9K at 60fps and 6K at 120fps, with full-pixel autofocus capability.
Mastering your autofocus settings lets you capture almost anything.
Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 @ 77mm | F2.8 | 1/1250 | ISO 110
Photo: Richard Butler
If you've recently picked up your first camera and find yourself frequently getting out of focus images, it may be a sign that you need to tweak your focus settings. While autofocus seems like it should be simple and straightforward, camera manufacturers offer a long list of settings to adjust autofocus performance for different situations. All of those options can be incredibly confusing, especially if you’re new to photography. In this guide, we'll break down the most basic focus terms and settings to help you identify which are best for you and the subjects you photograph most often.
Focus modes
Some cameras have a physical control for autofocus mode, but most will handle it through their on-screen menus.
The first autofocus setting to consider is your camera's autofocus mode, which changes how the camera behaves once it starts focusing. Most cameras offer Continuous Autofocus (often referred to as AF-C or AI Servo on Canon) and Single Autofocus (AF-S on many brands, and One Shot on Canon). Many cameras also offer Automatic or Hybrid Autofocus (often called AF-A or AI Focus on Canon).
Single AF
AF-S focuses once, and then locks focus at that distance as long as you keep the button half-pressed. It's an ideal option when your subject is still, such as landscapes or product photography. This mode lets you focus and recompose if needed, knowing the focus won't change until you lift your finger.
Continuous AF
AF-C keeps updating focus as long as you hold the button, hence the continuous in the name. It adjusts in real time to moving subjects. As a result, you'll want to choose AF-C for any moving subjects, such as sports, wildlife, street photography, candid portraiture and more, as the camera will attempt to maintain sharp focus even as the subject changes position. Additionally, most modern cameras are very good at handling AF-C, so is the option we'd suggest most people stick to.
Auto AF
Lastly, Hybrid/auto AF lets the camera decide if AF-C or AF-S is best for a given situation. It's meant for times when you're not sure if things will stay stationary or start moving. It doesn't always do a great job of deciding when to switch, though, and leaving it set to this may limit other autofocus features you can use on certain cameras.
Focus area
Cameras give you multiple options regarding where in the frame it focuses.
The next consideration is the focus area setting. Focus areas indicate where the camera should focus within the frame. Each manufacturer provides slightly different options, but broadly speaking, these options vary from the camera detecting what it thinks should be in focus across the entire frame to ones that let you choose a precise spot.
Wide / Auto
The first option that many cameras offer is a Wide focus area. Many brands use some variation of Wide in the name, while others may call it something similar to Auto-area. This setting hands over control to the camera so it can select where to focus automatically across the frame. It's a convenient option for casual use, but it doesn't give you any input into what the camera will focus on. Because of this, you may end up disappointed by the results, especially if your subject isn't obvious or is partially blocked by something in the foreground.
Zone
Many cameras feature preset zone sizes, alongside customizable ones.
Zone, sometimes called Group area, gives you a step more control than wide/auto. It uses a group or block of AF points that you can move to different areas of the frame. The camera then decides where within that block it should prioritize focus. Like with wide/auto, it favors the closest subject or detected faces, making it good for group shots or sports where you know the player's general position.
Expanded point
The expanded point option starts from a chosen point, just like single-point AF, but adds a small cluster of surrounding points if the subject drifts off your main selection. It's an ideal everyday choice for moving subjects such as kids and pets, because it balances control with some camera assistance. It goes by many names depending on your brand, including Expand AF (Canon), Dynamic-area AF (Nikon), Expand Flexible Spot (Sony), Zone (Fujifilm), 1-Area+ (Panasonic) or Group Target (OM System).
Single-point
Canon calls its single-point focus area "1-point AF."
Single‑point is the most precise option and gives you the most control, but it’s best for still or slow-moving subjects. It lets you pick one focus point and place it exactly where you want sharpness, such as an eye in a portrait. Each brand has its own name for this, but most are something similar to Single-point AF or 1-point AF. Sony, however, calls it Flexible Spot. Some brands will also provide size options for that spot to give you more flexibility.
Tracking areas
Some cameras only give you one size of tracking box, while others let you choose from a few options.
Most modern cameras now offer some form of tracking AF. In this mode, you set your focus point on a subject, and the camera then moves the active point(s) around the frame to keep that subject in focus as you recompose or as the subject moves. It's an ideal option for erratic motion, such as sports, birds, pets or kids, especially when you combine it with continuous or auto AF and subject detection.
Each camera manufacturer handles tracking areas slightly differently, but there are generally three methods. Some brands allow you to choose any AF area mode and simply toggle tracking on or off. Others create tracking-specific duplicates of each area mode, though only when in AF-C. Lastly, some simply have one Tracking AF area mode (which Nikon calls 3D Tracking).
Subject detection and tracking
Canon's subject selection screen.
While tracking is a focus area setting, modern cameras also offer additional subject detection and tracking controls in separate menus. These settings are typically layered on top of whatever focus area you choose, meaning you can use your chosen method for selecting a subject while knowing the camera will better track a subject if it's one it recognizes.
Depending on your camera, you may have access to various subject types, including human, animal, birds and vehicles. With these modes, the camera will search for that specific subject and prioritize it if it's near your AF point. Additionally, most recent mirrorless cameras support some level of face/eye detection, which means the camera attempts to find faces or eyes within your chosen focus area and prioritizes them.
With each of these, your camera still primarily targets your AF point. That means that if something like a face shows up in the frame that isn't near your AF point, your camera won't suddenly ignore where you've specified it should focus. As a result, you can generally leave subject detection modes on without worrying that your camera will go rogue trying find faces or trains.
Each brand has its quirks
The above items are a general overview of basic autofocus terms. It's important to keep in mind, though, that each brand has its own naming conventions as well as quirks associated with all of the different features. In a later article, we'll provide a more in-depth look at brand-specific quirks so you can confidently set your autofocus for more consistently focused images.
Rescue Soft and Noisy Images in Real-World Workflows with Aiarty Image Enhancer (Holiday Special Offer)
Every professional archive has them: those “near-miss” frames where the composition is perfect, but the technical execution hits a wall. Perhaps it was a handheld shot that suffered from slight motion blur , or a low-light wedding scene where high-ISO grain began to erode the fine micro-textures of the bride’s lace. Traditionally, these compromises were accepted as the physical limits of our equipment.
My recent testing of Aiarty Image Enhancer, however, has made me reconsider what truly qualifies as a “discarded” file. Instead of the aggressive, “waxy” smoothing often associated with conventional noise reduction, this software applies a more nuanced, data-driven approach – reconstructing detail rather than simply blurring it away.
What makes this particularly relevant in a professional workflow is how effectively it extends the practical reach of existing lenses and sensors. I found it especially useful in situations where getting closer to the subject wasn’t possible and a heavy crop was unavoidable. In many cases, crops in the 50% or 70% range would normally strip away fine-frequency details, but here the AI-generated data helps reserve depth and structure. The result feels less like digital interpolation and more like I’m shooting with a higher-resolution sensor, allowing me to refine my composition after the fact without sacrificing the “raw-like” depth of the shot.
At the time of writing, Aiarty Image Enhancer is available as part of a limited-time Buy 1 Get 2 Free promotion, offering 36% off the lifetime license along with twoadditional image and video processing tools at no extra cost.
With a full lifetime license, you’ll enjoy:
One-time purchase with no subscriptions or recurring fees
Installation on up to 3 Windows or Mac computers
Unlimited access to all features.
Free lifetime updates and technical support.
30-day money-back guarantee
Aiarty Image Enhancer: A Must-Have Tool for Photographers
For photographers, a perfect shot is about preserving the soul of a moment in every pixel. Whether it’s the micro-textures of a landscape or the delicate tones of a portrait, image integrity is non-negotiable. Aiarty Image Enhancer is engineered to bridge the gap between raw capture and professional vision, offering an AI-driven toolset that respects the optics of your gear while pushing technical boundaries.
Unlike basic sharpening tools, Aiarty performs a deep-tissue analysis of your files. It intelligently reconstructs lost data – neutralizing high-ISO sensor noise, smoothing tonal gradations in sunsets, and restoring clarity to soft frames. By supporting high-fidelity RAW workflows, it ensures your high-end sensors perform at their absolute peak, delivering results that traditional interpolation simply cannot match.
For pros, Aiarty Image Enhancer is a force multiplier that slashes hours of tedious cleanup, allowing you to focus on creativity. For enthusiasts, it provides an intuitive path to gallery-quality results without the steep learning curve. From refining a single masterpiece to batch-processing an entire event, Aiarty ensures every export meets the highest standards of professional excellence.
Why Aiarty Image Enhancer is a Game-Changer for Photographers
Clean High-ISO Grain While Preserving Sensor-Level Micro-Textures
In low-light environments – be it a dimly lit wedding venue or a moonless landscape – high ISO settings often introduce aggressive luminance and chroma noise. Unlike traditional noise reduction that “smears” details into a waxy mess, Aiarty Image Enhancer utilizes the Smooth-diffuse model. It intelligently distinguishes between noise artifacts and actual image data, neutralizing grain while reconstructing the micro-textures of skin pores, fabric fibers, and architectural surfaces. The result is a clean, “film-like” finish that looks natural even at 100% zoom.
Restore “Tack-Sharp” Precision to Soft Focus and Shaken Frames
Even the best AF systems can miss by a hair, and hand-held shooting at slow shutter speeds often results in “soft” images. Aiarty’s Deblur engine analyzes the pixel-spread caused by motion or lens diffraction. By utilizing deep convolutional neural networks, it “tightens” the blurry edges and re-aligns the visual information. For wildlife or sports photographers, this means the difference between a discarded frame and a sharp, portfolio-ready masterpiece.
Ultra-High-Res Upsampling for Gallery-Scale Fine Art Prints
Photographers often need to crop heavily to achieve the perfect composition, which can leave the final image with insufficient resolution for printing. Aiarty’s Upscale feature allows for up to 800% (8X) enlargement, reaching resolutions up to 32K. This isn’t just simple interpolation; the AI generates new, high-frequency details to fill the gaps, ensuring that even a 12MP legacy file can be transformed into a high-density print suitable for gallery exhibitions or billboard-scale commercial use.
Enhance Dynamic Range and Color Fidelity for a True-to-Life Render
The Enhance Color feature acts as a sophisticated digital restorer. It addresses common digital pitfalls like color banding in gradients (such as sunsets) and loss of shadow detail. By analyzing the dynamic range of the scene, it smoothes out tonal transitions and restores the natural saturation that can be lost during heavy exposure recovery. It brings a “raw-like” depth to compressed images, making the final output feel more vibrant and lifelike.
(New) AI Eraser: Professional Cleanup Without the Manual Labor
The AI Eraser is an essential tool for perfecting composition after the shutter has clicked. Whether it’s a stray tourist in a landscape or a distracting power line cutting through a street scene, the AI doesn’t just “blur” the area. It interprets the surrounding lighting, perspective, and texture to intelligently reconstruct the background. For the meticulous photographer, this provides a professional-grade cleanup that preserves the continuity of the shot without the tedious manual labor of the Clone Stamp tool.
High-Volume Batch Processing and Secure Local Workflow
Efficiency is the backbone of a successful photography business. Aiarty allows you to import hundreds of images and apply consistent enhancement parameters across the entire set via Batch Processing. Crucially, all AI computations happen locally on your machine. Your unreleased work is never uploaded to a server, ensuring total copyright privacy and a workflow that remains functional even in remote locations without an internet connection.
Lightning-Fast Performance via Full GPU Optimization
Time spent watching a progress bar is time away from the lens. Aiarty Image Enhancer is meticulously optimized for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel GPUs. By leveraging hardware acceleration, it handles high-resolution RAW exports and massive upscaling tasks in seconds rather than minutes. This speed ensures that AI enhancement becomes a seamless, non-disruptive part of your standard post-processing routine.
Availability and Pricing
If you are interested in adding Aiarty Image Enhancer to your workflow, a limited-time promotion is currently available, offering up to 36% on the lifetime license. The license provides unlimited access to all features, including free lifetime upgrades and technical support – with no recurring subscription fees.
The lifetime license allows installation on up to three Windows or Mac computers, making it suitable for multi-device setups. In addition, the current promotion includes two bonus tools at no extra cost, effectively a “buy one, get two free” offer.
Final Verdict: Is Aiarty Image Enhancer Worth It?
In an era where AI tools are becoming commonplace, Aiarty Image Enhancer distinguishes itself by staying true to photographic integrity. Rather than inventing detail, it focuses on recovering the image quality that real-world shooting conditions or hardware limitations can sometimes compromise.
For professional photographers, it works as a reliable “insurance policy” for soft or under-resolved shots, and a capable engine for preparing images for large-format output. For enthusiasts, it offers a straightforward way to elevate images to a clean, polished look—without spending hours inside complex editing workflows.
If your archive includes photos you’ve always wished were sharper, cleaner, or better suited for large prints, Aiarty Image Enhancer is well worth considering.
I photographed this pup during an event called "Barktoberfest," where people dressed their pets for Halloween and brought them to work. He was fascinated by my camera, and followed me around peering into the lens, just begging me to take his photo. Some dogs just love being in front of the camera.
This month, our Editor's challenge has gone to the dogs. Literally. We want to see your most impressive dog photography. Whether you've captured a soulful portrait, an action shot of a pup in flight, or your furry sidekick in an embarrassingly bad Halloween costume, we want to see it. Our favorites will be featured in an article on the DPReview homepage.
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, February 15, and Saturday, February 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
The Sony FX3 II has been delivered to select rental companies for testing. It inherits the FX3 body’s expandability and the FX2’s adjustable EVF. Visually, it resembles the FX2 with added color temperature sensors.
The FX3 II supports in-body image stabilisation settings for anamorphic lenses. The image stabilization rating is the highest in the FX series at 8.5 stops, and FX3 II retains a fully mechanical shutter instead of adopting the FX2’s electronic front-curtain mechanical shutter, which resulting in a body slightly thicker than the FX2 and FX3.
It uses a 33-megapixel partially stacked sensor and boosted by the BIONZ XR2 and enhanced active cooling system, with a UHD/DCI 4K at up to 60fps in full-frame / S35 mode, and UHD 4K 120fps in full-frame crop / S35 mode.
It supports full-frame 1.1x crop UHD4K 120p recording like the FX3, but with 6.2K oversampling. Only when shooting full-frame 4K at 120fps does the FX3 II fully leverage the 3.5x readout speed capability of its 33-megapixel sensor in video modes.
When paired with the XLR handle unit, the FX3 II supports 32-bit floating-point recording at 48kHz and incorporates an AGC circuit for extensive level control to prevent clipping. It supports up to 8 audio channels, facilitating multi-person recording and immersive sound capture.
Additionally, the FX3 II supports outputting timecode signals externally as a master camera and enables wireless synchronisation of timecode between multiple FX3 II units via the 6GHz channel (unavailable in certain countries).
Songraw will release new 50mm & 85mm f/1.2 full-frame autofocus lenses for Nikon Z and Sony E mount (previously reported here). The new lens series is marketed as “light” and “affordable” in China, featuring significant weight reduction, numerous optimizations, and a titanium gray lens body.
Zeiss will announce a new Otus ML 35mm f/1.4 Apo Distagon lens for Nikon Z, Sony E, and Canon RF mounts on February 23rd or 24th for the CP+ show in Japan. This will be the third Zeiss Otus mirrorless lens after the 1.4/35 and 1.4/50.
A gigantic fin whale gently breaking the water's surface. What do you feel about the top-down shooting angle in this image? How does it compare to other top-down shots you've seen? (Disko Bay, Greenland)
DJI Mavic 3 Classic | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4
Aerial photography has always offered a unique perspective, and recent technological advances have made this genre of photography more accessible than ever. But what are the implications for the wildlife we're trying to capture?
In this article, I'd like to share my thoughts about wildlife photography from the air, namely, using a manned aircraft (helicopter or light plane) or a drone. Photographing animals from the air is a somewhat controversial subject, both in terms of how the images look and the moral implications.
"A photographer shouldn't shoot wildlife from the air if doing so causes any serious distress or harm to the animals."
Let's address the second controversy first, since people tend to have strong feelings about it.
A photographer shouldn't shoot wildlife from the air if doing so causes any serious distress or harm to the animals. This means, for example, that if a bear is hunting, disturbing it with a buzzing drone and ruining the chase – and potentially depriving it of its prey – is wrong and shouldn't be done.
However, this does not mean that all aerial wildlife photography is wrong. Some animals simply aren't bothered by aircraft at a distance, so if photography is done responsibly and the animal's well-being is taken into account, there's no problem with shooting it from the air.
A family of walruses having a sleepover on a flat iceberg in Svalbard. These lazy blobs couldn't care less about my drone hovering above them. To make sure of that, my guide was monitoring their responses at all times using binoculars. (Magdalenefjord, Svalbard)
Shooting from far away allowed me to show the shapes a flock of flamingos creates in flight. I was so far away that there's no way they would have been disturbed. (Sandwich Harbor, Namibia)
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM | ISO 400 | 1/1000 sec | F8
Now that we have this out of the way, let's talk about the actual photography. Aerial wildlife photography is awesome. Aircraft can fly to places the photographer can't reach by other means. It can offer a different perspective, for better or worse, and generally opens up options, which is what we want, assuming we are interested in creating original, interesting art.
That's the good part, but there is a bad part. Using an aircraft means that we almost surely cannot shoot the animal at eye level. This is detrimental in the sense that the photographer is very limited in the kind of connection they can create between the viewer and the subject.
"Wildlife photography is all about bringing the beauty of animals to life and immersing viewers in their habitats."
Wildlife photography is all about bringing the beauty of animals to life and immersing viewers in their habitats. Shooting from the air limits how close you can get and the shooting angle, which is a very serious disadvantage.
The way to overcome this disadvantage is to create a connection to the wildlife by other means. Namely, use the aircraft to create an interesting composition that shows the animal in its natural habitat in a visually appealing way.
Take, for example, the image below. This is a good example of an animal-in-landscape type of shot, which means a landscape image with a wildlife element. Here, the compositional 'punch' comes from the shapes of the broken sea ice. The pair of walruses is just the cherry on top – the element that breaks the pattern and injects interest into the flat, somewhat repetitive landscape.
A pair of walruses chilling on sea ice. While the wildlife is the main subject, the broader context of the animals in their habitat and the way I composed the landscape are what make this image work. To achieve this composition, I had to use a drone. (Yoldiabukta, Svalbard)
I have a bit of a problem with top-down aerial photography, but there are instances where it just works.
Last summer, I shot lunge-feeding fin whales during my Greenland photo workshop, and the drone proved to be the perfect tool for this. Not only did it allow me to get a good view of the whale, free of reflections and close enough to show detail, but since the whales often swim turned to their sides, the drone allowed me to capture the full view of the animals' bodies and behaviors.
Fin whales lunge-feeding in Disko Bay, Greenland. The whales feed by driving krill to the surface, then taking huge gulps and filtering the tiny crustaceans with their baleen. (Disko Bay, Greenland)
Since the whale is on its side, this high angle was actually perfect to show all the desired detail. See the tiny krill? Am I the only one who thought of Shai Hulud (the sand worm from Dune)? (Disko Bay, Greenland
The fact that the whales feed turned to the side is exactly why I could shoot top-down (more or less) and still get the interesting parts of my subjects to show in the images.
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveller. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.
If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes and wildlife with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Zambia, China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and more.
Erez has recently published his first e-book, Solving the Puzzle, thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
This week, we published our review of the Fujifilm X-T30 III, the company's entry-level, SLR-shaped camera with a now venerable 26MP APS-C sensor. It's shown up in enough of the company's cameras that there are few surprises left when it comes to the image quality, but we still like to share some of the images we take with a camera during the review process.
Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
The new lens will be priced similarly to the Tamron 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 lens: $900 for the Sony version and $930 for the Nikon version. Shipping will start in late March or early April.
Update – here are two additional pictures of the new lens:
If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.
The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).
Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO
Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.
The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.
Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO
For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.
This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."
You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.
If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.
The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).
Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO
Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.
The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.
Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO
For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.
This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."
You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.
Additional informtion on the lens can be found here:
Product Overview
This wide-angle lens for APS-C cameras combines an easy-to-use angle of view equivalent to approximately 37.5mm in 35mm format with a large aperture of F1.8. It weighs only about 145g and is a thin and lightweight design with a total length of 32mm, yet it is equipped with a silent and high-speed AF using an STM (stepping motor). From street snapshots to video shooting, it is an “Everywhere Prime” that you can carry around in your pocket at all times.
Main Features
Soft bokeh created by the 9-blade circular aperture with maximum aperture of F1.8
STM stepping motor for quiet and smooth AF drive
The latest optical design with 7 elements in 5 groups, including 3 high-refractive index lenses, provides high resolution all the way to the edges
Compact metal body weighing approximately 145g and measuring 32mm in length, perfect for everyday use
Multi-coating suppresses flare and ghosting even in backlit conditions
Metal exterior and diamond-cut focus ring for high operability
The included metal lens hood combines design and durability.
Specification
Compatible mounts: Sony E, Fujifilm X
Compatible image capture size: APS-C size
Color: Black, silver, red, orange
Focal length: 25mm (35mm format equivalent: 37.5mm)
Focus mode: AF (autofocus)
Aperture blades: 9
Lens construction: 7 elements in 5 groups (including 3 high refractive index lenses)
Aperture range: F1.8-F16
Minimum shooting distance: 0.3m
Filter diameter: 52mm
Size: Φ72mm×32mm (excluding mount and hood)
Mass: Approximately 145g
Accessories: Lens cap, rear cap, lens hood, lens hood cap
Manufacturer’s warranty: 2 years (covers natural failures)
Setting up any new camera can be an overwhelming experience because of the extensive number of settings and options. Making matters worse, every brand has its own quirks in default settings and button functionality. Canon cameras are no exception, but the guide below highlights some of the most important settings to adjust on your new Canon camera to help you hit the ground running.
Some settings apply no matter what brand of camera you have, which we've covered in a separate article. You may want to start there, especially if you're a beginner. It's also important to remember that each shooting style and genre has different needs; the items below apply to most photographers rather than to specific niche settings. If you're setting up a new Canon camera, these will give you a good place to start before you fully customize it to your needs.
Engage Raw files
Canon provides two primary Raw types: Raw and compressed Raw (called CRaw).
To gain the flexibility of shooting Raw (or Raw + JPEG), access the "Image quality" option at the start of the Camera menus. Alternatively, you can also adjust image quality in the Q menu. It's important to note that when changing this setting in the main menu, you'll need to hit OK to approve, though you don't need to hit OK in the Q menu.
Like other camera brands, Canon offers a choice of Raw file formats. The primary Raw option provides uncompressed files, which is what we'd suggest for most people. CRaw applies lossy compression, particularly in deep shadows, limiting your processing latitude. Dual Pixel Raw is available on some cameras in a separate menu option, though we wouldn't recommend using it as it adds file size for little, if any, benefit.
Password settings
Canon has implemented a password feature, apparently to comply with international regulations, to prevent unauthorized access to other devices your camera may be connected to. Note that it's not intended to prevent or deter theft. It is present on all new models and has been added to many older ones with firmware.
If you have an older mirrorless camera without updated firmware, you will not encounter this (until you update the firmware). But if you turn on a new Canon camera that comes with this tool, or one with updated firmware, you'll see a screen requiring you to set a six-digit PIN, which you cannot bypass. The camera will then require that password whenever you start it up or when it wakes from sleep mode. While some may appreciate the slight increase in security, for most, it's just an annoyance, and we'd recommend turning it off right away.
On subsequent startups, your camera will display a box labeled "Do Not Ask Again." If you check that box, as you may guess, you won't be asked to enter the password again. You can also turn it off in the Manage Password menu (found in the yellow Setup menu) by accessing the "Pword Request" option.
You can also change your password in the Manage Password menu and see a log of password changes. If you forget your password, you can reset it using the "Clear entered information" option on the "Manage Password" screen. Be aware, though, that selecting that will conduct a full factory reset of the camera.
Keep track of AF tracking
Canon's recent R-series cameras have a menu option called ">Whole Area Tracking Servo AF" in the AF section of their menus. This prompts the camera to track whatever is under your chosen AF point (using the whole area of the screen) and can be engaged for any AF area mode, so long as the camera is set to continuous AF (Servo AF in Canon speak).
The easiest way of engaging this tracking mode is to bring up the Q menu and go to the autofocus area option (typically at the top left). You can engage and disengage tracking by pressing the Info button.
The Q menu makes it easy to toggle AF tracking on and off, particularly on more recent cameras. But remember that if your camera says 'Enable' it means it's already enabled, not that you need to press INFO to enable it.
One word of warning, though: on all but the most recent models, the Q menu screen will say "Enable" next to the icon representing tracking. This does not mean you need to press the 'Info' button to enable the function; it actually indicates that the function is already enabled. Don't be confused by this grammatical error. On the most recent models, this has been fixed, and the screen indicates whether tracking is On or Off.
On first-generation R-series cameras (EOS R, EOS RP, EOS R6 and EOS R5), setting the camera to track the subject of your choice is a little more complicated. First, you need to engage Face + Tracking as your AF area (called "AF method" in the main menus), then change another menu setting called "Initial Servo AF pt for Face + Tracking." This gives you an AF target in AF tracking mode, letting you specify what you want the camera to track.
This menu option will be in the AF section of the menus, if your camera has one, or the Custom Function setting section, if it doesn't.
Flexible Priority mode
Parameters with an underline are controlled automatically by the camera. If the underline is not present, that means you are controlling that setting. In this screenshot, the user is controlling shutter speed and aperture, while ISO is set to auto.
Many of Canon's mirrorless cameras offer an exposure mode called Fv mode that behaves similarly to Program, Av (aperture priority), Tv (shutter priority) and Manual all rolled into one, much like Pentax's Hyper Control System. On Canon EOS R‑series cameras (except the EOS R100, R50 and R50V, which lack Fv mode), you select Fv from the standard mode list via the Mode button or the mode dial, depending on the body. The feature lets you control the parameters most important to you, while the camera automatically sets the rest. It also makes it faster to adjust which setting you're controlling; you can simply twist the control ring to gain control over aperture, rather than having to switch to aperture priority mode.
When set to Fv mode, the camera automatically controls shutter speed, aperture, and ISO by default. However, the camera lets you change any combination of those three settings, as well as apply exposure compensation to adjust the camera's metering. You can control which setting the main dial controls, and also choose whether you want to have access to a second setting using the control ring built into RF lenses. From there, you're able to adjust them, just as you would in Tv, Av, or Manual mode. To hand control back to the camera, you can press a button that will reset either selected parameter or all of them to auto; which button does this depends on your camera.
While we like the idea of a mode that lets you control shutter and/or aperture, it also allows you to inadvertently set a manual ISO value, with the camera automatically setting aperture and shutter speed to match. This sort of ISO priority mode is never a sensible outcome, because it's a setting that should always follow from aperture and shutter speed, as they determine how much light your camera gets.
Maximum ISO
If you don't want the camera to use extremely high ISO values, you can set your own maximum.
A fairly common user complaint with Canon cameras is that they tend to use quite high ISOs in low light conditions when ISO is set to auto. This risks leaving newer users frustrated and confused by noisy images. To help with this, Canon, like other brands, lets you set a maximum Auto ISO value in the ISO settings menu, so the camera won't exceed the limit you choose. If you're annoyed by your camera using high ISOs and you're prepared to deal with the camera hitting its ISO limit, you may want to set a lower Max ISO value. It's not something we'd recommend for everyone, but it is worth considering based on your preferences and shooting style.
Shooting HDR photos
Almost all of Canon's EOS R cameras are able to shoot true HDR images that will look more vibrant and lifelike when viewed on an HDR-capable TV, computer monitor or phone (it's only EOS R, RP and R100 users that miss out). However, it's worth noting that Canon offers two similarly-named options: "HDR Shooting (PQ)" that captures a single image and renders it so that it looks good on HDR devices, and HDR Mode, which shoots three images and merges them into a heavily-processed looking image for playback on standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. The first of these modes can be really good; the second, we'd suggest avoiding.
HDR (PQ) files are captured in the HEIF format, but the cameras will let you shoot HEIF + Raw, so you can process a standard JPEG later, if you want, either in-camera or in desktop software.
If you capture a Raw file with HDR Shooting engaged, you can reprocess it as an HDR HEIF or an SDR JPEG, but you cannot process a Raw shot in standard mode into HDR.
On some models, the camera will recommend enabling "Highlight Tone Priority" (HTP), which reduces exposure to capture additional highlight information. More recent models automatically engage HTP (though you can override this in the Highlight Tone Priority menu, if you insist). We would strongly recommend using HDR Shooting and HTP together: the results look great.
Customize your camera for your needs
Custom buttons
As you might expect, all Canon models also let you customize the functions assigned to several of their buttons. This is typically done via either the "Customize buttons for shooting" in the green, Customized Controls section of the menu on newer cameras or "Customize buttons" in the orange, C.Fn section on older models.
All Canon R series cameras let you customize their buttons, it's just a question of where you find the settings.
It's more deeply hidden in the R100, but it is there (Function settings / Custom Functions / Custom controls).
M-Fn button
Canon cameras give you a couple of ways of getting semi-fast access to the settings you might want to change regularly. Most R models (except the R100, R50 and R50V) have an M-Fn button next to the shutter that lets you access up to 10 functions, controlled with the front and rear dials.
The M-Fn button brings up a selection of settings that can be controlled with the front and rear dials. This can be extensively modified from a page hidden deep in the Customize buttons menu. It includes the option to disengage settings so you only have the options you want on the dial you prefer.
This can be customized by going your camera's Customize buttons menu, as described above. If you then select M-Fn or assign its "Dial Func" function to any other button, then press INFO, it'll take you into a sub-sub-sub-menu called "Dial function settings" that lets you choose which functions are assigned to which dial, in which order.
Q menu
The Q menu can be customized on most R series cameras (though not the original R6 and R5).
As well as this, there's the Q menu, which arrays up to eleven settings down the left and right of the live view display. On most of the last two generations of models, this can be customized, so that you can just have the settings you most often change populating the menu. The menu option, typically called either "Quick Control customization" or "Customize Quick control" found in the red, Camera menu. You may, for instance, decide that you would prefer quick access to the HDR PQ settings, rather than having full-time access to the image quality settings.
These are the settings we usually adjust, and the ones recommended by our community. Are there any others you'd recommend changing?
Sony Q3 FY2025 fincnial results recap for their camerra/sensor divisio:
Sony’s sensor business is thriving — rising volume + pricing/mix improvements, plus raised full-year guidance.
Camera demand appears resilient, but the results are harder to isolate because cameras sit inside a broader segment that had enough headwinds to pull ET&S down overall.
Panasonic Q3 financial results recap for their camera business, which falls under the “Lifestyle” segment, specifically within the Living Appliances and Solutions Company (LAS) division (source):
Consumer Camera Performance (Under Lifestyle/LAS): LAS reported Q3 sales of 224.4 billion yen (94% YoY) and adjusted OP of 12.6 billion yen (down 5.3 billion yen YoY). Within this, consumer electronics (including AVC/cameras) saw decreased sales due to weaker demand in overseas markets, despite steady sales in Japan. No specific sales or profit figures were provided solely for cameras, but the overall decline in consumer electronics suggests softness in the camera category. This aligns with broader market challenges for consumer AV products.
Professional Camera Performance (Under Connect): The Connect segment includes Professional AV, but details focus on Avionics and Process Automation growth. No explicit mentions of professional camera sales or profits were provided, though the segment’s overall 109% YoY sales growth indicates potential positive contributions from AV solutions amid strong ICT demand. Broadcast and professional imaging products are highlighted as key offerings, but performance data is aggregated.
Connexion
