Here is what else is new:

Nikon & RED Image Recipes are coming tomorrow – here are the details

Nikon & RED + three additional new image recipes officially released

New Owlkrown TwinPad SL “Reporter” strap released for the new Leica SL3 “Reporter” camera

Canon Might Have Solved The Heat vs. IBIS Paradox

New SmallRig NP-FZ100 and NP-FW50 Dual Camera Battery Chargers Released

Sony ZV-E10 II 4K 120p Upgrade

PDR: Sony a7V Gains a Stop and Challenges Medium Format Cameras

Sony A1 Firmware 4.00 Released

The post What else is new? appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Photo by synyan

In this week's Question of the week, members of the community said the biggest positive changes to their photography came from simplifying their gear and embracing a few smart tools and habits, rather than chasing specs alone.

Some of you pointed to big-ticket purchases, such as returning to interchangeable-lens systems after a long absence or investing in a medium-format body. In contrast, others highlighted inexpensive adapters, flashes, or AI tools that quietly transformed your workflow. A recurring theme was that anything which removed friction, such as lens changes, menu-diving, clunky tripods, or excessive retouching, freed you to focus more on composition, timing, and storytelling.

Read on for a spotlight selection of contributions, and then join our forum community to share your great photos and the stories they tell.

New gear rekindling motivation

Photo by MyReality

Several community members did point to new cameras or lenses as their standout change, but not only for the specs. What mattered most was how a body or lens made them feel: whether they were more inclined to get out to take photographs, more confident handling the camera or less distracted by constant gear decisions.

Alan Sh: I know it sounds odd, but buying the Fuji X-E5 rekindled my excitement for street photography. The camera just felt 'right' in my hand - much more so than the X100VI I had purchased over 12 months before.

barefeetDave: New gear. Pulled the trigger and picked up the Panasonic Lumix S1R2… It's a heavy kit, but the images I get are terrific. I love the tactile controls of the S1R2 - I rarely have to dig into the menus to change setup.

Poppamies: Getting my telephoto zoom for Fuji, the Sigma 100-400 DG dn os. They say gear doesn't matter, but it does, wildlife is hard with a 16-80mm zoom, haha.

tvgc: The battle of size was the most influential contributor to my photography this past year. Aging brings challenges, and I found myself looking for a camera that I could carry without significant IQ compromises, but wasn't too bulky in size. I was fortunate in that I had the opportunity to try a couple of the Internet's favorite compacts. I had owned a Sony RX1RMK2 and really enjoyed it, a few years ago I foolishly sold it when I moved to the Sony A7C models.

MyReality: In 2025, I shot a lot more video, had a lot of slides scanned, and had an 80-image book printed. I did not buy more gear because my photography is shifting more to video, and I have made no decision on cameras. 2026 will be the year I buy a much more videocentric camera.

Howard V: My photography was most influenced in 2025 by a newly purchased iPhone 16 Pro. I decided to delve more deeply into its features than previously owned models, and into phone photography as a legitimate approach. To reinforce this, I shelved all other photo equipment. At first, it felt novel, but then it became less pleasant as its shortcomings became more evident. But I mostly stuck it out until July.

Habits, discipline, and shooting more

Photo by Sam Bennett

For others, the biggest impact came from how they worked rather than what they bought. The community described small studio and workflow changes that paid big dividends in consistency, efficiency and enjoyment.

sirhawkeye64: For me, it was just getting out more and shooting more with what I already have. No need for newer/better gear, but just getting out, experiencing new things, and practicing is what had the biggest impact for me over this past year+. I'm at the stage where I don't need/necessarily want the newest, most expensive gear. I just want capable gear, which is what I have for what I shoot. It's not the latest or fastest, but it gets the job done. Now I'm focused more on shooting and making memories.

Sam Bennett: This one's easy - re-adopting the habit of having an 'every day carry' camera. Going to the coffee shop wasn't just about getting caffeinated; it was about getting creative. One of the biggest benefits of this is that the OM-3 has become an extension of my body - I use it so often that it is completely second nature. It has also helped me use my OM-1 differently and more efficiently - I understand that camera better now than I did before I got the OM-3.

Krummj: I’ve been printing more. But printing on the small side, 5x7. Printing is quick with the small size, and the photos look great. For shooting, I've been having fun with adapted Nikon G primes (these were made for full-frame DSLR and film Nikons). Adapted to my ZF and Z7, they work perfectly, and the images have something I like about them compared to the latest Z lenses (don't ask me what).

AndreyBess: I did several things…

1) Read all books by Bryan Peterson - they helped in several aspects
2) Started to use Canon Linear profile while doing RAW processing from my Canon RP.
3) Started to use DxO PureRaw, which saved a lot of my ISO 1600+ shots.
4) Bought Canon EF 16-35 F4 IS (used a EF-S Sigma 2.8 before) in addition to my Tamron 35-150 2.8-4.0 and Canon EF 100mm f2.0.
5) Finally started to shoot much more. It improved me very much.
6) Try to shoot as best as I can directly from my camera

Software, AI, and post‑processing changes

Photo by Howard V

AI and software didn’t dominate the thread, but when they came up, readers said they quietly transformed post-processing. The focus was less on flashy effects and more on tools that removed tedious cleanup work.

Vince P: I know it's blasphemous, but the latest AI distraction, reflection removal, etc, has saved me so much time.

Maoby: The new AI features in photo editing software, such as LR, are fantastic when used intelligently and sparingly.

JaredL: Cancelling my Adobe subscription after more than a decade. I'm still getting accustomed to DxO PhotoLab, and it's been fun revisiting and re-editing photos from years ago to see the results.

icexe: Learning how to utilize Adobe Camera Raw better to do post-processing. I've learned a lot of really cool masking and lighting techniques to create just about any look I like without relying on plug-in ‘film packs’ or recipes to do it.

Community, learning, and life‑experience driven shifts

Photo by Pedrin

Several readers mentioned that their biggest leap occurred when they changed how they viewed and shared their images. Printing, in particular, emerged as a surprisingly powerful habit.

fotoword: Camera club membership drives me to get out of my chair and my comfort zone to enter the various themed and open competitions in my local club. I think this challenge, along with attending meetings with like-minded individuals, is what mostly gets me motivated.

Acquiring an XT50 earlier in the year and later a Canon 45 mm F1.2 for my R8 helped make those excursions even more interesting. I'm just waiting for my Godox IT32 to arrive to elevate the excitement that photography provides. Of course, it's not about the gear, but it does assist the enthusiasm.

Pavel Vishniakov: I started going to photo workshops and master classes organized by a local photo gear chain. It also pushed me to look at the world differently and capture photos that I wouldn't have thought of myself.

fatplanediaries: 2025 was when I decided to launch myself by doing well in as many photography competitions as I could. It was a humbling experience. I found out how far I still have to go.

It's now the end of 2025, and I can look back at my 2.5-year panorama odyssey with good clarity. There are many obvious lessons to get out of the way. For one, the Dunning-Kruger effect can haunt you at any stage of your creative life. For another, don't have such an ego. I've since received critiques from some really amazing photographers on my photos, and learned about aspects of photography I'd never known before.

Pedrin: Hello, everyone. This is my very first time posting on this website. I am now totally blind, with some light and form perception remaining. I was able to go forward and still photograph for the pleasure of others to see, and for the pleasure of me going back to very basic manual. I am therefore experiencing the joy of my photography as I have throughout my whole life.

Change that brings enjoyment

Across all these stories, it's clear that the most impactful change in 2025 was anything that made it easier to shoot often and enjoy the process - whether that came from a new camera, a smarter workflow or a simple habit that stuck.

Are you interested in participating in this series? Keep watch for the next Question of the week every other Wednesday, posted as an article here on the homepage and also in the forums. We can't wait to read and share your stories.

Image: Adobe

Earlier this year, Adobe made it possible to use third-party AI models in Photoshop, but now, the reverse is also true, and the company is bringing its own tools to AI chat platforms. Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Adobe Acrobat with ChatGPT, allowing users to access select Adobe tools directly in the AI-powered conversational chatbot, for free.

Adobe says the integration aims to make it easier for everyone to edit photos, design invites and posters and create professional-looking documents. Users will be able to use ChatGPT’s conversational interface to request changes, instead of hunting for the correct tool themselves. The move builds on Adobe's AI Assistants and its beta Edit Suggestions feature, which it introduced at Adobe Max as its first step in testing "agentic style" editing.

Image: Adobe

To access the apps in ChatGPT, users need to type the name of the app or select it from the plus menu. Then users type a specific request describing the change they want. For example, if someone wants to change the colors in an image, they need to type something like, "Adobe Photoshop, warm up the colors in the image." After applying the adjustment, users can click on the selection and use sliders to fine-tune the edits, similar to what they might do in Photoshop (or at least a pared-down version of it).

Image: Adobe

Photoshop in ChatGPT won't offer the full suite of features found in the desktop software or mobile app. But it will allow for adjustments to a specific part of an image, provided you can define the section you want changed. It also supports changes to global image settings such as brightness, contrast and exposure, along with creative effects like Glitch and Glow. Adobe says that those who want more complete adjustments can then transfer an image from ChatGPT into its native apps and pick up where they left off.

The Adobe ChatGPT apps are available on desktop, the web and iOS. The Adobe Express ChatGPT app can be used on Android devices, and Adobe says that support for Photoshop and Acrobat is coming soon. All of the apps are free to use, and they don't require a paid ChatGPT subscription. However, some Acrobat and Adobe Express features do require users to sign in to an Adobe account.

The Tele Conversion Lens (TCL) gives X100 series photographers a 50mm equivalent focal length. Image: Viltrox

Viltrox has announced two conversion lenses for the Fujifilm X100 series of cameras. The TCL-X100VI (Tele Conversion Lens) and WCL (Wide Conversion Lens) aim to provide greater flexibility by offering two additional fields of view from the fixed-lens cameras.

Fujifilm's X100 series cameras all feature a fixed, built-in 23mm (35mm equiv) lens. That focal length is relatively versatile, but the single option is inherently limiting. The conversion lenses give Fujifilm X100 users two additional options. The TCL results in 1.4x magnification, effectively turning the lens into a 50mm equivalent. The WCL offers a 0.8x magnification, equivalent to a 28mm lens.

The Wide Conversion Lens (WCL) results in a 28mm equivalent focal length. Image: Viltrox

Viltrox says that both conversion lenses use professionally engineered optics to prevent any degradation in image quality or light transmission. They feature an optical design comprising five elements in four groups. The TCL benefits from two high-refractive-index elements and one extra-low-dispersion element, while the WCL offers two refractive-index elements. Both use multi-layer nano coatings to reduce vignetting. The TCL accepts filters with a 67mm filter thread, while the WCL uses 49mm filters.

Both the WCL and TCL are available in black and silver. Image: Viltrox

The conversion lenses are easy to attach, simply screwing onto the camera's built-in lens. Viltrox explained that on fourth-generation and later devices (X100F, X100V, and X100VI), the camera will automatically detect conversion lenses and adjust the appropriate settings, including built-in distortion and vignetting correction. Both the TCL and WCL are available in black and silver and are designed to match the X100's retro look. Both are compact and lightweight, with the TCL weighing 230g (8.1oz) and the WCL 130g (4.6oz).

Fujifilm makes its own conversion lenses for the X100 series (the similarly named WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II), which offer the same magnification levels. They both cost $400, though. The Viltrox TCL and WCL are, in keeping with Viltrox standards, more affordable. They are available for purchase today for $189 for the TCL and $159 for the WCL.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

Nikon has announced that it's bringing nine "Imaging Recipe" color profiles inspired by popular color grading looks for its Red cinema cameras. The company says it'll let users get cinematic-looking videos straight out of camera. It's Nikon's latest announcement tied to its Red cinema brand, after it released the video-focused Nikon ZR earlier this year.

Four of them – CineBias, CineBias Offset, Film Bias Bleach Bypass and Achromic – will be familiar to Nikon users, as they've been available as Lookup Table files, or LUTs, for a while. While those are relatively subtle color modes, the newly-added ones push things a little further, which you can see below.

Unlike when Nikon released a few Red-inspired LUTs for its Z-series cameras last year, this release isn't coming in the form of standard Lookup Table files. Instead, Nikon is distributing them through its Imaging Cloud service, and they'll be applied to your H.264/H.265 videos as you record them. That means you'll only be able to use them on cameras that support Imaging Cloud, a list that includes the ZR, Zf, Z6III, Z5II and Z50II, though notably not the Z8 and Z9. That's a bit awkward, given how much effort Nikon has put into making those extremely capable video cameras.

Unlike with a standard LUT, you can't apply the looks to N-Log footage you've already shot; they have to be baked in at the time of shooting. That also means you're giving up the editing latitude you'd usually get with Log footage to gain the cinematic looks.

That likely speaks to the audience that Nikon is focusing on with these looks: not professional filmmakers trying to cut video from their Nikon mirrorless cameras together with footage from Red cinema cameras, but creators who want cinematic-looking footage without having to do a lot of editing work. That's almost certainly a bigger market, and those looking to use the Red Creative LUTs can do so with footage from the ZR, but it's still a bit disappointing that Nikon isn't taking a more open approach, especially given that Fujifilm just released a bunch of its own "Film Simulations" as more broadly compatible LUTs.

7Artisans will soon announce a new 50mm f/1.2 APS-C manual focus lens for E/X/Z/MFT mount (previously reported here):

7Artisans is teasing a new large-aperture lens

The post Coming soon: 7Artisans MF 50mm f/1.2 (E/X/Z/MFT) appeared first on Photo Rumors.

TTartisan announced three new 35mm/50mm/85mm T2.1 dual bokeh cine lenses for E/X/Z/RF/L mount (order at TTartisan | B&H Photo | Amazon):

Focal length	35mm	50mm	85mm
Color	Black
Aperture range	E / X / Z / RF / L	E / Z / RF / L
Mount	T2.1 ~ T22（Declicked Aperture）
Frame	Full Frame
Optical Design	10 Elements in 7 Groups	7 Elements in 6 Groups	8 Elements in 7 Groups
Angle of View	63°	47°	28.9°
Closest Focusing Distance (Soft）	0.28m	0.65m	0.6m
Closest Focusing Distance (Bubble）	0.55m	0.45m	0.67m
Diaphragm Blades	11pcs
Filter Size	82mm
Gear Pitch	0.8 Mod
Material	Aviation-grade aluminum
Weight	E	Around 678g	Around 727g	Around 779g
	X	Around 669g
	Z	Around 735g	Around 774g	Around 820g
	RF	Around 709g	Around 758g	Around 806g
	L	Around 690g	Around 744g	Around 792g
35mm T2.1
		A	B	C
E		60mm	25mm	81mm
X		58mm	25mm	81mm
Z		62mm	27mm	83mm
RF		66.5mm	23mm	79mm
L		63.5mm	23mm	79mm
50mm T2.1
		A	B	C
E		59.5mm	26.5mm	92mm
Z		65mm	28.5mm	94mm
RF		64.5mm	24mm	89.5mm
L		61.9mm	24.5mm	90mm
85mm T2.1
		A	B	C
E		59.5mm	26.6mm	101.1mm
Z		65mm	28.6mm	103.1mm
RF		64.5mm	24.1mm	98.6mm
L		61.9mm	24.6mm	99.1mm

The post TTartisan announced three new 35mm/50mm/85mm T2.1 dual bokeh cine lenses (E/X/Z/RF/L) appeared first on Photo Rumors.