Welcome back to our Question of the Week series! This reader-focused series aims to get our photographic community to share thoughts on all sorts of photography-related topics in our forums. We pose questions about gear, favorite camera stores, advice, problem-solving and more, and you share your thoughts and opinions.
This week, we’re leaning into the holiday spirit! The season of giving (and occasionally re-gifting) is upon us, and that means it’s time to unwrap some memories – both heartwarming and hilarious.
What are the best (and worst) photography-related gifts you've received?
What’s the best photography-related gift you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a dream lens that caused you to take on an adventure deep in the mountains, or a handmade camera strap that’s now an essential part of your kit. And what about the worst? Perhaps someone thought you needed yet another "World’s Best Photographer" mug, or that odd lens filter set that turned every photo a shade of green.
In this edition of our Question of the Week series, we want to hear your gift stories: the memorable, the useful and the truly baffling. Share your favorites (and flops) in the forum link below. Photos of the gifts (or what you created with them) are also more than welcome! We'll highlight some of your most entertaining and heartfelt responses in next week's roundup.
Designed for M-mount systems, this lens incorporates an advanced apochromatic (APO) optical structure combined with aspherical elements to deliver outstanding sharpness, precise color reproduction, and effectively minimized chromatic aberration. It is crafted for photographers who demand both high resolution and refined image character.
Key features:
Advanced Optical Design: APO apochromatic correction with 3 high-precision double-sided aspherical elements and dual floating groups, delivering exceptional sharpness even wide open.
Outstanding Performance: Minimum focusing distance of 0.3m and an ultra-long 307° focus throw (cinema-level precision) for accurate manual control and high-resolution results from wide aperture.
Ergonomic Design: Classic tiger-claw focus ring for smooth handling, paired with a compact metal lens hood to effectively reduce flare.
Brightin Star 50mm f/2 TRI-SIGHT lens
The 50mm F2 TRI-SIGHT Lens stands out with its switchable triple rendering modes, allowing photographers to adapt their visual style instantly. With a simple switching mechanism, users can seamlessly transition between these three distinct optical styles within a single lens, offering exceptional creative flexibility without changing equipment:
SMOOTH – Soft-focus effect for a gentle, dreamy atmosphere
PRIME – Standard rendering for natural, balanced image quality
FOAMS – Bubble bokeh effect for expressive and artistic backgrounds
Key features:
Classic 50mm focal length with three switchable focus styles: SMOOTH (soft-focus effect), PRIME (standard rendering), and FOAMS (bubble bokeh effect).
Drop-in filter system for creating distinctive and creative light spots.
Stepless aperture design with a retractable lens hood and detachable focus lever for smoother, more convenient operation.
While Abby, Dale and Mitchell are in Japan to cover CP+, it also provides an excellent opportunity to get out and test some photo gear. The evening before the show, the crew hit the streets of Yokohama's Chinatown to get some shots of the neon lights and reflections.
You're sure to see more images from the photowalk in our full sample galleries for the Viltrox 16mm F1.8 for L mount, Sigma 15mm F1.4 DC DN and Viltrox 35mm F1.2 Lab for Z mount, but for today, here are some of our favorite photos we took while out on the town.
Sample gallery
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During our hunt to find Abby Ferguson a film camera in the used camera stores of the Shinjuku district in Tokyo, we ended up at Five Star Camera where Dale Baskin also found something worth taking home.
Panasonic has announced the DMW-DMS1, a microphone designed to attach to the digital hotshoe on recent Lumix cameras. It features support for 32-bit float recording on certain cameras and has a four-microphone array, allowing for multiple computational pickup patterns.
The microphone is small, measuring 45 x 64 x 74mm (1.8 x 2.5 x 2.9"), and weighing just 100g (3.5oz) without the included windscreen. It plugs directly into the hotshoe, without the need to run a separate cable down to the camera's microphone input jack. It has physical switches for wind reduction, noise reduction and gain, as well as a gain dial.
Image: Panasonic
On the back are six backlit buttons that control the pickup pattern. The buttons' brightness can be adjusted for indoor or outdoor working. The microphone has different modes for capturing sounds and subjects in front of and/or behind the camera, while suppressing noises from other directions.
The capsules are 10mm, which Panasonic says strikes a balance between cost, quality and dynamic range.
The company says this is possible thanks to "beamforming technology," which we suspect is similar to how other companies implement similar features on cameras with built-in multi-capsule microphones. The capsules themselves are 10mm, which Panasonic says it chose to strike a balance between cost, quality and dynamic range.
The microphone combines dual analog-to-digital converters with 32-bit float recording, which come together to capture both loud and quiet sounds separately with plenty of latitude to prevent clipping. While the microphone capsules themselves can still clip – Panasonic says this happens above 120dB, which is around the loudness of an emergency vehicle's siren – anything the microphones are physically capable of picking up can be recorded. Of course, it can also record in a more traditional 24-bit mode, too, which is where the gain dials come into play.
It also includes a wind noise canceler, which Panasonic says uses a new method that's better at isolating the wind, without adjusting or muffling the sounds you're actually trying to record. Of course, as a software solution, it can only do so much, but thankfully, the company includes a fluffy windscreen with it.
The microphone supports four-channel recording, and can use two of the channels as a backup track.
The microphone supports four-channel recording, with the option to use two of the channels as a backup track. These are primarily designed for use in 24-bit mode, and give the options to either record the results of omnidirectional pickup to two channels, one at reduced volume, or to mimic the main recording but 20dB quieter, to protect from clipping.
The microphone itself doesn't have any built-in memory, so the recordings are done in-camera. The settings for 32-bit float and backup recording are managed in-camera, a decision Panasonic says was made after consulting with audio professionals.
The capsule itself is vibration-damped as it goes into the body of the microphone, rather than the damping happening where the unit itself connects to the camera. In theory, this makes it less likely for it to pick up handling sounds if you flip a switch or press a button on the microphone.
Image: Panasonic
When it launches, the microphone will be compatible with the Panasonic S1II, S1RII, S1IIE, S5II and S5IIX, though the latter two don't support 32-bit float recording or the backup function. The cameras will require a firmware update to use it, which will be available on March 9th. Panasonic says the GH7 and G9II will gain support for the microphone at an unspecified point in the future, and told us that it'd be safe to assume that the former will have support for 32-bit float.
The DMW-DMS1 will be available in March and will retail for $399.
Press release:
Panasonic Introduces New Digital Shotgun Microphone: DMW-DMS1
Newark, N.J. (February 24, 2026) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce the new LUMIX DMW-DMS1, an all in-one microphone for any shooting scenario. The DMW DMS1 is designed for creators and professionals who want uncompromising audio quality without complexity. Whether you’re filming a travel vlog in a busy city, recording an interview in a quiet studio, or capturing the excitement of a live event, this microphone adapts to your needs so you can focus on your story. As of February 2026, the DMW-DMS1 is compatible with LUMIX S1II, S1RII, S1IIE, S5II and S5IIX. *1 Compatibility with GH7 and G9II is planned in the future.
The DMW-DMS1 features a newly developed large-diameter 10mm microphone array that delivers crisp, focused audio even in challenging environments. For run-and-gun workflows, an internal floating shock-mount minimizes vibration noise from movement, while the included windscreen reduces wind interference. The new wind noise cancellation system leverages float-recording technology, suppressing wind without compressing the intended signal, maintaining an open, natural vocal tone even in adverse weather.
To accommodate a wide range of recording situations, the DMW-DMS1 offers six directional modes, reducing the need for additional accessories and setup. It supports 32-bit float recording*2 to capture audio without distortion at sound pressure levels up to approximately 120 dB, comparable to a front-row concert or close proximity to an emergency siren — conditions that can challenge conventional microphones.
To prevent any missed takes due to accidental setting errors, or to capture ambient sound, the device offers two backup recording modes*2. When recording in 4-channel mode, channels 3 and 4 can be used as backups to reliably capture important audio.
Lightweight at approximately 100g, the compact form factor draws power and transmits digital audio via the hot shoe, eliminating cable management. Physical switches are intuitive, and directional mode buttons feature adjustable brightness for low-light environments. A dedicated pouch provides convenient storage and transport with the windscreen attached.
Main Features
1. High Sound Quality
High-precision sound captured with large-diameter 10mm mic array
Minimizes vibration noise thanks to an internal shock-mount mechanism
Minimizes wind noise using a windscreen
2. Flexible Directionality and Professional Reliability
Six directional modes for any recording situation (Forward Directionality Cardioid/ Stereo/Wide Stereo/ Forward Directionality Supercardioid/ Rearward Directionality Supercardioid/ Bidirectional Supercardioid)
32-bit float recording and backup recording mode*2
3. Easy-to-use Design
Cable-free hot shoe connection
Intuitive physical switches
Pocket-sized design (approx. 73.7 x 45 x 63.7mm, approx.100g)
*1 Firmware must be updated to the latest version which will be released on March 10th, 2026.
*2 Compatible cameras for this feature (as of February 2026): DC-S1M2, S1M2ES, and S1RM2. Firmware must be updated to the latest version.
As the team settles in and gears-up for the start of the CP+ show, Abby took the chance to explore some of the second-hand camera stores in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, to see if she could bring home a classic.
Connexion
