Adobe has announced that it's working on a feature for Photoshop called Live Co-Editing, which lets multiple people view and edit the same document at once. The concept will be familiar to anyone who's worked in a Google Doc with other people, though applied to photo or graphical editing instead of word processing.
The feature is coming next week as a private beta, so it won't immediately be accessible to everyone. If you sign up for the beta and are accepted, you'll be able to use it via the share button, similar to the existing collaboration feature. However, instead of only one person being able to work on the document at once, you'll have the option to turn on Live Co-Editing.
Adobe's press release details some examples of when the ability to work on the same Photoshop document could be useful. The first is the most obvious one, where there's a big project with several pieces that designers can work on at once. It could also be handy if a teacher is trying to explain a specific process to a student or if you're on a call with a client and want them to be able to see your work in as much detail as possible.
To use the feature, the file you want to collaborate on will have to be saved to your Creative Cloud storage – if you try to turn on Live Co-Editing for a file saved locally, Photoshop will walk you through uploading it to Creative Cloud before sending the invitation. At the end of the process, you'll end up with a .PSDL file, rather than the conventional .PSD.
The announcement is Adobe's latest move to present Photoshop and its other products as services rather than simply applications, along with the increasing number of built-in generative AI features. It may hope that these features will help justify the ongoing cost of a subscription, especially as some tiers of that subscription are getting more expensive. To start, Live Co-Editing will be available on the desktop and web versions of Photoshop.
DJI has announced a new drone, offering a folding design unique to its lineup. The DJI Flip is the company’s first foldable drone with full-coverage propeller guards, maintaining safety in a compact, portable package. The palm-sized drone combines the simplicity of the DJI Neo with the photo capabilities of the DJI Mini 3. Like both the Neo and Mini 3, it weighs less than 249 grams, so it's more accessible to fly than heavier drones since you don't need a license from the FAA. DJI is calling it an all-in-one vlog camera drone with features ideal for content creators on the go.
Photo: DJI
The standout feature of the DJI Flip is its foldable design. The propeller guards are attached to the rotors using carbon fiber string, and each rotor can then fold down for easier storage. Like the Neo, it offers very simplified flight controls, making it an easy option for those who don’t have drone flying experience. That includes one-tap flight, six intelligent shooting modes (Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix and Boomerang) and AI Subject Tracking. It also offers automatic braking with the 3D Infrared Sensing System, making it safer to fly.
Photo: DJI
Regarding camera capabilities, the DJI Flip features a 48MP Type 1/1.3 (9.6 x 7.2mm) CMOS sensor behind a lens with an F1.7 aperture. The sensor has a Quad Bayer-style color filter layout, meaning it can either output 48MP photos, or combine pixels to give 2.4μm "4-in-1" output, just like the DJI Mini 3.
DJI also promises "Dual Native ISO Fusion," which appears to be its branding for sensor maker Omnivision's Dual Conversion Gain HDR feature. This claims to sample each pixel's charge twice, using different conversion gain levels to boost DR, while also combining variable exposures. It appears to be for capturing wide-DR video in a standard DR space rather than true HDR footage for playback on high DR screens. We've asked DJI for more information.
The drone can record HDR video up to 4K 60 fps, supports slow-motion recording at 4K 100 fps, and the 4:3 sensor produces vertical crops up to 2.7K. It also supports 10-bit D-Log M color mode for those who want to dive into color grading.
A sample image taken with the DJI Flip
Photo: DJI
The DJI Flip offers up to 31 minutes of flight time, which is quite a bit less than the DJI Mini 3’s 51-minute flight time (provided you use the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) but substantially longer than the Neo’s 18-minute max flight time. You can control the Flip with Voice Control or the DJI Fly app, and it is also compatible with the DJI RC-N3 and RC2 controllers. It supports up to 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) of 1080p 60 fps video transmission, so you don’t need to be right next to your subject to record or capture photos.
The DJI Flip is available for purchase as of today. You can opt for only the drone only for $439, buy a kit with the DJI RC 2 for $639 or opt for the Fly More Combo with the DJI RC 2 for $779.
TTArtisan is keeping the lens news coming this year with another lens announcement just a few weeks after its last. The company is following up its AF 35mm F1.8 II with another F1.8 prime lens for APS-C users, as reported by PetaPixel. Priced at just $127, the TTArtisan AF 23mm (35mm equivalent) F1.8 is a budget-friendly option that slots nicely into TTArtisan’s existing lineup of affordable yet fast prime lenses. It is available for Fujifilm X cameras now, with Sony E and Nikon Z mount models coming later, though the company hasn't specified exactly when.
Image: TTArtisan
Like TTArtisan’s other lenses, the 23mm F1.8 features an aluminum body, offering better durability than you may expect for the budget price. It’s also very lightweight, weighing 210 grams (7.4 ounces). TTArtisan doesn’t provide additional details on dimensions, but the lightweight design and 35mm equivalent focal length could make it an ideal street, travel, and landscape lens. The USB-C port for firmware updates is on the rear lens cap, so you won't want to lose that after unboxing the lens.
Image: TTArtisan
While the details about the lens size are minimal, the company did provide information on the optical design. The lens is composed of 11 elements in nine groups. It includes two extra-low dispersion elements and a high index element. Additionally, it features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. There is no aperture control ring (as is expected on a lens of this price), so all aperture control will be done through the camera. The 23mm F1.8 uses a stepper motor for autofocus, which the company says is fast, accurate and suitable for video applications. Finally, it can focus as close as 0.3 meters (11.9 inches).
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Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 @ 16mm | F6.3 | 1/160 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler
As part of our ongoing review, we took the Z50II traveling over the Christmas period, to see what Nikon's little APS-C model is like as a day-to-day camera. We found it small enough to take on a madcap 11-day trip to Mexico and the UK.
The gallery was primarily shot on the retractable Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit zoom but we also took the Nikkor Z DX 24mm F1.7 and the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN, for a bit of variery.
We've still got some of our more formal testing to do, so the review is still likely to be a few weeks off. But in the meantime you can get a sense of its versatility from our samples gallery.
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 (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
Sample gallery
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Japan is a street photographer's paradise, but it's the rain that really transforms Japanese cityscapes into something magical. City lights reflect off wet pavement, creating depth and dimension that only exist when it rains, and everyone carries umbrellas, creating captivating shadows and silhouettes. This image, taken in Tokyo during a downpour last year, encapsulates the feeling of wandering through the city's intimate side streets and alleys on a rainy night.
Panasonic S5II X and Panasonic 28-200mm F4-7.1 lens | ISO 1600 | 1/100 sec | F4 Photo: Dale Baskin
We've received numerous requests to host an Editors' Photo Challenge for street photography, so our theme for January is 'B&W Street'.
This is your chance to showcase your best black-and-white street photography! We want to see the city through your lens, whether it's an unexpected scene, a candid portrait, or some other "decisive moment." Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story! (Hint: the caption for the photo above is a good example.)
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, January 19, and Saturday, January 25 (GMT). This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
Also, don't forget to check out some of the other open and upcoming photo challenges hosted by members of the DPReview community. Or, see some of the great photos from recently completed photo challenges.
Companies like Viltrox and Sirui have been putting out Z-mount autofocus primes for a while and Tamron has released a few zoom lenses, but it's still easy to be frustrated with Nikon's selectiveness as to which third-party lenses are allowed on its system. And while the Z mount's design lets you adapt lenses from many other mounts, the adapters can be expensive if you want to use autofocus.
Viltrox is looking to change that. Its new E-Z AF adapter lets you mount lenses made for Sony's system to your Nikon camera, and the company says it supports "fast and precise autofocus" and EXIF data transmission. It also says the adapter supports stabilized lenses and will work with cameras that have stabilized sensors.
The E-Z AF adapter supports "AF-S, AF-C, AF-A, AF-F, and MF" modes according to Viltrox, though the company's site recommends "switching to a different focus area setting" if you're using the pinpoint focus mode, warning that "focus efficiency may decrease in pinpoint mode." It also supports lenses with aperture rings.
Image: Viltrox
None of this is groundbreaking; companies like Megadap, FotodioX, and Techart make E-to-Z adapters that support autofocus and other functionality. However, they're usually priced at over $220, though Neewer does make a more budget option that comes in around $150. Viltrox, however, has lowered the barrier to entry even further – the E-Z AF costs $99. If it lives up to the company's promises, it could help assuage some photographers' fears about lens availability on Nikon systems, as long as they're willing to adapt lenses.
The adapter doesn't currently seem to be available on sites like Amazon or B&H, so if you want to pick it up, you'll have to buy it directly from Viltrox. We'll update this story if it becomes available elsewhere.
It's a new year, and we're back with our weekly accessory roundup after taking a bit of a break over the holiday season. It's just in time, too – this week was CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, where many manufacturers show off their latest and greatest tech.
Before we take a look at the accessories unveiled this week, let's see what's on sale.
Sales of the Week
Photo: Dale Baskin
Canon's EOS R6 II, a full frame camera aimed at enthusiasts, thoroughly impressed us when we reviewed it last year. These days its competition is a little stronger following the release of the Nikon Z6III, but it gets a leg up by currently being on sale. You can pick one up for $1,999, around $500 off its MSRP.
Godox's latest products technically came out before CES, but we didn't get to highlight them due to the holidays, so we're doing it now. The company has released three small, on-camera flashes: the iM20 / iM22 – essentially the same flash in different profiles – and the iA32.
The iM20-series are small manual on-camera flashes that Godox says will work with "a wide range of hot-shoe cameras" via its single contact. They feature five brightness levels and a built-in battery that the company says will get you 440 full-power flashes with a 3-second recycle time.
The iA32 is a bit beefier, though it still uses a single hot-shoe contact for syncing. You can adjust the angle of the flash tube from 90° to -7° via a dial on the side, letting you bounce it off the ceiling or point it directly at your subject. It has eight manually selectable power levels but also features an "auto" mode that lets you input your ISO and aperture and let the flash recommend a shooting distance. It uses two AA or LR6 batteries for power, and Godox quotes 490 flashes with a 2.5-second recycle time.
If you're more of a phone photographer, Godox has also announced the MA5R, a magnetic wireless power bank that doubles as an RGB light panel. It has an 18.13Wh battery, which you can either use to top up your phone or to power the 5W array of LEDs if you happen to be taking a video of something. It also has a small selfie light under a screen that displays settings and battery life information, if you don't need the full panel's power.
The ProGrade PG20 adds three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB A port, and can charge your computer.
Image: ProGrade
ProGrade's new PG20 Thunderbolt 4 hub puts an interesting spin on the idea of a card reader dock. On its own, it splits a single Thunderbolt connection into three and adds a single 10Gbps USB A port. It can provide the computer you connect it to with 85W of power, which should be enough to charge all but the beefiest of laptops.
It also gives you a place to put two sold separately ProGrade card readers.
Image: ProGrade
Its top, however, is magnetic and looks like it has a tray cut out of it. That's because it's designed for you to put up to two ProGrade card readers on top of it, turning it into a combo hub / photo and video offloading station. Unlike card reader docks with slots that you slide modules into, connecting two card readers to the ProGrade will require taking up two of your three Thunderbolt ports. However, at $170 for the hub itself, it is a substantially cheaper option than those currently made by Sandisk or Lexar, though those options are far more expandable.
Camera bag maker ThinkTank has updated two of its air travel-focused bags. The company says the Airport Navigator V2 and the Airport Roller Derby V2 are both designed to be easily maneuverable, thanks to their eight wheels that can turn and roll in pretty much any direction.
The Navigator is a smaller bag that ThinkTank says can hold two gripped bodies with lenses, along with a few primes and flashes. The Roller Derby, meanwhile, is a bit bigger – it can even fit a 400mm F2.8, provided it's not mounted to a camera. The bags also have the usual suite of photographer-focused features: an included raincover, tripod attachment points, and a security cable and lock.
Satechi has made a combination stand and dock for the new M4-powered Mac Mini, expanding the computer's I/O options, and making it easier to use. While the diminutive desktop has enough processing power for all but the most demanding photographers, it lacks a few features. The dock's most notable addition is a UHS-II SD card reader, which lets you easily offload your memory cards.
It also includes three USB-A ports – two that run at 10 Gbps second and one that runs at much slower USB 2.0 speeds – and has a cutout to make pressing the Mac Mini's bottom-mounted power button easier.
You can also install an M.2 SSD in the base, giving you access to more storage that's more or less permanently attached to your computer. That could be a powerful selling point for the budget-oriented. While the base model Mac Mini includes a fair amount of RAM, it only comes with 256GB of storage, and Apple charges a king's ransom for upgrades – bumping the Mac Mini's internal SSD up to 2TB costs $800 while you can easily get a top-of-the-line 2TB SSD to install in the dock for around $150 – though do note that Satechi says you'll only be able to read and write to it at up to 10Gbps, so it won't have anywhere near the same performance as the computer's internal storage.
The Rapid 90 and Rapid 120 softboxes can fold down into a very compact package.
Image: Nanlite
Lightning company Nanlite's new softboxes have a neat trick: they fold up flat, making them relatively easy to store and transport compared to more traditional designs. There are two sizes: the Rapid 90, which has an 89cm (35") diameter and the Rapid 120, with a 120cm (47.2") diameter.
Once unfolded, it's a standard parabolic softbox.
Image: Nanlite
After you expand the Rapid softbox, which Nanlite says you can do "in just a few seconds," it pretty much acts as a normal softbox. It comes with an egg-crate grid and one standard and one "lite" diffusion layer for modifying whatever light you attach via its Bowens mount.
Ultra-fast standards like Thunderbolt and USB 4 are great when you need to move a lot of data around quickly – something becoming increasingly important in the age of high-megapixel cameras and >4K video – but they do come with a notable downside: the cables are generally quite short. If you want to move data at 40Gbps over more than a meter or two, you're going to need something exotic; the $159 price tag of Apple's 3m Thunderbolt 4 "Pro Cable" seems ridiculous at first glance until you realize it's one of the only options on the market that long.
That capability is getting less expensive, though. At CES, Other World Computing announced its active optical cables, which can carry data at Thunderbolt / USB 4 speeds, along with power, over very impressive distances. The 3m version, which costs $98, is capable of carrying up to 240W of power, and while the 4.5m version can only do 60W, it manages to be longer and cheaper than Apple's top-end cable, coming in at $129.
While that's still undoubtedly a lot of money for a cable, if you need to move a lot of data a long way, there's not much else out there that can match this performance for this price.
A few years ago, Apple built a battery case for the iPhone 11 that had an integrated camera button. Not only did the case let you keep your phone running for longer, but it also gave you a physical control for launching and controlling the camera. Unfortunately, the company didn't revisit the concept when it launched the iPhone 12, and instead started building camera controls into the phones themselves.
This year, though, Belkin has taken that concept even further. The Stage PowerGrip attaches to your phone via MagSafe, and can keep it charged with its 10,000 mAh battery. It's shaped to add a substantial amount of grip to your phone and has a button that looks perfectly placed to act as a shutter release, though Belkin's press release doesn't actually mention what it's for.
Image: Belkin
The Stage PowerGrip has an integrated USB-C cable, a USB-C port, and an LED screen for displaying how much battery it has left. It's price is yet to be determined, but the company says it should come out in May. It'll be available in five colors: "powder blue," "sandbox," "fresh yellow," "pepper" and "lavender."
A 6K display
Image: LG
If you're in the market for a 6K 32-inch display, you'll be getting another option soon. LG has announced the UltraFine 6K 32U990A monitor, which connects to your computer via Thunderbolt 5. Details – including price and when it'll be available – are scarce at this point, but LG promises that it'll deliver "exceptional color accuracy" for "media professionals."
It's not the first display with this size and resolution. Perhaps the most notable is Apple's Pro Display XDR, which sports very impressive brightness levels that come with a whopping $5,000 price tag, not including a stand. For people willing to sacrifice brightness for savings, there's the $2,500 Dell U3224KB, which appears to use a similar panel to the LG UltraFine. However, it's housed in a somewhat strange-looking case with a very large top bezel to accommodate an integrated webcam. The LG monitor, meanwhile, has a design that appears... let's call it 'heavily inspired' by Apple monitors.
This particular plane was not the one involved in the incident, but it shows the capacity of the SuperScooper.
Photo: De Havilland Canada
A civilian drone collided with a firefighting airplane flying over the Palisades fire in California on Thursday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch an investigation. While the airplane in question, the Quebec 1, landed safely with no injuries reported, the collision resulted in a large hole in its wing, leaving it grounded and out of commission at a time when all resources are needed.
Image: L.A. County Fire Department
The strike also resulted in all planes being grounded for nearly a half hour on Thursday while officials ensured skies were clear, as Christopher Thomas, a spokesperson with the California state firefighting agency, Cal Fire, told CBC. "We all know how fast a fire can travel in half an hour. So this is a seriously dangerous situation because now that fire is able to go a little more unchecked," he said.
The Quebec 1 is a Canadian CL-415 “Super Scooper,” an aircraft specifically designed to scoop up more than 1,500 gallons of water to drop on fires. The drone that struck the Quebec 1 was flying illegally in restricted airspace and was destroyed in the collision. As of yet, there are no details about who was flying the drone, but the FAA is investigating.
The FAA issued a statement about the incident, warning of consequences for flying drones in such situations. “It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the statement said. “Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations” during a temporary flight restriction.
To prevent further incidents, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the FBI is planning to come to the area with “aerial armor.” The FAA also noted that there are several Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in the Los Angeles area to protect firefighting aircraft. Its statement reiterated that “all other aircraft, including drones, are prohibited from flying in TFRs unless they receive authorization.”
Toy photographer Benedek Lampert is at it again with another epic scene mimicking real life. In 2022, we shared Lampert’s Lego Eiffel Tower photograph, which looked like it could be the real thing due to the use of forced perspective and other tricks. This time, he set out to recreate the Endurance, the ship used by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew in the 1914 expedition aimed at crossing the Antarctic continent for the first time.
Photo credit: Benedek Lampert
The story of that expedition is a remarkable tale of survival. The Endurance became trapped in pack ice in the Weddell Sea in 1915, eventually getting crushed by the ice and sinking, leaving the crew without a ship. Despite that, the entire 28-man crew managed to survive after a year and a half on the ice and an 800-mile journey in an open lifeboat by some of the men in a quest to get help. The wreckage of the Endurance was finally rediscovered in 2022, 107 years after the crew abandoned ship.
When setting out to recreate this expedition using Lego, Lampert researched the journey and referenced archive photos taken by official expedition photographer Frank Hurley. Lampert’s goal was to create a historically accurate scene, which involved paying attention to details and recreating actual events. He started with the Lego Endurance kit, a 3011-piece Lego set. While he explained that the original set is beautiful, it lacked the ropes covering real-life sailing ships. So, he added ropes to create a more lifelike model. He also removed the sails since the actual photos of the trapped ship showed those were not in place.
A behind-the-scenes look at Lampert's setup. Photo credit: Benedek Lampert
Lampert got creative with materials during the shoot to create the setting for the ship. He used powdered sugar as snow and ice and painted foam board for icebergs. A fog machine came into play to create a more dramatic atmosphere. Lampert even went so far as to use real fire for a campfire and lit a Lego brick with an LED to create a lantern. In terms of photography equipment, Lampert used a Nikon D750 camera. He used both a Nikkor 24-78mm F2.8 lens and a Laowa 15mm F4 macro lens.
Photo credit: Benedek Lampert
One of the biggest challenges Lampert said he encountered was lighting. He explained that with toy photography as a whole, “in the same diorama, a poorly lit scene may indeed look like just a toy, while with different lighting, it can appear completely lifelike.” As a result, he said he experimented a lot with the lights while analyzing Frank Hurley’s photographs to recreate the same Antarctic light on his tabletop setup. Finally, Lampert relied on overlays to create a more dramatic, historical look. All in all, Lampert’s attention to detail and dedication to his craft are impressive, and the resulting images clearly show his creativity.
While wireless microphones have been getting smaller over the years, all thus far still have used transmitter microphones of rather noticeable size. The Hollyland Lark M2S bucks that tradition and offers a tiny solution for more discreet audio recording. Coming in at just seven grams (0.25 ounces) with a logo-free design, it promises to be a nearly invisible mic, as the Mission Invisible launch announcement suggests.
The Lark M2S marks the sixth generation of the Lark Series from Hollyland. It consists of two transmitter microphones, a wireless receiver. The mics use a titanium clip to easily and securely attach to clothing, with the bulky portion of the mic (which is still quite small) sitting on the back side. The tiny mic portion is the only bit that's visible, making it very discreet. The mic capsule is only 1.3cm x 0.63cm (0.5in x 0.25in) and weighs just 7g (0.25oz).
The Hollyland logo is found on the back of the mic, which is tucked away when in use. Image: Hollyland
The tiny size doesn't mean limited power or functionality, though. It captures 24-bit 48 kHz audio with a 70dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). It also features Hollyland's Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) to automatically minimize background noise, making it easier to record audio in busy locations. It uses a 2.4GHz transmission and promises a range of up to 300m (984ft), though that will of course depend on the specific environment you are recording in. However, Hollyland specifically mentions that it crafted the Lark M2S with a RF interference-resistant circuit, which should improve connectivity in signal-dense environments.
One receiver option is intended for cameras and features a dial for easier access to controls. Image: Hollyland
Hollyland promises up to nine hours of battery life per charge for each transmitter. The included charging case extends that battery life to up to 30 hours total. The receiver offers both USB-C and 3.5mm outputs. It can be attached to a camera (the Combo version) or a smartphone (via USB-C or Lightning connection), with plug-and-play functionality for easy recording on any device.
One receiver option uses a USB-C connection to connect to smartphones. Image: Hollyland
The Lark M2S comes in three versions. The Combo includes two transmitters, both the camera and USB-C receiver, USB-C to Lightning cable, USB-C cable and a charging case for $149. The Mini Combo includes everything in the Combo kit but without the USB-C to Lightning cable for $139. Lastly, the USB-C kit includes the two transmitters and USB-C receiver for $119.
If you have a Sandisk SD card in your Canon EOS R5 II, you may want to check that it's compatible. Canon recently put out a warning, reported by The Digital Picture, that "certain SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II 64GB, 128GB and 256GB V60 cards" may cause still images taken with the camera to be "recorded as corrupted/abnormal."
The exact model number of the cards will vary by region, but Sandisk's support site lays out which cards are and aren't compatible with the EOS R5 II. The cards in question have a big red "Not Compatible" stamp next to them, so they should be hard to miss. Broadly, though, the affected models are:
SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 64GB
SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 128GB
SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 256GB
If you have an EOS R5 II and use one of these cards with it, your best bet is to switch to something else. Sandisk has an article titled "Steps to Resolve SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 64, 128, and 256GB Still Image Problem with a Canon EOS R5 Mark II," but the resolution section is empty.
Neither Canon nor Sandisk say what makes these specific cards incompatible with the EOS R5 II. It's especially baffling since Sandisk's compatibiltiy list shows other cards in the exact same Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V60 line as being compatible – what is it that makes the 256GB incompatible with the EOS R5 II that doesn't affect the 512GB or 1TB version? Why is a 128GB V90 card okay? We've reached out to Sandisk for more information, and will update the article if we hear back.
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The Panasonic GH7 is the company's premier Micro Four Thirds camera for video, but it also includes all the photography features found in its sibling, the G9 II, making it an all-around photo-video hybrid machine.
As we work to wrap up our Panasonic GH7 review, we've been out shooting the camera in locations as varied as Seattle's Museum of Flight, Miami Beach at night, and Florida's Everglades National Park, which you'll find in our gallery.
The World Sports Photography Awards has announced the winners of its 2025 competition, highlighting showstopping moments across a vast number of sporting events. The contest included work from more than 2,200 professional sports photographers from over 96 countries around the world. In total, more than 13,000 images were submitted this year.
Rising to the top and earning the overall Gold award was Tahiti-based French photographer Jerome Brouillet. His image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medin, titled "Golden Moment," was captured on the third day of the 2024 Olympic Games surfing event in Teahupo'o. Petr Slavik earned Silver with "Heaven," while Anton Anestiev earned the Bronze overall award for "Zebra Crossing."
Beyond the three overall winners, the contest awarded separate Gold, Bronze, Silver, and Special Merit awards in 24 sports categories. Those categories include specific sports like Rugby, Tennis, and Formula 1, along with broader groups such as Martial Arts, Athletics, Aquatic, and Winter Sports. It also highlights venues or views from sporting events in a separate category. You can see all of the category winners at the competition's website.
World Sports Photography Awards: Gold
Photographer Jerome Brouillet earned overall Gold for his capture of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medin after he rode the best wave of the day for a perfect ride during the 2024 Olympic surfing competition in Teahupo'o.
Photographer: Jerome Brouillet
Title: "Golden Moment"
World Sports Photography Awards: Silver
Petr Slavik earned Silver overall with his image of biathlete Deedra Irwin racing in the clouds at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Utah.
Photographer: Petr Slavik
Title: "Heaven"
World Sports Photography Awards: Bronze
Anton Anestiev earned overall Bronze with his image of an epic zebra crossing in from of Ian Duncan's Datsun 280Z during the East Africa Safari Classic.
Photographer: Anton Anestiev
Title: "Zebra Crossing"
World Sports Photography Awards: Basketball Gold
Earning Gold in the Basketball category, Andrew Hancock captured a perfect reflection during NC State's impressive win over Duke during March Madness 2024, earning the team a spot in the Final Four.
Photographer: Andrew Hancock
Title: "Seeing Double"
World Sports Photography Awards: Cycling Gold
Gaetan Flamme's image of Wout van Aert cruising past a butcher shop earned Gold in the Cycling category.
Photographer: Gaetan Flamme
Title: "The Butchers"
World Sports Photography Awards: American Football Gold
Kevin Sabitus earned Gold in the American Football category with his capture of a critical moment in a Greenbay Packers versus Chicago Bears game.
Photographer: Kevin Sabitus
Title: "To the Pylon"
World Sports Photography Awards: Venue & Views Gold
Loic Venance's Gold-winning image in the Venue & Views category showed off the moon rising behind the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower in Paris on July 22, 2024, just before the Olympic games began.
Photographer: Loic Venance
Title: "Olympic Moonlight"
World Sports Photography Awards: Urban & Extreme Gold
Marton Monus captured a climber in front of the sun on the second day at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest, earning Gold in the Urban & Extreme category.
Photographer: Marton Monus
Title: "Icarus"
World Sports Photography Awards: Football Gold
Max Krause's perfectly timed shot of a player for the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim earned him Gold in the Football category.
Photographer: Max Krause
Title: "Dove of Peace"
World Sports Photography Awards: Baseball Gold
Mike Carlson captured Wesley Chapel High School’s baseball team winning the regional championship and advancing to the FHSAA Final Four, earning him Gold in the Baseball category.
Photographer: Mike Carlson
Title: "Victory and Defeat"
World Sports Photography Awards: Rugby Gold
Romain Perrocheau earned Gold in the Rugby category with his capture of a player from Monaco's Rugby Sevens team on their way to winning the third round of the Supersevens tournament, held in Pau.
Photographer: Romain Perrocheau
Title: "Untitled"
World Sports Photography Awards: Swimming & Diving Gold
Shinya Tanaka's image from the World Aquatic Championships in Doha on February 9th, 2024 earned Gold in the Swimming & Diving category.
Photographer: Shinya Tanaka
Title: "Diving at the Aspire"
World Sports Photography Awards: Formula 1
Thomas Lam captured Lando Norris racing to victory during the Singapore Grand Prix, earning Gold in the Formula 1 category.
Photographer: Thomas Lam
Title: "Push with Lights"
World Sports Photography Awards: Racquet Sports Gold
Tom Weller captured Timo Boll of Borussia Düsseldorf during the Men´s DTTB Pokal Semifinal at Ratiopharm Arena on January 07 in Ulm, Germany, earning Gold in the Racquet Sports category.
Topaz Labs, the company behind powerful AI-based photo and video editing tools, has announced that it's moving beyond the desktop for the first time. Its image upscaler and image restoration program, Gigapixel AI, will soon be available on iOS devices. As of January 22, when the app is expected to be fully available, iPhone users will have new opportunities to upscale and potentially save photos.
Gigapixel is predominantly used for upscaling images, allowing you to significantly enlarge images while preserving detail and quality. It does so by using AI, meaning it's inventing detail as needed and not simply preserving existing details. The mobile app will allow for up to 4x upscaling, according to the app listing, while the desktop version goes beyond that, depending on the original file size. Beyond upscaling, though, it can also be useful for increasing sharpness and enhancing details], restoring old photos, and recovering blurry or out-of-focus photos (within reason, of course).
Given the processing power needed for Gigapixel, it makes sense that it has been a desktop-only application thus far. I’ve been using the desktop version of Gigapixel AI for my upscaling needs (such as creating the larger version of the logo at the top of this story), and it puts quite the strain on my admittedly geriatric MacBook Pro. The description on the app store page says the app will provide “the same cutting-edge AI technology trusted by professionals on desktop, now in your pocket.” However, the fine print in the emailed announcement mentions “limited capabilities compared to desktop app.”
The desktop version allows you to work locally or via a server, making it possible to process confidential or protected images without worry. While Topaz Labs doesn't specify how the mobile app will work, the Apple data security notes list "User Content (Photos or Videos)" as "data which may be collected" by the app. That leads us to believe that processing will be via the cloud, not locally on your iPhone.
We haven’t been able to test it, since it’s only available for pre-order at the moment. It will certainly be interesting to see what those limited capabilities actually are, and how it performs compared to the desktop version. The app will be free to download from the App Store, though unsurprisingly, in-app purchases will be available. Topaz Labs didn’t provide any additional information on pricing or what those in-app purchases will be, however. You need a $99 license (which includes one year of unlimited upgrades) to use the desktop version. As a result, it’s hard to imagine the mobile app will allow free unlimited use.
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Sample gallery
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In October, Canon announced the RF 24mm F1.4 L VCM, a lens intended to appeal to both photo and video shooters. We shot a sample gallery with it to see how it performs in a variety of scenarios.
While shooting, we used the aperture control ring, which was only possible because we shot the gallery with a Canon EOS R5 II. The majority of Canon's RF cameras, such as the original EOS R5, R7, R6 II, and others, will only accept input from the aperture ring when shooting in video mode, not in stills mode. It's also worth noting that the ring is completely clickless, and can't be switched to a clicked mode.
Getty Images and Shutterstock are to join in what's being presented as a merger of equals. The new company will be called Getty Images Holdings Inc and the deal will see Getty Image's CEO retain his position at head of the new company, while Getty's chair will also chair the new company's board. The board of directors will be made with a seven-to-four Getty-to-Shutterstock ratio.
Shutterstock shareholders receive cash, Getty stock or a combination thereof for their holdings. They will end up owning approximately 45.3% of the new company.
The company's press release primarily focuses on the benefits its scale will bring to its image-buying clients. It also talks about the company's increased size, which puts it in a position to provide "customer‑facing technologies" such as "generative AI." Both Getty and Shutterstock currently offer their own AI image generators and promise that the tools' outputs are safe for commercial use.
"With the rapid rise in demand for compelling visual content across industries, there has never been a better time for our two businesses to come together," said Getty Images CEO Craig Peters. "By combining our complementary strengths, we can better address customer opportunities while delivering exceptional value to our partners, contributors, and stockholders."
Getty says "content creators" will benefit from the larger company's increased ability to reach customers around the world.
The press release announcing the merger contains little information about what contributors selling their work on the platforms can expect in the near future. However, it promises that the move "provides contributors substantially greater opportunities to reach customers around the world." We've reached out to Getty and Shutterstock to see if they have any details to share at this time, and will update the story if we hear back.
The companies have not given a timescale for closing the deal, which will require regulatory approval.
Prior to rumors of the merger beginning to swirl late last week, both companies' stock prices were down substantially year-over-year. At the beginning of 2024, Shutterstock was trading around $49 a share, compared to $29 on January 2nd, 2025. Getty's stock was around $5.34 at the start of 2024, and $2.11 at the start of 2025.
Press Release:
Getty Images and Shutterstock to Merge, Creating a Premier Visual Content Company
Merged company will be well‑positioned to meet the evolving needs of creative, media, and advertising industries through combined investment in content creation, event coverage, and product and technology innovation
Expected annual cost synergies between $150 million and $200 million by year three
Expected to be accretive to earnings and cash flow beginning in year two
Companies will hold conference call to discuss the transaction with investment community today at 8.30a.m. EST
NEW YORK, January 7, 2025 – Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GETY) and Shutterstock (NYSE: SSTK) today announced that they entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in a merger of equals transaction, creating a premier visual content company. The combined company, which would have an enterprise value of approximately $3.7 billion[i], will be named Getty Images Holdings, Inc and will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GETY”.
As a combined company, Getty Images and Shutterstock will offer a content library with greater depth and breadth for the benefit of customers, expanded opportunities for its contributor community and a reinforced commitment to the adoption of inclusive and representative content. Furthermore, the stronger financial profile of the combined company is expected to create increased capacity for product investment and innovation for customers in a fast‑evolving and highly competitive environment.
“Today’s announcement is exciting and transformational for our companies, unlocking multiple opportunities to strengthen our financial foundation and invest in the future—including enhancing our content offerings, expanding event coverage, and delivering new technologies to better serve our customers,” said Craig Peters, CEO, Getty Images. “With the rapid rise in demand for compelling visual content across industries, there has never been a better time for our two businesses to come together. By combining our complementary strengths, we can better address customer opportunities while delivering exceptional value to our partners, contributors, and stockholders.”
“We are excited by the opportunities we see to expand our creative content library and enhance our product offering to meet diverse customer needs,” said Paul Hennessy, CEO, Shutterstock. “We expect the merger to produce value for the customers and stockholders of both companies by capitalizing on attractive growth opportunities to drive combined revenues, accelerating product innovation, realizing significant cost synergies and improving cash flow. We look forward to working closely with the Getty Images management team to complete the transaction and drive the next chapter of growth.”
Strategic and Financial Benefits
Cutting‑edge innovation: Facilitates greater investment in innovative content creation, expanded event coverage, and customer‑facing technologies and capabilities such as search, 3D imagery and generative AI.
Complementary portfolios: Creates a broader set of visual content products across still imagery, video, music, 3D and other asset types.
Expanded opportunities for content creators: Provides contributors substantially greater opportunities to reach customers around the world.
Strengthened balance sheet and greater cash flow generation: By deleveraging the combined balance sheet through the transaction and driving more robust cash flow, the combined company will be well positioned to accelerate debt repayment, reduce borrowing costs, and capitalize on new opportunities to create value for customers and stockholders.
Significant synergies: Drives expected run rate synergies across SG&A and CAPEX between $150 million and $200 million achieved within the first three years post‑close, with approximately two‑thirds expected to be delivered within the first twelve to twenty‑four months.
Compelling Financial Profile:On a pro forma 2024 basis the combined company would have an attractive financial profile:
Revenue of between $1,979 million and $1,993 million, including 46% of subscription revenue
Pre‑synergy EBITDA of between $569 million and $574 million
Pre‑synergy Adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures of between $461 million and $466 million
Pre‑synergy net leverage of 3.0x pro forma 2024 pre‑synergy EBITDA
Leadership and Governance
At close, Getty Images’s CEO, Craig Peters, will serve as CEO of the combined company. The combined company will have an eleven‑member Board of Directors, comprised of Getty Images CEO Craig Peters, six directors designated by Getty Images and four directors designated by Shutterstock, including Paul Hennessy, Shutterstock CEO. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the combined company will be Mark Getty, currently Chairman of Getty Images.
Transaction Details
Under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Shutterstock stockholders at close can elect to receive one of the following:
$28.84870 per share in cash for each share of Shutterstock common stock they own;
13.67237 shares of Getty Images common stock for each share of Shutterstock common stock they own; or
a mixed consideration of 9.17 shares of Getty Images common stock plus $9.50 in cash for each share of Shutterstock common stock they own.
Shutterstock shareholder elections at close are subject to proration to ensure that the aggregate consideration payable by Getty Images consist of $9.50 in cash per Shutterstock share as of immediately before close and 9.17 shares of Getty Images stock per Shutterstock share as immediately before close.
Based on the common shares outstanding as of the signing date, the aggregate consideration payable by Getty Images would consist of $331 million in cash and 319.4 million shares of Getty Images stock. These figures do not include the impact of unvested Shutterstock equityholders as of the signing date and do not assume any vesting of currently‑unvested Shutterstock equity holdings between signing and close.
Shutterstock equity holders with unvested RSU and PSU grants at close will only be eligible to receive the mixed consideration noted above upon vesting with respect to such grants. Shutterstock option holders will have their options and strike prices adjusted by a ratio equal to the sum of (i) 9.17 and (ii) $9.50 divided by the 10‑day average closing stock price of Getty Images common stock for the period ending two (2) business days prior to the closing as quoted on NYSE. Equity treatment will take into account any employment contracts in place at the close of the transaction. Aggregate cash and share amounts are estimates and are subject to change between signing and close.
At close, Getty Images stockholders will own approximately 54.7% and Shutterstock stockholders will own approximately 45.3% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis. Shutterstock will, at the discretion of its Board of Directors, continue to declare and pay quarterly cash dividends, in accordance with its dividend policy, pending the close of the transaction.
Timing and Closing
The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals, the approval of Getty Images and Shutterstock stockholders and the extension or refinancing of Getty Images’ existing debt obligations.
Compact cameras have become increasingly popular with young people, some of whom are tired of the sharp, bordering on the over-processed look of modern smartphone photos. While many are turning to thrift shops and eBay to get cameras with a vintage look, some companies have started putting out new models that aim to re-capture the point-and-shoot experience.
One such company is Yashica, which has announced two new compact cameras, the City 100 and City 200. On the surface, they seem like the type of camera that would go viral on TikTok. However, it's probably worth taking a closer look.
Details on the cameras are sparse
Details on the cameras are sparse – they don't appear to be mentioned on Yashica's website or Instagram page, and we weren't able to find an official press release. The image at the top of this article appears to be the only look at the two models. According to Digital Camera World, which appears to be the original source for the announcement, both the City 100 and 200 will use a 13-megapixel Type 1/3.06 (4.7 x 3.5mm) sensor from Sony.
That's substantially smaller than the traditional compacts from which Yashicas draw their inspiration. In the past, most point-and-shoots used either Type 1/2.3 (6.2 x 4.6mm) or Type 1/1.7 (7.6 x 5.7mm) sensors. While most people buying point-and-shoots aren't terribly concerned about image quality – and if they are, they're worried about it being too good – a sensor that small may struggle to produce intelligible images in anything but excellent light, though both cameras do have a built-in flash.
The sensor in the Yashica cameras would be notably small, even for a smartphone.
As a reference for just how small the sensor in the Yashica cameras is, the main camera on the iPhone 16 uses a Type 1/1.56 (8.2 x 6.1mm) sensor, which is over three times larger. The main camera on the budget-oriented Google Pixel 8a is also substantially larger at approximately 7.4 x 5.5mm.
Of course, compared to phones, the benefit of compacts is that they can zoom optically instead of digitally – the City 100 reportedly has a "3x"' optical zoom, while the 200 sports a "10x" zoom, though unlike the City 100, there's no focal length information printed on its lens in the press images. Still, the City 200 could fare a bit better than most phones at its maximum zoom length; the iPhone 16 Pro's "10x" lens is in front of a 4.5x3.4mm sensor, which is smaller than the one in the Yashica, though it almost certainly benefits from more advanced processing.
The City 100's zoom range appears to be roughly 26-77mm equiv., given the 3.45 - 10.35mm focal range printed on the lens and its sensor's roughly 7.4x crop factor. The lens has an aperture range of F1.6 on the wide end and F2.8 on the long end.
According to Digital Camera World, both cameras will feature subject-detection autofocus and 4K60p video recording and will have a maximum ISO of 3200. The outlet says the City 100 will be coming out in February for £219.99, while the City 200 will cost £259.99 and release in March. The cameras will reportedly also be available in the US and Australia, though Digital Camera World doesn't have official market pricing yet. Those prices are relatively high; for less than half, you can find several similar point-and-shoots using tiny sensors and branding of once-respected camera companies.
The City cameras aren't Yashica's first compacts.
Image: Yashica
Many people – us here at DPReview included – have been waiting for a major camera manufacturer to release a compact camera again, either an entry-level model or something truly aimed at enthusiasts. However, if you're considering these cameras, it may be worth waiting for some official reviews or at least user-created sample images. The specs are relatively unimpressive, even compared to many of the vintage point-and-shoots you can pick up on the used market, and while the cameras bear a name that may be familiar to photography enthusiasts, Yashica isn't the same company that made cameras and lenses throughout the 20th century.
The trademark has been passed around in the past few years, but it appears that it's currently managed by the Hong Kong-based 100 Enterprises. The Yashica name has appeared on several products since 2017, including the retro-styled 'digiFilm Y35', night vision goggles, and even a few other low-end compacts that are being marketed towards "Teen Girls and Boys." The brand has also been involved with I'm Back, a company that's been working on digital film cartridges that it says will let you take digital pictures using your existing film camera.
Despite the company telling DPReview that the Yashica x I'm Back Film would be entering retail availably in November, that doesn't appear to have panned out – the company put out a Kickstarter update saying it was starting to ship units to backers in December, though there currently aren't any comments from customers who've actually received theirs. The two brands have also collaborated on a "smart" bike helmet currently being sold through crowdfunding site IndieGoGo, as well as a "micro mirrorless" camera.
It's possible we'll see compacts from more established brands start to come along, as they catch up to the unexpected surge in demand. Panasonic, for instance, just announced the TZ99, a point-and-shoot with a 20MP Type 1/2.3 sensor and 24-720mm equiv lens. At around $500, it's certainly more expensive than the Yashica models, but we'd expect its larger sensor to produce much more pleasing images.
Samsung has announced that it will hold an event on January 22nd to announce its latest Galaxy S phones. The presentation will begin at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET) and will be streamed on the company's YouTube channel and website.
Samsung, along with Apple and Google, is one of the flagbearers for mobile photography, and the phones in its flagship Galaxy S-series generally include an array of impressive cameras, especially the Ultra models.
Of course, given that it's 2025, the teaser the company released has nothing to do with photography, instead focusing entirely on AI. Samsung's newsroom post says the event will show off the "next evolution of Galaxy AI" and promises the new phones will "set the bar once again for mobile AI experiences now and into the future." There are plenty of ways that AI can be used to enhance or edit pictures, though those aren't always popular and risk sparking debates about what a photograph even is in an age when you can generate an image that resembles one without ever touching a camera.
AI aside, we're hopeful the next-generation phones will include at least some camera improvements. Either way, we won't have to wait very long to find out.
OM System's CEO has announced that the company is working on a new camera and lenses. In a post titled "New Year Greeting and Prospects for 2025" that went up on Monday morning, Shigemi Sugimoto wrote: "Shortly, we plan to add a new camera to our lineup and bright, compact single-focal-length lenses with splash & dust-proof performance."
The post says the upcoming gear will be built to "meet the challenges of harsh outdoor environments," in keeping with the company's focus on outdoor landscape photography. However, Sugimoto also says it'll be useful for "authentic photos of life every day" as well. There aren't any further details about the upcoming camera and lenses, though Sugimoto reiterates the company's focus on computational photography features and says that it will "provide more options for compact, lightweight, splash & dust-proof products to expand photographic horizons."
Sugimoto also provided an update on the telephoto zoom lens that's been on the company's roadmap for a while.
Image: OM System
The post also says the company is continuing to work on the "long-awaited mid-range telephoto zoom lens" that's been on its lens roadmap for a while now. The roadmap seems to indicate that it'll be something like a 40-150mm, though, again, the company hasn't released any concrete details. Sugimoto's post implies that the company is working to bring it to the market by "the end of this year."
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Product of the Year 2024: the results
The final round of voting has closed, and it's time to reveal the winner of our annual Reader's Choice Awards! Beginning in December, DPReview readers picked their favorite cameras, zoom lenses and prime lenses released in 2024. The winners of the first round of voting were then pitted against each other for the title of Product of the Year. Take a look and see which products came out on top.
Third Place: Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM
The Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM was the People's Choice award winner for Best Zoom lens of 2024, so we weren't surprised to see it land one of the top three positions in the Product of the Year competition, pulling in 16.1% of the vote, and making it the highest ranking lens in this year's People's Choice awards.
While it doesn't go as wide as the popular 24-70mm zoom range, the FE 28-70mm proves it's possible to maintain a relatively compact size while sporting a fast, F2 aperture, all with an internal focusing design. Its four linear motors even allow the FE 28-70mm F2 to focus when shooting at 120fps on Sony's fastest camera. Sony has managed to hit a good formula with this lens, and photographers are clearly impressed with the result.
The Canon EOS R5 Mark II grabbed the runner-up position for the People's Choice Camera of the Year, and it looks like it also took the runner-up position in our Product of the Year voting, earning 27.8%, or almost one-third of the votes.
It's easy to see why it did so well. Its stacked sensor results in performance improvements for both stills and video, while Eye Control AF, Action Priority AF, and improved subject recognition AF are standout features that we hope to see percolate down to other Canon models. The R5 II also shows clear signs of Canon's efforts to unify its mirrorless cameras with its Cinema EOS line, including codecs, gamma profiles, HDR video technology, and video tools. It's hard to imagine many things this camera can't do, which we suspect is why it did so well in this year's voting.
The winner of our 2024 Reader's Choice Product of the Year award goes to the Nikon Z6III, giving Nikon the win for the second year in a row. With six products in the final round of voting, the Z6III managed to hoover up 44.8%, or almost half of the entire vote. That's a strong show of support and a clear indication that Nikon is doing something right.
In this third generation of the Z6 series, Nikon kicks things up a level. It features what Nikon calls a "Partially Stacked" sensor to deliver some of the benefits of a Stacked CMOS sensor but at a lower cost, providing improved performance and autofocus while retaining the Z6's reputation for excellent ergonomics. It also features significant video upgrades with higher quality output and a helpful video tool set, reinforcing Nikon's intent to be a player in the video market.
This year, the Nikon Z6III made a clean sweep across all our award categories. A few weeks ago, in our 2024 Annual Awards, it walked away with two trophies: Best Enthusiast Camera and our 2024 Product of the Year. In our Reader's Choice voting, it won Best Camera of 2024 and, with this final vote, also takes the title for Reader's Choice Product of the Year. That's one hell of a showing. Nice work, Nikon!
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