Here are the top 10 most used Nikon cameras on Flickr:
Source: Flickr, via NikonRumors
The post The top 10 most used Nikon cameras on Flickr appeared first on Photo Rumors.
Here is a recap of the latest Fujifilm X‑Pro 4 camera rumors (the Fujifilm X-Pro3 was officially discontinued in 2023):
The post The latest Fujifilm X‑Pro 4 camera rumors appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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The Sony World Photography Awards has announced the 10 category winners and 120 shortlisted photographers of its 2026 Open Competition. The contest, which is in its 19th year, aims to recognize the best single images taken in the past year. The 2026 edition received over 430,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories. The entries showcase a diverse range of imagery, including dramatic landscapes, humorous portraits and more.
The Open Photographer of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on April 16. The winner will receive a $5000 cash prize along with Sony imaging equipment. A selection of winning and shortlisted images will be on display as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House from April 17 to May 4, 2026.
You can see all of the shortlisted images at the World Photography Organization website.
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Photographer: Markus Naarttijärvi
Image name: Industrial Layers
Description: Taken on a dark night, this view of the paper mill in Obbola, Sweden, reveals layers of shadows, concrete, clouds and sky.
Technical details: Fujifilm GFX100s II | GF110mm F2 LM WR | F2.8 | 1/18 sec | ISO 3200
Copyright: Markus Naarttijärvi, Sweden, Winner, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Siavosh Ejlali
Image name: Lost Hope
Description: In this image the photographer describes how the black plastic covering most of the woman’s face is a sign of ‘dark thoughts and the imposition of beliefs’, while the red balloon falling to the ground could be ‘her lost hope’. The background evokes Iranian urban society, which has been the setting for the recent demonstrations involving Iranian women, noting that 'the red clothes and lips are the bloody price that women have paid.’
Copyright: Siavosh Ejlali, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: J Fritz Rumpf
Image name: Shapes and Patterns of the Desert
Description: An early morning glow brings out the rich pastel colours of the Sossusvlei dunes in Namibia. The contrast of the green and delicate peach colours almost overwhelms the senses; the patterns and textures emerging from the shadows give the landscape a distinctive, painterly look.
Technical details: Nikon Z8 | Nikkor Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR | F13 | 1/400 sec | ISO 200
Copyright: J Fritz Rumpf, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Vanta Coda III
Image name: Charlotte and Dolly
Description: Charlotte lies with her cow Dolly, keeping cool in the cow barn between events at the 100th State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg. Outside, the temperature is upwards of 32°C.
Technical details: Canon EOS R3 | RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM | F2.8 | 1/320 sec | ISO 500
Copyright: Vanta Coda III, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Franklin Littlefield
Image name: Sailboat
Description: A punk show in Providence, Rhode Island, featuring the band Sailboat.
Technical details: Fujifilm X-S20 | XF 16mm F2.8 R WR | F2.8 | 1/2 sec | ISO 200
Copyright: Franklin Littlefield, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Klaus Hellmich
Image name: Arctic Fox in Blizzard
Description: A blue arctic fox in a blizzard, photographed on the Varanger Peninsula, Norway.
Technical details: Nikon Z8 | Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S | F2.8 | 1/50 sec | ISO 1000
Copyright: Klaus Hellmich, Germany, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Robby Ogilvie
Image name: Colour Divides
Description: Taken in the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood of Cape Town, South Africa, this image centres on a parked car set against a sharply divided colourful facade. The composition balances geometry and saturation; everyday architecture becomes graphic and deliberate, reflecting how colour and place shape urban identity.
Copyright: Robby Ogilvie, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Elle Leontiev
Image name: The Barefoot Volcanologist
Description: On the ash plains of Mount Yasur, on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, Phillip, an internationally recognised, self-taught volcanologist, stands barefoot atop a volcanic rock bomb. Wearing a lava-protection suit gifted to him by some visiting researchers, the volcano smoulders behind him, sending a plume of gas and sulphur into the sky. Phillip grew up beneath the active volcano, and this portrait captures him in his element.
Technical details: Sony a7 III | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | F16 | 1/250 sec | ISO 320
Copyright: Elle Leontiev, Australia, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Giulia Pissagroia
Image name: Between the Lines
Description: A family marvels at the view from Ørnevegen (Eagle Road), Norway, in this candid shot.
Technical details: Sony a7 IV | FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS | F22 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1250
Copyright: Giulia Pissagroia, Italy, Winner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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Photographer: Megumi Murakami
Image name: Untitled
Description: The Abare Festival has been passed down for 350 years in Japan's Noto region. This image captures the festival’s finale, as men leap into the river amidst fiercely burning torches that send sparks flying everywhere. They rampage wildly, believing the more they rage, the more the deity rejoices.
Copyright: Megumi Murakami, Japan, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
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DPReview has been selected as a Global Partner for CP+. |
Each year in February, the camera industry gathers in Yokohama, Japan, for CP+ Expo, the industry's official trade show sponsored by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). What's more, DPReview has been selected as one of the founding Global Partners for CIPA's CP+ partnership program, bringing you exclusive news, insights, and hands-on access to the event.
CP+2026 runs from February 26th to March 1st. We've created a dedicated CP+ show page to help you track all the news from CP+ in one place. This is where you'll find our latest updates – including content that may not appear on our homepage – ranging from breaking news and hands-on impressions to behind-the-scenes looks at the event and more.
Let us know if there's anything specific you want us to watch for, and we'll keep our eye out!
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
Earlier this year, Nikon announced the Nikkor 24-105mm F4-7.1, a new, budget full-frame zoom lens designed to be kitted with its entry-level full-frame offering, the Z5II. We've put in some time with it to see how it performs.
As a note, while we've spent some time with the lens on a Z5II, our sample gallery was produced using the higher-resolution Z8; it's probably not a pairing you'll see often out in the wild, but we want to show the lens's image quality in as much detail as possible.
Speaking of, I'll admit that I had certain expectations coming into shooting with this lens. If you've ever used an inexpensive lens with a wide focal range and a relatively slow, variable aperture, you're probably aware that it's not a formula for great image quality. Despite that, I found the 24-105mm to be decently sharp for most of the frame, even wide open. Vignetting was also quite a bit better than I'd have guessed; it's there at F4, and doesn't fully go away until F8, but even wide open it's not too noticeable unless you're specifically taking comparison shots.
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In good light, the 24-105mm F4-7.1 produces impressive image quality for its price throughout its focal range. Nikon Z8 | Nikkor 24-105 F4-7.1 | 45mm | F5.6 | 1/50 sec | ISO 90 |
Nikon used a stepper motor to power this lens' autofocus, which is what we'd expect for this price range. It performs well; the lens is quick to focus, even when you're going from close up to near infinity. While it's not lightning fast, it'll get the job done for most types of shooting.
The 24-105mm extends quite a way out when you're zooming in, but despite this, its center of gravity doesn't change that much. It's a small thing, but it's nice not having to adjust your grip as you change focal lengths. I also didn't find that the lens forced me to hold it in a way that made me accidentally activate the customizable control ring.
It's not all sunshine, though. Even with modern cameras with stabilized sensors and decent high ISO performance, F7.1 is still quite slow. You don't get down to it until you're almost entirely zoomed in – even at 85mm, the lens can still maintain F6.3 – but it will limit what you can do with it. You won't want to shoot fast-moving subjects unless they're in bright sunlight, and while its longer focal lengths are theoretically decent for portraiture, you may not be able to get as much subject separation as you'd want.
Still, if you prefer the wide-end, it's worth noting that the maximum aperture stays relatively fast for a while. At 35mm it's F4.2, and it stays at or under F5.6 until around 62mm.
While these kinds of lenses are rarely the most exciting, Nikon has built a decent selection of kit zooms for its Z mount cameras. Retailing for $550 on its own and adding $350 to the retail price of the Z5II, this is the company's least expensive full-frame offering in that category by a fair margin. The 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR retails for $400 more, and adds an additional $450 onto the price of the Z5II. And while that lens is well-regarded, has stabilization and is faster at its long(er) end, it's also a fair bit heavier and a bit larger, though the size gap between them isn't as big as you might think given its extra reach.
While the 24-105mm isn't the kind of lens that most photographers will keep around forever, it seems like it offers a decent place to start for those who aren't sure yet where their photography journey will take them.
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.
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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.
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| 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).
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.
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.
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.
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| 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.
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.
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| 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.
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).
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| 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.
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| 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).
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| 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.
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.
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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. Photo: Dale Baskin |
Our February Editors' photo challenge theme is "Canine Capers."
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.
Visit the challenge page to submit your photo
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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.
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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) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 |
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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.
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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) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/240 sec | F6.3 |
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.
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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) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F3.2 |
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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 DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4 |
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.
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These days, midrange cameras go for around $2500-3000, though in the US tariffs have made great deals in this price range a little harder to come by. For that money, you get something that's incredibly capable; our picks are high-spec options that are excellent for stills and video, and many have autofocus systems that come close to the performance of professional sports cameras.
Choosing a camera means committing to the ecosystem of lenses that are available for it, so we advise looking into the price and availability of your preferred kit. It's also worth noting that some camera manufacturers are more restrictive of what options third-party lens makers can provide, so be sure to consider that during your lens research.
Speaking of lenses, it's also worth considering that the latest lens designs for mirrorless cameras regularly outperform their older DSLR counterparts. If you have any lenses already, you may want to think about whether it's worth adapting them, or if you'd be better off selling them to help you buy modern equivalents of your most-used lenses. This option also gives you a path to switching brands, if you feel there's a compelling reason to do so.
32MP full-frame CMOS sensor | 3.0", 1.62M dot fully-articulating screen | 7K recording up to 60p
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
It earns top place on this list because it's such a complete package, with image quality, burst rates and autofocus capable of helping you tackle pretty much any subject. It's also a very capable video camera; no matter what your needs, it's hard to imagine you'll find that the EOS R6 III holds you back.
Read our full review of the Canon EOS R6 III
33MP full frame 'partially stacked' sensor | Up to 7.5EV IBIS | Configurable pre-burst capture up to 1 second
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
It earns its place on this list by being an extremely capable camera. If you're already a Sony shooter, it's the obvious pick, as the other cameras in this list offer precious little to warrant a switch. However, if you're not currently tied down by lenses, we feel the EOS R6 III's ergonomics and usability give it the edge, even though they come at the cost of a more tightly controlled mount.
Read our full review of the Sony a7 V
The Panasonic S1II is also a very capable option, though its $3200 price tag technically puts it out of the price range of this buying guide, and means you'll have to consider whether it's worth the extra over our top picks. Its autofocus isn't quite as good as Canon or Sony's, but for video shooters, the S1II is the best in class: it offers all the features that the EOS R6 III does, but with longer record times thanks to its built-in fan. We also appreciate the lens options available on L-mount.
25MP full-frame 'Partially Stacked' CMOS sensor | 6K/60p N-Raw video | 5.76M dot OLED 0.8x EVF
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
At its MSRP, we feel the Z6III struggles to keep up with the competition because of its lower dynamic range in stills and (especially) video and lack of Raw pre-capture. However, it's often on sale for hundreds off, making those issues easier to overlook for the price-conscious buyer (though anyone looking to make long-term investments into lenses should note that Nikon, like Canon, exercises tight control over its mount). And despite those quibbles, which some shooters may never even encounter, it's a very solid camera when it comes to ergonomics and autofocus.
Read our full review of the Nikon Z6III
33MP BSI CMOS sensor | 4K/60p video with 10-bit color | Dedicated ‘AI’ processor for AF system
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
The Sony a7C II is a compact, full-frame mirrorless camera with a 33MP BSI CMOS sensor.
The a7C II's viewfinder is a little small and rather low resolution for this price, but it's part of what helps the camera stay so compact. Modern full-frame lenses are often so large as to make the difference in camera size fairly trivial but Sony's E-mount has the widest range of lenses available, so there are some relatively compact options.
Read our full review of the Sony a7C II
The Sony a7 IV is tough to wholeheartedly recommend in 2025. Its viewfinder, ergonomics, and full mechanical shutter are improvements over the a7C II, but it's also larger, heavier and offers less effective image stabilization. If you're you don't care about compactness, it might be worth paying a little extra for the a7 IV's larger, higher-resolution viewfinder, but only if the price difference is small.
It's a similar story with the a7 III and a7C. These are from an older generation of products with less sophisticated autofocus, video and image stabilization. They also use an older, more awkward-to-navigate menu system, which we'd happily pay to avoid ever having to use again. The a7C lacks the version II's front control dial and features an even smaller viewfinder, so we'd strongly recommend saving up for one of the newer models.
We make most of our APS-C recommendations in our best cameras under $2000 buying guide, which covers cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5, Canon EOS R7 and Sony a6700. The latter two are the highest-end crop sensor cameras from their respective brands, but Fujifilm makes the X-H2S, which is historically one of the better video cameras on the market. However, cameras like the Z6III have arguably caught up in capabilities and framerate options, and while the X-H2S' global price is more competitive, in the US it's around the same price as the EOS R6 III and a7 V.
20MP Four Thirds Stacked sensor | 50fps continuous shooting w/AF, 120fps AF/AE locked | IBIS rated to 8.5EV
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| Photo: Shaminder Dulai |
The OM System OM-1 Mark II is a high-speed Micro Four Thirds camera based around a 20MP Stacked CMOS sensor.
It's well-suited to wildlife photography, as the Micro Four Thirds system has several lenses that give you plenty of reach without being back (or pack) breakingly large, and its Stacked sensor gives it fast autofocus and incredible burst rates for shooting even the fastest subjects. It also has several computational modes that let it adapt to a wide variety of situations, and sports an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance, so you won't have to worry if it starts raining.
The body is quite rugged-feeling (while still being smaller than full-frame counterparts), with dials designed to be used with or without gloves, and has plenty of customizable control points. The viewfinder is relatively large and bright.
While we haven't put the OM-1 II through our full review process, we do have extensive experience with it and with the OM-3, which uses the same processor and sensor. We've found the autofocus to be reliable, though not class-leading, and it's a bit of a shame that continuous autofocus in its 50fps is limited to certain lenses. There's an image quality price to be paid for the smaller sensor, but, for Four Thirds, the OM-1 II's sensor provides good amounts of detail, and the multi-shot modes can compensate for this in some circumstances.
While there are more all-round capable cameras at this price point, the OM-1 II fits into its niche quite well and is still quite solid for other kinds of photography. Its video capabilities aren't at the level that other companies provide, but if you simply want to record something, it's certainly up to the task.
Read our initial review of the OM System OM-1 II
The OM-1 II shares most of its DNA with the OM System OM-3, a smaller, more stylish and less expensive option that uses a smaller viewfinder to achieve its classic styling. Both are similar to the Panasonic G9II, though that's substantially larger, sharing its body with the full-frame S5II. All are Micro Four Thirds, which offers smaller camera/lens combinations at the cost of ultimate image quality. However, they can well worth considering if your photography requires the most compact kit available.
24.5MP full-frame 'partially Stacked' sensor | 7.5EV IBIS | R3D (NE) Raw video codec
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
The Nikon ZR is a video-focused mirrorless camera with a 24.5MP full-frame 'partially Stacked' sensor.
While its Red co-branding and three flavors of Raw shooting show its ambitions as a video production camera, the ZR has a lot of features that make it a great tool for vlogging, too. It has IBIS, Nikon's fairly effective autofocus system, and a 4", 3.07M dot display that can go up to 1000 nits, which should make previewing your image relatively easy, even if the camera is a bit far away from you.
It's also the first mirrorless camera with support for 32-bit float audio recording built-in, even on the 3.5mm input, which means you won't have to worry nearly as much about your audio gain levels when trying to capture the moment.
It can shoot compressed video at up to 5.4K/60, and is capable of 4K/120 for proper slow-motion, though going above 4K/60 will come with a 1.5x crop. In Raw, the ZR can record full-width 6K/60.
We'll be putting the ZR through its paces more in the coming weeks, but it's essentially a Z6III at heart, with a few more video features that should make it a very capable option if you want to go from vlogging to full-on production.
This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview's editorial team. We don't select a camera until we've used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.
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