The price of the popular Fujifilm X-Half camera dropped by another $100 this month (now $300 off from the original price of $849 when announced):
This month, Fujifilm also launched new savings on X and GFX gear (see also those listings):
Via FujiAddict
The post The popular Fujifilm X-Half camera is now $300 off (plus new X & GFX rebates) appeared first on Photo Rumors.
After ProGrade, OWC also announced a new price increase on memory cards is coming on May 11 (check availability at B&H Photo and Amazon).
At the same time, B&H Photo started a big Lexar memory card sale today (check out this Lexar flash deal as well).
Memory prices are rising sharply due to a global shortage of NAND flash – the key material used in memory cards, SSDs, and similar storage devices. AI data centers are demanding huge amounts of specialized high-speed memory, so major chipmakers like Samsung and SK Hynix have shifted production away from regular consumer flash. This has driven costs up dramatically across the industry and is the main reason companies like ProGrade Digital are increasing prices on memory cards starting May 1st. I am sure other brands will follow.
ProGrade memory cards price increase coming on May 1st, others will follow
The post OWC announced a memory card price increase, while B&H is running a sale on Lexar memory cards appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/60 sec | ISO 900 Photo: Mitchell Clark |
Last month, Viltrox announced the AF 55mm F1.8 Evo, one of its first lenses to use an apochromatic design that's meant to reduce chromatic aberration. We've had the opportunity to test it out in a variety of scenarios, to see how it performs and, of course, to get samples for our readers to enjoy.
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
As we've come to expect from Viltrox's lenses, the 55mm F1.8 is quite well-built, feeling nice to use without being overly bulky or heavy. At 370g (13.1oz), it's roughly middle-of-the-pack when it comes to mid-range 50mm F1.8 lenses, and it's relatively easy to tote around town, or in a sling bag.
I enjoyed the fact that it had a physical, clicking aperture ring, rather than a command dial, like the one found on the higher-end Lab lens that I recently tested. While it has an "A" setting that allows the aperture to be controlled by the camera, it can't be locked into or out of it. And while I didn't find myself knocking it out of A mode too often, or accidentally changing my aperture setting, it did happen every so often. My coworker Abby also recently had this issue with another Viltrox lens.
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| The lens has most of the controls you'd want on a prime. |
The lens also features an AF/MF switch and a programmable button, both of which are nice to have. The manual focus ring feels nice, but at least when paired with a Nikon Z8, it didn't quite give me the level of precision that I'd usually hope for. Likewise, the AF performance was just okay; the lens is quick and quiet, but, as we've experienced before with Viltrox lenses on Z-mount cameras, I just didn't quite get as many keepers as I'd expect to had I been using a Nikon lens.
One last odd quirk: the rear lens cap that came with the lens fits very loosely, as do the Nikon ones, and there were several cases where it came off in my bag. This didn't translate to the lens feeling loose on the camera at all, though; it never disconnected from the actual body when I was turning the aperture ring or otherwise manipulating it.
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| Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/2500 sec | ISO 64 |
With that said, the majority of my photos were still in focus, and I was quite pleased with the results. They're sharp corner-to-corner, even wide open, and Viltrox has delivered on its promise to seriously reduce chromatic aberration. I also found the bokeh to be quite pleasing. While it does a nice job rendering out of focus specular highlights, I was actually more impressed by how it rendered the background in portraits I shot at F1.8.
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Something about the background rendering in this picture really makes me happy, and the vignetting is a feature, not a bug, in this instance. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/3200 sec | ISO 64 |
There are a few things to complain about with its performance. There's heavy vignetting at F1.8, which doesn't completely go away until around F4 (though it's much improved by F2.8). I also found myself wishing it could focus a bit closer than 0.43m (16.9"), though that distance isn't unusually far for 50mm F1.8 lenses.
Overall, I found myself really enjoying shooting with it, and loving the photos it produced. Sure, I could certainly find reasons to covet Viltrox's higher-end "Pro" 50mm F1.4 – it has a switch to declick the aperture, more robust weather sealing and linear focusing motors – but I don't think I'd actually need anything more. And that's a nice feeling to have about a lens that costs $370.
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.
All images were processed using our standard lens workflow in Capture One, with the manufacturer's distortion correction applied but no correction of vignetting.
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| Image: I'm Back |
Crowd-funded startup I'm Back has developed a clever fix for one of the drawbacks that photographers have pointed out in their digital module for film cameras.
The I'm Back Roll, which is currently approaching $1M of backing on Kickstarter, is a self-contained APS-C sensor module designed to fit into the film bay of legacy 35mm film cameras.
One of the challenges this latest project hadn't overcome was the need to activate the sensor before the camera body's mechanical shutter could then define the exposure.
When the Kickstarter opened, the company showed renderings of a Bluetooth-connected trigger unit that you would have to attach to the camera body, initiating a digital exposure so that the sensor would be active when the mechanical shutter opened.
This (along with the sensor size smaller than the cameras were originally designed for), was one of the main areas of concern expressed by backers.
The company has designed a clever workaround: a shutter button that screws into the camera's shutter button.
In response, the company has designed a clever workaround: a shutter button that screws into the camera's shutter button.
The "Sync button" add-on is a small additional button that can screw into the cable release threads of cameras that have one. The company also suggests another version may be possible without the thread, presumably to be glued onto cameras without a threaded shutter button.
Find out more about the I'm Back Roll project
The renders of the button show a flat cable extending from the button but don't show what that cable would need to connect to. The company's development video suggests it will need to connect to the I'm Back Roll unit, to avoid the latency that a Bluetooth trigger is likely to have.
While we've repeatedly stressed the many challenges that stand in the way of creating a quasi-universal digital module for old film cameras - challenges that prevented the original Digital Film project, back when the aim was to perpetuate the use of film bodies as an alternative to switching to dedicated digital cameras - we've been impressed by I'm Back's persistence to make it possible to revive old film cameras for the fun of it. And, even if the implementation still looks like it may be a bit clunky, it's an undoubtedly clever idea.
The Sync button can be added as an option during checkout and existing backers can add one to their order for around $38 (it costs 20 Swiss Franks, with an additional 10 CHF for postage to the US).
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
When the Fujifilm X half, a compact camera designed to provide a whimsical, nostalgic shooting experience rather than technical prowess, launched, it cost an eye-watering $849 in the US. Many commenters balked at that price, saying that they might have considered it as a fun toy, were it closer to $500.
Well, that time has come. The X half is currently on sale at multiple US retailers and on Fujifilm's own site, selling for $550, a substantial markdown compared to its launch price. But is that a sign that Fujifilm is so desperate to sell the cameras that it's willing to mark them down by around 35%?
Not quite. For the past few months, US stores have been selling the X half for $649, which is much closer to its price in countries like the UK or Japan. While some marked that as a sale price, others, like B&H and Fujifilm's official store, show it as a permanent reduction. And indeed, the camera hasn't sold for above that on Amazon since December 2025, according to price tracking site CamelCamelCamel.
Again, though, this isn't necessarily a sign of the camera's failure. When the X half launched in the summer of 2025, the environment around the US market was murky, as the country's arbitrary import tariffs sparked trade wars with several countries, including China, where the X half is made. While few companies ever actually confirmed their strategy, we wouldn't be surprised if many products launched during that time had some extra padding in their prices to avoid the companies having to later raise prices on newly-introduced models.
If the X half's price kept you from picking one up, your time may have come
Fast forward to the present day, and things have somewhat settled down, with the US Supreme Court ruling that those tariffs were introduced illegally. While that may not mean that the battle over tariffs is over, it does at least seem like Fujifilm is comfortable selling the X half for $200 less than when it was introduced, and even letting it go on sale to bring the price down further.
Of course, there were things people disliked about the X half beyond just the price, and those aspects haven't changed. The company has released a few software updates since we reviewed the camera, but none of them have fundamentally changed what the camera is. But if the X half's price was the main thing keeping you from picking one up, your time may have come.
Click here to read our review of the X half
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| Image: Tech Transfer HQ |
CMOS sensors are now so ordinary that it's easy to forget how transformative they were. They're used in an ever-growing list of devices, from dedicated cameras, smartphones and webcams, to security systems, glasses and cars. A new video from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) looks at how the CMOS image sensor, once a space-imaging technology tied to NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), became one of the defining inventions of the digital age.
The short video traces the sensor's path from deep-space imaging work intended to photograph Saturn up close to everyday devices. It highlights the roles of engineers Eric Fossum, the inventor of the modern CMOS sensor and a longtime friend of DPReview, and Sabrina Kemeny. It walks through the idea of the "camera on a chip," with a useful visual for understanding how it works and how it differs from CCD technology.
Interestingly, even though the team had success right away, NASA wasn't interested at first. "We were trying to get them to adopt this technology that we thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and they just weren't that interested," said Kemeny in the video. That's because the scientists didn't know how it would handle the harsh conditions in space, and they needed a camera that they could be confident would perform when spending millions on a mission.
That led the team to seek out industry applications, which snowballed into what we now see today. "I had no idea how massively useful or ubiquitous it would be," said Fossum. Of course, the CMOS sensor did eventually make its way back to NASA, with the Perseverance rover on Mars using the technology to send back photos and videos from the distant planet.
The video is part of a series that highlights how research moves from the laboratory to daily life. It's a good example of how scientific research can find its way into everyday tools, including those used by photographers. After all, the same broad push to make cameras smaller, more efficient and more capable helped set the stage for the image-saturated world we live in now.
FieldMade released new stealth kits (blackout decals) for Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Leica cameras:
Update: some clarifications on the 10% off coupon code “Rumors10” for FieldMade:
FieldMade also makes labels for other brands – check this page for their full collection.
Additional information:
MATERIALS
ORIGIN
SHIPPING DETAILS
Free shipping on orders over :
USA: All orders ship duty-free. As our products are made in Canada with US materials, they are USMCA compliant, so you will not be charged any additional tariffs or customs fees. The price you see at checkout is your final price.
Previous coverage of Field Made products can be found here:
Field Made released new customizable labels for Sony, Canon, and Nikon batteries
New: FieldMade fully customizable vinyl indicator labels for any camera/lens
FieldMade released new Leica stealth kits (blackout decals for Leica cameras)
New: FieldMade indicator labels for Leica cameras and lenses
The post New FieldMade stealth blackout decals kits for Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Leica cameras (coupon code included) appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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| Photo: Kamil Budzynski |
Since 2018, Polish photographer Kamil Budzynski has been placing homemade pinhole cameras throughout the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, leaving them in abandoned buildings, trees and other locations for months at a time. The resulting solargraphs are strange, quiet and even disorienting. Ghostly buildings and overgrown streets sit beneath bright arcs traced by the Sun, thanks to exposures that can stretch across seasons. Kosmo Foto recently published a fascinating interview with Budzynski about the long-running project.
Budzynski first visited the exclusion zone in the mid-2010s, but after several trips, he began looking for a process that could better match the feeling of the place. "After three trips to the Chornobyl exclusion zone, I began to feel that I couldn't do the place justice by walking around with a digital camera," he said. "Searching for inspiration in niche photographic processes, I came across solargraphy just as I was about to pack for another visit."
"I began to feel that I couldn't do the place justice by walking around with a digital camera"
For the unfamiliar, solargraphy is the process of capturing the Sun's path across the sky over long periods (days, weeks or even years) using pinhole cameras. Budzynski's cameras are often made from simple objects such as 35mm film canisters, drink cans and small tins, loaded with very low-sensitivity photographic paper and fitted with carefully made pinholes. He has installed more than 100 of them, though not all have survived because of Ukraine's harsh winters or Russia's invasion. After retrieving the exposed paper, Budzynski leaves the cameras behind to avoid bringing any radioactive particles out of the exclusion zone.
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This photograph shows the metal shield built to contain the radioactive remnants of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Photo: Kamil Budzynski |
The distinctive look of the images is not the result of radiation, despite their months-long stay in the exclusion zone. Budzynski told Kosmo Foto that "for nuclear radiation to affect photosensitive paper it would need to be far too dangerous to get near it," but added that the weather was a much bigger challenge. Moisture, freezing temperatures and months of exposure can all leave their mark on the final image.
What makes the project more than a visual curiosity is how well the process matches the subject. Budzynski is using a camera to record time passing through places many people still think of as frozen in 1986. That distinction feels especially relevant this year, as April 26 marked 40 years since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Pripyat was evacuated the day after the accident, and tens of thousands of people were ultimately removed from the surrounding area. Budzynski's images push against the familiar "ghost town" shorthand by showing that the zone is not static.
"I wanted to capture the passing of time in a literal sense"
"I wanted to capture the passing of time in a literal sense," Budzynski told Kosmo Foto. "Pripyat and the entire exclusion zone may be frozen in 1986 to us, but life there continues. Stray dogs and wild horses roam the empty streets, plants climb tall buildings, and the sun still rises every morning – whether we are there to see it or not. I hope I can convey how insignificant I feel when standing among the ruins to those looking at my photographs."
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| Photo: Kamil Budzynski |
Russia's 2022 invasion altered Budzynski's solargraphy trips. He has returned to Ukraine since then on humanitarian trips, during which he was able to recover a few cameras. "Most cameras from this period did not survive, destroyed by Ukrainian forces searching for booby traps and other surprises left by the retreating Russian army," he said. "I had quite a lot of explaining and apologizing to do when our guards learned of my little innocent photography project. One particular camera left right near the power plant caused quite a stir."
Kosmo Foto's full interview goes much deeper into Budzynski's process, the locations he has photographed and the practical problems of hiding a pinhole camera in a place where both weather and history are working against you. It is worth reading in full, both for the mesmerizing images and for the way the project's technical limitations become part of the story rather than obstacles to it.
You can also see more of Budzynski's work at his website.
Here are the rumored Canon EOS R6V camera specifications:
Canon’s latest EOS R50V camera is just the beginning of the EOS V series
Via Canon Addict
The post A new Canon EOS R6 V camera is coming soon – here are the rumored specifications appeared first on Photo Rumors.
Exciting New Patents for Canon RF Lenses: 130mm f/1.8, 300mm f/2.8, and 500mm f/5.6
Canon Patent Reveals Four Compact RF-S Primes (10mm, 12mm, 18mm, 28mm f/2.8)
Patent JPO 2026-059152: Canon’s Next Move in Consumer Primes – RF 55mm f/1.8 & RF 85mm f/1.8 STM
Patent Application Reveals Canon 28-45mm F1.2 and 35-70mm F1.4
Canon RF 14mm f/1.4L VCM, RF 18mm f/1.4L VCM, and RF 35mm f/1.8 Patents Found
The post The latest Canon patents appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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| Photo: Erez Marom |
In the previous article about photographing mammals in China, I told the story of photographing black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys in Yunnan – the first of two species of snub-nosed monkeys I had the opportunity to capture. I'll tell you about the second species in the next article, but before we get to that, I'd like to tell you about a couple of pit stops I made to shoot other kinds of mammals.
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| Photo: Erez Marom |
The pit stop was mainly planned to make use of a day that would otherwise be dedicated to driving. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, a renowned 40,000-hectare biodiversity hotspot in Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province, was on my route and allowed me to spend more time shooting, even if it was a very short visit. Tangjiahe is recognized globally as a premier spot for wildlife viewing, and the landscapes on the way – and in the park – are breathtakingly beautiful.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a face only a mother could love: that of a very aggressive Tibetan macaque. The macaques are far from shy and are known to harass human visitors, meaning that one must approach them with caution. I got my fair share of aggressive grinning behavior and decided to retreat before getting into an actual fight with a monkey and ruining the rest of the trip.
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I found it hard to make out this look by the Tibetan Macaque. One second, it was quiet; the next, it gave me the feeling that I was asking for trouble. In any case, I loved how colorful its face was. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM | ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F4 |
Tangjiahe is home to a wide selection of mammal species. While not all of them are that exciting, I found a lot of pleasure in viewing and shooting things I don't usually take an interest in, specifically ungulates. I found a few muntjac (barking deer) gently grazing the mountain slopes.
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Reeves's Muntjacs are roughly the size of a medium dog, featuring distinct facial markings, long canine tusks in males, and a tendency to be solitary, nocturnal herbivores. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 1600 | 1/250 sec | F7.1 |
A more visually-interesting animal was the Sichuan takin - a large, muscular mountain ungulate native to the eastern Himalayas and the mountainous forests of southwestern China, especially in Sichuan province. It has a distinctive appearance – often described as a cross between a goat and an ox – with a heavy body, thick coat, and a prominent, arched nose that helps warm cold mountain air before it reaches the lungs. Both males and females have strong, curved horns, and their dense fur, along with oily skin secretions, helps them withstand cold, wet alpine environments.
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Takins have such distinct and interesting builds and features. I love the elongated face and short horns; it gives them a bit of a mythological appearance. Do you agree? Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 |
Sichuan takins live in herds that move seasonally, climbing to higher elevations in summer to graze on grasses, bamboo, and leaves, and descending to lower, forested areas in winter, which is the reason I could shoot them with relative ease. They are well adapted to steep, rugged terrain and can navigate cliffs with surprising agility despite their bulk. The species faces pressures from habitat loss and historical hunting, but it is protected in China, with populations found in reserves, such as Tangjiahe, that also shelter the giant panda, making conservation efforts for both species interconnected.
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I tried to get a shot of a takin crossing the stream, but at the last second it backed off. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/800 sec | F7.1 |
Another location I'd like to talk about is Wawu Mountain (Wawushan), a striking flat-topped massif in Sichuan Province, rising like a vast natural plateau above surrounding valleys. Known for its sheer cliffs, dense temperate forests, and frequent cloud cover, it creates a dramatic, almost otherworldly landscape. Wawu's table mountain topography supports a rich mosaic of ecosystems, making it an important biodiversity hotspot.
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A relatively rare shot of two red pandas cuddling together. This is almost exclusively possible during the mating season. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 |
Among its most charismatic inhabitants is the red panda, a shy, tree-dwelling mammal that thrives in Wawu Mountain’s cool, bamboo-rich forests. These elusive animals spend much of their time in the canopy, feeding on bamboo leaves, as well as fruits, insects, and small vertebrates. Wawu Mountain’s protected status and relatively intact habitat make it one of the better places to support completely wild red panda populations, and sightings are practically guaranteed if you spend 2-3 full days. The same ecosystem also shelters other notable species, linking Wawu’s conservation importance to the broader network of Sichuan reserves that protect iconic wildlife, such as the giant panda.
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A red panda munching on bamboo leaves. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/400 sec | F7.1 |
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On the last morning, we even got some snow to accentuate the red pandas' beautiful red coloring. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM + RF 1.4X | ISO 3200 | 1/200 sec | F9 |
In the next, and last article in this series, I will share the story of how I managed to capture my most desired species of snub-nosed monkey, even though the universe tried to make it as difficult as it could.
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| Photo: Erez Marom |
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveler. 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 China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and other locations.
Erez has recently published his first e-book, Solving the Puzzle, thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.
The new 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 MAX lens (E/Z/L) will be released in May. Additional information on the upcoming lens can be found here (check also the official website for updates):
Additional information on the upcoming 7Artisans AF 135mm f/1.8 full frame lens (E/Z/L)
Here are some sample photos taken with the 135mm lens:
“The 7Artisans 135mm F1.8 AF is a large-aperture prime lens compatible with full-frame sensors. Planned mounts include Sony E, Nikon Z, and L, making it compatible with mirrorless cameras of all these systems. The combination of a 135mm focal length and an F1.8 aperture maximizes the subject’s focus with a shallow depth of field and a compression effect that accentuates the subject. It’s ideal for portraits and other scenes where you want to highlight the subject. The minimum focusing distance of 0.68m, relatively short for a 135mm lens, allows for close-up shots. The aperture ring allows for intuitive aperture control. The AF/MF switch allows for smooth focus control depending on the shooting situation. Furthermore, the camera’s function button can be assigned to various functions, allowing for customization to suit your shooting style. This lens combines the expressive power of a large-aperture prime lens with a practical operation system.”
My guess is that this lens is based on the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 lens ($899):
Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens for Nikon Z-mount now available
The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB FE lens for Sony E-mount is now available for pre-order
Here is an updated list of photo gear promo codes you can use during this holiday shopping season
Additional pictures of the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 MAX lens:
The post The new 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 MAX lens (E/Z/L) will be released in May appeared first on Photo Rumors.
The new DJI Pocket 4P (Pro?) will be released on May 7th (previously reported here):
Here is a better view:
Here is what we know so far about the upcoming DJI Osmo Pocket 4P:
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P coming next: pic.twitter.com/s5ruqxYwgw
— Photo Rumors (@photorumors) April 17, 2026
The post DJI will release the new Pocket 4P camera on May 7th appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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The Kodak DCS was launched 35 years ago this month, in May 1991, but its roots go back a little further. Photo: Marc Aubry |
Despite Eastman Kodak making tentative steps back into the consumer photo film market, and its name still being applied to the front of countless licensees' compact cameras, there's still a widely-held sense of 'What if?' surrounding the Kodak name.
Not only did the company dominate the film industry, it also did more than its share of founding photography's digital age.
It was a Kodak engineer, Steve Sasson, who in 1975 produced the world's first digital camera as we recognize them today: a self-contained, comparatively hand-holdable device that captured images with a CCD sensor. Though, perhaps thankfully, the Compact Cassette tape it used didn't last long as a storage medium.
Likewise it was a Kodak engineer, Bryce Bayer, who invented his eponymous, and now near ubiquitous color filter pattern, patented the same year.
So perhaps it's not a surprise that it was Kodak that, 35 years ago this month, launched the first commercial digital SLR.
The Kodak DCS (Digital Camera System) built on both these existing inventions, combining a 1.3MP CCD sensor with a Bayer color filter array. It was designed as a digital back that could be mounted onto an unmodified Nikon F3 film camera body, with the add-on unit including a motor drive to cock the camera's shutter between shots.
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Where it all started (for camera buyers) Photo: Marc Aubry |
The sensor was an in-house Kodak chip, the KAF1300, a 21 x 16.6mm sensor, roughly comparable in size to the 1.6x crop sensors in Canon's later APS-C digital camera. It delivered 1280 x 1024 px images, with both mono and color versions being offered.
A cable then connected the camera to a shoulder-slung 'Digital Storage Unit,' which contained a 20 megabyte hard drive, lead acid camcorder battery and the ability to add options such as a JPEG compression processing board. This allowed the camera to capture up to 156 uncompressed images or around 600 compressed photos.
If you're wondering why we're describing it as the first "commercial" DSLR, it's because the DCS was developed from a series of earlier, often government/military-funded digital camera projects. Kodak's earliest DSLRs were created by its Federal Systems Division (FSD), which developed a camera based on a Canon F-1 body and a 1MP CCD sensor, as early as 1988.
The company's Professional Photography Division developed a prototype somewhat closer to the DCS in 1990, based on a Nikon F3 body and that, intruigingly, led to FSD making the Hawkeye II, one version of which used a 5 megabyte memory card and lithium ion batteries, making it more directly comparable to a modern digital camera in many ways.
However, this more portable camera only had capacity for four full-res images, hence the decision to persevere with the external storage unit's development for the DCS.
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| Photo: Marc Aubry |
Kodak continued to develop the camera, with the later DCS 200 (whose introduction prompted a journalist to coin the 'DCS 100' name, by which the original camera is now widely known), leading to a series of DCS cameras culminating in the Nikon and Sigma-bodied 14MP DCS Pro SLR models in 2004.
The DCS's lead engineer, Jim McGarvey, said the prominence of Nikon in the US photojournalism market led to the decision to built the original DCS around an F3, but both F-mount and EF-mount versions of later DCS models were produced, with varying levels of input and support from Nikon and Canon. It would be another eight years before Nikon introduced the first Japan-designed DSLR, the recognizably modern Nikon D1.
McGarvey's own website is host to a fascinating details and insights into the Kodak DCS and the cameras that came both before and after it.
With thanks to Marc Aubry for the photos from his camera collection. You can see more of his images on his Flickr page
The new Kase 150mm f/5.6 AF reflex mirror lens for Z/G/E/EF mount is now available for pre-order. Here are the key specs & design:
Additional information on the new lens can be found here and here:
Kase Optics officially released the 150mm f/5.6 reflex autofocus lens
The post The new Kase 150mm f/5.6 AF reflex mirror lens is now available for pre-order (Z/G/E/EF) appeared first on Photo Rumors.
Here are the latest photography-related Kickstarter crowdfunding projects:
New: Viperpod full-size tripod that doesn’t rely on the ground: $45,076 raised of $10,000 goal with 133 backers and 32 days to go.
NEW: ProWrapp Impact+ gear wrapper with max shock resistance: $34,926 raised of $6,416 goal by 329 backers with 14 days to go.
New: Reeflex 300–600mm telephoto lens for smartphones: $448,731 raised of $11,665 goal by 1,332 backers with 26 days to go.
“I’m Back Roll” digital back sensor for film cameras: $894,481 raised of $6,416 goal with 329 backers and 14 days to go. Additional information on this project can be found here and here.
Rewindpix non-disposable digital “Film” camera: $890,941 raised of $15,000 goal from 6,377 backers with 10 days to go.
CamCast turns your camera into a smart, connected system (late pledge available)
Yashica pocket camcorder (late pledge available)
Via NikonRumors
The post What’s new on Kickstarter? appeared first on Photo Rumors.
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| Shanghai, China – Bund downtown river view. 70 image 360-degree panorama. Sony a7R IV | 35mm GM | F1.4 | 1/125 sec | ISO 1600 |
Kevin Zhang, known as fatplanediaries in the wider community, began photographing at a young age under his father's influence, a dedicated Leica street photographer. What started as a focus on street photography evolved over time, especially after a chance moment in Shanghai, when he experimented with panoramas using only a prime lens. Since then, his work has developed into a distinctive blend of candid street scenes and highly detailed panoramic images, each discipline informing the other.
"I was far from a prodigy; it took a million photos until I considered myself to be halfway decent. I still have a long way to go, always looking at my own photography as an ever-developing thing. The style changes all the time as I try to demolish what I did previously."
This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.
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| Love, the Neighbors – performance rehearsal photo Sony a7R IV | F1.4 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1600 |
Home base: New York, USA, but also Shanghai, China
Favorite camera and lens: Kevin’s go-to setup centers around the Sony a7R IV, a high-resolution full-frame camera known for its exceptional detail and well-suited to his panoramic work. He pairs it with Sony’s G Master lenses, particularly the 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II and 35mm f/1.4 GM, which provide the sharpness and consistency he prioritizes. This setup supports both his fast-paced street shooting and the precision required for high-resolution stitched panoramas.
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| Kevin's camera bag
Photo: Kevin Zhang |
"DJI Osmo 360 with a jerry-rigged way of attaching it to my backpack as a 360 camera antenna (because my generation of people are encouraged to make video content about their photography to be successful), plus the remote for it."
"2 Peak design captures on my backpack, one for my camera and one for the Peak Design e-mount lens kit, so I can change lenses easily."
"I also carry a variety of tools, snacks, personal hygiene items, etc. This includes my trusty Macbook Pro with case on (often need to check my panos in the middle of a shoot). Some other miscellaneous supplies and trinkets of mine:
"And to top it off, I carry two phones – an iPhone (for the Apple Watch I love and as a backup camera), and a Samsung (what I actually enjoy using)."
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| Battle 101, 3v3 NYC dance battle event. 4 image panorama. Sony a7R IV | 24-70mm GM | F2.8 | 1/200 sec | ISO 4000 |
"My dad became a Leica enthusiast shortly after I got into middle school, and it's been downhill from there, lol. He became a really good street photographer, so I followed in his footsteps and essentially focused on street photography for the next decade or so. I only stopped for a few years when I went to film school to focus on film."
"A few months after I graduated, I was stuck with a prime lens while at a very scenic landscape view in Shanghai, so I just winged it and gave panoramas a shot. Ever since then, my focus has been on panoramas and street photography. It's a truly odd combination, but I like to say they complement each other and, in a weird way, my film career. So I keep doing photography even if I don't get enough gigs in this field as I'd like."
"I've been doing photography since age 10, I think? The launch day Sony a7R IV I currently own has been with me for more than a quarter of my life, which feels crazy to say, as my memory of that camera launching is still very fresh."
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| The Jam Showcase Volume 9. Full audience 8-image panorama. Sony a7R IV | 35mm GM | F1.4 | 1/250 sec | ISO 3200 |
"I like to shoot candid street subjects, but I'm often pretty shy about approaching people to get the right shot. The best alternative is to get hired for events instead; everyone's vying to have you shoot them in those kinds of situations. I've had a lot of good practice at my friends' parties before getting to events as a photographer."
"On the panorama end, I like detail – lots and lots of detail. Ever since the Pureview 808 launched, my dream kind of photo has been the one where you can zoom in nearly infinitely and see a very complex world. That's been the ethos of my panoramas. They tickle that itch really well. I zoom into my own 750mp PTGui stitches all the time."
"I've always loved reading Roger Cicala's articles, absorbing DXOMark data, and of course, content on DPReview. All the technical deep dives and teardowns that teach you technical stuff, YouTube will never teach you about. That's always helped me out a lot I think, just being nerdy about stuff, and having a good theoretical foundation so that you never need to second guess yourself when you're out and about shooting."
"I really miss Barney Britton from the 2009 era. His Chris Burkard a6000 video was what got me hooked into DPReview in the first place."
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| New York City skyline from Staten Island Ferry. 12-image panorama. Sony a7R IV | Tamron 70-180mm G2 | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 160 |
"Probably the most unique environment I've shot at is the New York City street dance events. There's one called Battle 101, and at the end of the year, they host a massive battle with hundreds of spectators. In that sort of situation, the subjects you're shooting are also the background. If you shoot your handheld panos fast enough, you can also do them for people. Really. Not a lot of others have tried it but me."
"Be humble and be open to drastically altering your approach. Be happy to teach other people and learn from others. Both G.A.S. and the Dunning-Kruger effect are way too commonplace in photography. And please don't be a snob."
Kevin really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Kevin, for being featured!
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