The Nikon Z-mount version of the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm F1.5. Image: Cosina

In December last year, Cosina announced the Voigtländer Nokton manual focus 28mm F1.5 prime for Sony E-mount. It released an update last week that the lens will be available beginning January 23. Now, the lens maker has announced a Nikon Z-mount version of the same lens, which is expected to be available sometime in February. Cosina currently lists the suggested retail price of both versions at ¥130,000, or around $833 at the time of writing.

The two lenses are mostly identical, though there are some noteworthy differences. Naturally, the lens Cosina had to adjust each model to account for the different mounts, resulting in slightly different sizes. The Z-mount weighs 360g (12.7oz) and measures 67.6mm (2.7") in diameter and 57mm (2.2") long, while the E-mount weighs 320g (11.3oz) and measures 62.6mm (2.5") in diameter and 55mm (2.2") in length. Naturally, there is a difference in filter size as well. The Nikon Z-mount model features a 52mm filter thread, while the Sony E-mount uses a 49mm filter. The knurling texture is also slightly different between the E-mount and Z-mount versions.

While both versions feature an aperture control ring, which photographers will need to use to manually control the aperture, it does appear that one is more tailored to video than the other. Interestingly, the page for the Sony version specifies that the aperture ring can be de-clicked to operate silently while recording video, while the Nikon version does not mention this.

The Sony E-mount version of the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm F1.5. Image: Cosina

The 28mm F1.5 is designed for full-frame cameras (though they can be used on APS-C models) and offers an aperture range of F1.5 to F16 with a 12-blade diaphragm to help produce round bokeh. It features ten optical elements in eight groups.

The lens is manual focus only, as we would expect from a Voigtländer lens. It is, however, equipped with electronic contacts, which provide Exif data and support in-body image stabilization when paired with a camera that offers it. Additionally, the contacts communicate focus distance, which allows for focus assistance features, which vary depending on what camera you're using them with.

Voigtländer Nokton 28mm F1.5 for Nikon Z-mount manufacturer sample images

Photo: Jima for Cosina

Photo: Jima for Cosina

Photo: Jima for Cosina

Photo: Jima for Cosina

Voigtländer 28mm F1.5 Aspherical specifications

Photo: Mitchell Clark

Astronomy photographers, your time to shine is here. The 2025 Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest is now open for entries, giving you the opportunity to submit your favorite images of the night sky. The contest is hosted by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and seeks to highlight epic space photography. Participants have the chance to win cash prizes, the chance to have their image displayed in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum and a year's subscription to BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Entries are open until March 3, 2025, at noon GMT.

The contest includes eight categories for adults (anyone 16 and older). While some categories require powerful magnification, others focus on the night sky more broadly, so you don't need a powerful telescope to participate. A separate Young Competition is open to those 15 and younger. The Young Competition is completely open and has no individual categories.

The Astronomy Photographer of the Year website defines the adult categories as the following:

• Aurorae: Photographs featuring the northern and southern lights (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis)
• Galaxies: Photographs of deep-space objects beyond the Milky Way galaxy, including galaxies, galaxy clusters and stellar associations
• Our Moon: Photographs of the Moon, including lunar eclipses and the occultation of stars and planets. Images of the Moon alongside earthly scenery may also be entered into this category, or into Skyscapes
• Our Sun: Photographs of the Sun, including solar eclipses and transits. Images of the Sun alongside earthly scenery may also be entered into this category, or into Skyscapes
• People and Space: Photographs of the night sky that include people or elements that show the presence or influence of human beings
• Planets, Comets and Asteroids: Photographs of objects in our solar system, including planets and their satellites, comets, asteroids and other forms of zodiacal debris. Images of the Moon, Sun and Earth should not be entered into this category
• Skyscapes: Photographs of landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes in which the night sky or twilight sky is a prominent feature. Star trails and images of noctilucent and nacreous clouds, halos, meteors and other upper atmospheric phenomena may also be entered into this category
• Stars and Nebulae: Photographs of deep-space objects in the Milky Way galaxy, including stars, star clusters, supernova remnants, nebulae and other astro-photographic targets within the Milky Way galaxy.

The overall winner across all adult categories will win a prize of £10,000 (roughly $12,231 at the time of writing) and the title of Astronomy Photographer of the Year. The judges will also select a winner, runner-up and one highly commended entry from each category for the adult categories, plus a winner, runner-up and three highly commended images in the Young Competition. Prizes are £1,500 ($1,835), £500 ($611) and £250 ($305), respectively.

Additionally, there are two special prizes available. The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer is for new astronomy photographers who have only been practicing in the genre since January 2024, are 16 or older, and haven't entered the competition before. The Annie Maunder Open Category is for rewarding innovative approaches to astronomy art. Both offer a prize of £750 ($917).

Image: Honor

Honor has announced global availability for the Magic7 Pro, a flagship phone that features a 200MP sensor on its telephoto lens. While the phone has been available in China since October, it's now available many more countries.

Despite having the highest resolution, the 200MP camera actually isn't the phone's main shooter. The Magic7 Pro's 'wide' camera uses a 50MP Type 1/1.3 (9.8 x 7.4mm) with optical image stabilization and an aperture that can switch between F1.4 and F2, depending on the situation. The ultrawide camera also uses a 50MP sensor, though it's a smaller Type 1/2.88 (5.0 x 3.7mm) model, attached to an F2 lens that provides a 122° field of view.

Image: Honor

The 200MP Type 1/1.4 (9.1 x 6.9mm) sensor is used for the phone's 3x F2.6 telephoto lens, which rounds out the phone's trio of cameras, not counting the 50MP selfie camera. It likely uses the Omnivision OVB0A sensor, so likely utilizes an oversized 4 x 4 Bayer color filter array, similar to quad bayer technology found in many other phones. The Magic7 Pro isn't the first phone we've seen with a 200MP sensor. Some of the company's previous offerings have featured one, as have phones from competitors like Samsung and Xiaomi.

However, it does show that the company is at least somewhat serious about people being able to use the Magic7 Pro as a photographic tool. While a high resolution isn't an automatic sign of quality, it should give you a fair amount of flexibility when you run out of optical zoom and have to start cropping in. The company says you can achieve a "100x digital zoom," though by that point, the image will likely be noticeably softer despite all the megapixels.

Honor's site presents this image as an example of the Magic7 Pro's 100x digital zoom. Image: Honor

Beyond the cameras, the Magic7 Pro seems like a very capable phone. It features Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a 5750 mAh battery that you can quickly charge at up to 100W, and a 6.8" display that's capable of reaching a brightness of 1600 nits across the entire screen. Honor will also provide owners with five years of updates, according to GSMArena. While that's not best in class – Samsung and Google both promise to update their flagships for seven years, and Apple has been known to support phones for even longer than that – it's still nothing to sneeze at.

The phone starts at €1299, or £1099, and is available in "Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific regions." The base model – which appears to be the only one currently available in some countries – comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The Laowa 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be lens doesn't offer zoom like Laowa's upcoming lens but will share the tubular and attachment-based design. Image: Laowa

Venus Optics announced that it will be releasing an innovative new zoom probe lens under its Laowa brand, set to come out sometime in Q2 of 2025. The Zoom Probe Lens builds on Laowa's unique series of probe macro lenses, including the probe that kicked it all off, the 24mm f/14 Probe.

Laowa is treating this announcement as a teaser of sorts, and as such, it shared little information regarding specific details of the lens. What we do know is that it will offer an ultra-wide 15mm focal length with 2.3x zoom. Venus Optics didn't share the full focal range beyond the widest focal length, but 2.3x zoom implies roughly 35mm when zoomed in.

The company says it will deliver "unmatched versatility and creative control for cinematographers and photographers alike." Given that macro photography can be challenging to set up in the first place, having the flexibility to simply zoom in or out to adjust the photograph could be a big time saver for macro photographers. The new zoom probe will be parfocal and offer direct, periscope, and 35-degree tilt views due to interchangeable parts, just like the Pro2be released in 2023.

The timing of the announcement is interesting as DZOFilm announced its X-Tract 18-28mm T8 Probe Zoom on the same day, as PetaPixel reported. The DZOFilm zoom probe is primarily intended for macro cinematography and offers a focal range of 18-28mm. It's available for pre-order now for $3,499 and is expected to start shipping next week.

Image: Laowa

Those interested in the Laowa Zoom Probe will need to wait a bit longer, though. The company simply says that "the forthcoming Laowa Zoom Probe Lens will be officially announced with more detailed specifications." It only mentions that it will be available for shipment sometime in Q2 2025, with no specific dates or pricing information.

The Leica SL3-S is the company's fast 24MP full-frame L-mount mirrorless camera, sitting alongside the high-res SL3 and superseding the SL2-S.

Key Specifications

• 24MP BSI CMOS full-frame sensor with on-sensor phase detection
• Up to 30fps shooting
• IP54 weather sealed body
• 96MP Multi-shot high res mode
• 6K full-sensor 'open gate' video up to 30p
• Full-width 4K video up to 30p, 60p with APS-C crop
• ProRes 422 HQ internal capture, output to SSD and Raw over HDMI
• 'Camera-to-cloud' compatibility with Frame.io collaboration platform
• CAI Content Credentials authenticity metadata

The Leica SL3-S will be available immediately at a recommended price of $5295.

Index:

• What's new?
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Initial impressions
• Specifications
• Press release

What's new

Speed

Leica describes the SL3-S as its fastest-ever camera, able to shoot at up to 30fps. This can be done with Raw capture (12-bit), including full use of the camera's subject recognition and tracking autofocus.

In terms of autofocus, the SL3-S gains on-sensor phase detection and the ability to detect people (head/face/eyes) and animals.

In concert with this added speed, the SL3-S's Wi-Fi has been updated, now offering 2x2 Mimo for parallel connections. This allows transfers at up to eight times the speed offered by the SL2-S, with 40MB/s transfer allowing DNGs to be sent in around half a second.

High Resolution multi-shot

The SL3-S includes a multi-shot high resolution mode. Generally we find these to be of quite limited use (they tend to be fiddly and require absolutely static subjects to gain their full benefit) but, as part of the L² partnership with Panasonic, this is one of the better implementations.

You have the choice of a tripod mode or a handheld mode, which doesn't have such precise control of sensor movement, so doesn't give such detailed results. There's also a choice of how any motion in the scene is dealt with: either by combining shots to give blurred motion or by selecting a single frame to hide any intra-shot movement (but with lower detail in the areas of movement, as a result).

The nature of combining multiple shots gives a noise performance boost and this implementation has the benefit of letting you combine the images in-camera, rather than requiring desktop software.

Video

The SL3-S offers an extensive array of video modes, many of which map very closely to those offered by Panasonic's S5IIX model. So there's 6K Open Gate capture at up to 30p or 4K at 60p if you use the APS-C region of the sensor.

Open-gate shooting, which uses the whole sensor region, gives flexibility in the edit, letting you choose different crops from a tall 3:2 area, so you can add some movement to your framing by re-positioning the crop, apply post-shot stabilization, or cut both vertical and horizontal crops out of the same clip, if your target is social media.

Options include internal 5.8K ProRes 422 HQ capture or 4K/60 without record limits to a CFexpress card. Alternatively, 5.9K Raw at up to 30p or 4.1K Raw data from the APS-C region can be output over the HDMI socket for encoding by off-camera recorders. There's also the ability to capture compressed footage direct to an external SSD using the camera's USB-C output.

Content Credentials

The SL3-S also becomes one of the first publicly-available cameras to be able to embed 'Content Credentials,' the cryptographically-signed metadata authenticating the source of images it produces.

This lets you embed evidence that the image was taken using an SL3-S, in a manner that's becoming increasingly widely adopted. Popular editing tools such as Photoshop, Lightroom and Photo Mechanic can then add details of any edits they've conducted, letting you present a chain-of-custody to prove that no AI elements have been introduced.

The scheme has wide-enough backing across the industry that we'd expect some news services to start demanding content credentials on submitted images, and it's not impossible to imagine some photo contests going down the same path, if it becomes widely adopted.

Camera-to-cloud

Like recent Fujifilm models and several recent Panasonics, the SL3-S will gain the ability to upload images and footage directly to Adobe's Frame.io collaborative working platform. Once you've given the camera the login details for a Wi-Fi network, it can directly upload to a folder in Frame.io. In recent months, Adobe has been improving the integration between Frame and its other cloud-based applications, meaning images uploaded to Frame can then be ingested into a Lightroom catalogue, for instance.

Leica says this feature will be added during 2025.

Leica Looks

The SL3-S gains the latest 'Leica Look,' downloadable using the company's Fotos app, these include the 'Brass' look added in Fotos v.5.0.

The app now allows you to combine looks, with an option for the intensity with which each one is applied.

How it compares

As usual with Leica, the pricing of its cameras is inherently out-of-step with competing cameras with comparable specs from more quotidian brands. Here, we compare it with the Panasonic Lumix DC S5IIX, simply because they share a sensor, along with a fair number of features and capabilities, thanks to the L² tech-sharing partnership with Panasonic.

We also compare with the Nikon Z6III, which is a comparably fast 24MP full-frame camera. In terms of price, the more expensive Z8 is also relevant, but we're primarily looking at bodies that offer comparable resolution here.

On paper, the SL3-S looks very expensive, compared to its peers. Part of this is because a specs comparison isn't very good at capturing some of the things that Leica brings to the table: the SL3-S's exceptionally solid-feeling build (backed up by an actual, albeit relatively modest, IP rating), and its distinctive, photo-focused user interface. Then, of course, there's the mythos of the Leica name and the promise of being "handmade in Germany." Ultimately, along with the exclusivity that the price ensures, that's one of the things you're paying for.

Our tables only mark green and red factors that are unarguably beneficial or disadvantageous; it's up to each individual to decide how important pixel count or brand history are to them.

Body and handling

The SL3-S has essentially the same body as the original SL3: an impressively imposing and solid-feeling lump of metal. It's an unusually large camera by modern standards and one that's hard to miss, despite its distinctly minimalist aesthetic.

It uses the same control system as the SL3, which is one of the most focused interfaces we've encountered in many years. The SL3 is full of options and special functions, but the main control points are primarily geared towards the core exposure parameters.

A large dial on the top right of the camera and a command dial on the rear right shoulder handle most of your exposure controls, with a third dial on the left shoulder being customizable to cover a third parameter.

Beyond these, there are a series of customizable buttons whose function can be re-assigned by holding them down for a couple of seconds. The list of functions then available to be assigned can be modified in the camera's main menu, meaning you only see a list of the features you're likely to want quick access to.

The SL3-S gains a 2.3M dot tilting touchscreen without reducing its IP54 protection rating. Photo montage: Richard Butler

As with the SL3, swiping your finger right-to-left across the settings screen switches the camera from stills to video mode, indicated by all the highlighting in the menu switching from red to yellow.

The menus are comparatively sparse despite the presence of complex, multi-option features such as high-res mode. And, while I still get confused by pressing left, taking me one tab to the left in the menus but pressing right not having the opposite effect (it selects or changes the current option), overall, it's one of the cleanest, most focused user interfaces in the industry.

Video mode selection

Where the camera's behavior becomes very odd or, at least, very unfamiliar is in the way you select video modes. You can select a video mode based on any basic parameter: resolution, frame rate, chroma-subsampling method and so on. Unlike most cameras, this doesn't then filter your list of other available options: if you then choose another parameter that's incompatible with one you've already selected, the camera simply overrules your existing choice.

With the 6K option 'locked,' the other parameters are then limited to options that are compatible with that choice.

If it's important to you, you can choose to 'lock' your selection. Doing so indicates that you've made an inviolable choice, and only then are the other options filtered so that you can only make selections compatible with your 'locked' selection. It's a very unfamiliar way of working, but it means you don't have to wade through a long list looking for a specific combination of settings and can instead just filter the options based on which properties are most important to you.

Battery

The SL3-S uses the same battery as the SL3, and is also compatible with the HG-SCL7 accessory grip and DC-SCL6 dummy battery options designed for it. Photo: Richard Butler

The SL3-S uses the newer, larger BP-SCL6 battery from the SL3 and Q3s. It's a 15.8Wh capacity battery, up around 20% from the 13.4Wh of the SCL4. That's enough to drive the SL3-S to a rating of 315 shots per charge, using CIPA's standard testing protocol.

We always point out that CIPA numbers tend to significantly under-represent most people's real-world use, but are usefully comparable between cameras of a similar type. And, while we typically say you can expect at least double the rated value, Leica has developed its own variation of testing, which extends the number to over 1000.

Either way, it's a reasonable – but not great – number for a camera this big. And you'll probably want to think about a second battery or a USB-charging pack of some sort for more intensive shoots.

Initial impressions

The SL3-S takes its blacked-out minimalism from its predecessor which, unfortunately, is the approach that Panasonic has subsequently taken with its similarly-specced S5IIX model. Photo: Richard Butler

From Leica's position, this is a lower-resolution, faster SL3 for $1700 less. But these cameras don't exist in a vacuum.

The very nature of being a luxury brand is that the price premium is part of the appeal. This will sound absurd to some people. But the exclusive price tag, along with the distinctive design, innovative UI and use of impressively high-quality feeling materials, is part of what sets it apart from other products.

What risks undermining this is partly the commoditized nature of many of the components modern cameras are built from (they're primarily using sensors, EVF panels and LCD screens purchased from a very small number of suppliers), but also the explicit technology tie-up with Panasonic.

Full-sized HDMI, headphone and mic sockets suggest Leica is serious about the SL3-S's use as a video tool Photo: Richard Butler

This isn't, in any way, to take away from Panasonic, but if you can count through the features on a $5000+ Leica camera and identify how many of them have come from this Panasonic collaboration, then the temptation is to look at the Lumix lineup and ask yourself how close to this camera could you buy, if you don't need the super-premium build or superbly focused user interface.

Even for the ultimate heart-over-head purchase, the existence of the S5IIX risks amplifying the 'head' voice in the conversation.

It's somewhat unfair to solely focus on the Leica's price, but it's also not really possible, from a reviewer's perspective, because it's essential that I acknowledge that it'll immediately rule the camera out for a decent proportion of readers. But it is worth acknowledging the effort that's gone into the SL3-S compared with its predecessor: the faster Wi-Fi and powerful Fotos app, the full-sized HDMI port and CFexpress card slot that have been added to support its more advanced video features. All these improvements, as well as the L²-sourced features such as multi-shot mode make it a much better camera.

The SL3-S is a beautifully-built camera with a genuinely compelling user interface. Our impressions of its autofocus are that, as with Panasonic, its dependability in terms of continuous AF and subject tracking is somewhere behind the best of its peers. But overall it's a well-designed, feature-packed camera. The question is, does it have enough Leica stardust to make it appeal to you?

A short loan period and Seattle winter weather meant we weren't able to shoot a sample gallery with the SL3-S, but the experience of the test shooting we did do was hugely enjoyable. Photo: Richard Butler

Photo: Insta360

It's been less than a year since the Insta360 Flow Pro smartphone gimbal came out, yet the company is already releasing a follow-up. The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro builds on the features of the first iteration, promising improved Apple DockKit compatibility and adding even more tracking options and useful features. Insta360 aims to bridge "the gap between professional-grade tracking and user-friendly convenience" with the Flow 2 Pro, offering an all-in-one design for mobile creators.

The primary differentiating factor between Insta360's Flow and Flow Pro was the compatibility of the Apple DockKit. Insta360 says it updated Apple DockKit with the Flow 2 Pro, allowing for native subject tracking with the iPhone's built-in Camera app and more than 200 third-party apps, including Blackmagic, the Final Cut Camera app, Momen, Instagram, YouTube, Zoom and WhatsApp. The feature allows you to use photo, slow-motion, and Cinematic modes with tracking without additional software or workarounds. Insta360 wasn't clear on what it updated on the Flow 2 Pro's DockKit compatibility, simply promising that it offers extended integration, though the number it lists for compatible apps remains the same.

Photo: Insta360

Beyond tracking with Apple DockKit, Insta360 also updated its Deep Track AI-powered tracking technology to Deep Track 4.0. This feature is available in the Insta360 app, so it isn't applicable if you use other apps for content creation. The Flow 2 Pro adds the ability to zoom in up to 15x while tracking a moving subject, an ideal feature for capturing sports or working with subjects far away. Additionally, the new Multi-Person Tracking mode allows you to track multiple people at once, keeping your whole group centered and in the shot.

Also new with the Flow 2 Pro is the Pro Framing Grid feature. This AI-assisted feature, found when recording with the Insta360, incorporates the Golden Ratio into every shot, helping to guide your framing and composition. There are nine grid options to select from, prompting the gimbal to automatically analyze the subject position and composition, adjusting the framing accordingly. While this feature could be useful as you learn, it could also become a crutch, limiting creativity based on sticking to preset composition rules.

Photo: Insta360

Insta360 says it improved the build of the Flow 2 Pro, resulting in a sturdier design with a stronger tripod. However, whether this results from new materials or design choices is unclear. Many users complained about how flimsy the tripod portion of the Flow Pro was, so we hope this is addressed in the new iteration.

Additionally, the tilt function was an area of frustration for some with the Flow Pro. The mechanical range of the Flow Pro is -100° to 82°. Insta360 added what it calls "Free Tilt Mode," opening up the opportunity for crane shots, tilt shots and crane and tilt combinations. The specifications for the gimbal specify the mechanical range for tilt on the Flow 2 Pro is -99° to 231°, so in theory, tilt should be significantly improved from the original model.

Otherwise, physically, the two models are nearly identical regarding specifications. The primary difference is that the Flow 2 Pro's weight decreased very slightly from the first version, coming in at 357g (12.60z) compared to 366g (13oz). There's the addition of a selfie mirror to aid in recording shots while using the primary camera on your phone, but the rest of the gimbal is very similar to the Flow Pro.

Image: Insta360

The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro is available now and comes in Stone Gray and Summit White. The Standard Bundle is $159, while the Creator Bundle is $189.

Photo: Kara Murphy

Just days after news came out regarding a drone collision with a firefighting plane working to control the wildfires in California, DJI announced that it will no longer enforce its No-Fly Zones, as reported by PetaPixel. The company shared the news in a blog post, saying that the update follows a similar change put in place in the European Union last year.

For over a decade, DJI drone pilots have been somewhat limited in where they could fly drones, as the company's software would automatically stop users from flying over areas such as active runways, power plants, the White House and wildfires. These areas were defined as Restricted Zones, though they were commonly called No-Fly Zones, and they were a result of DJI geofencing datasets in the company's flight apps.

DJI claims that user awareness has evolved, suggesting that such boundaries are no longer needed.

Now, DJI is removing those geofencing datasets and will instead display Enhanced Warning Zones. DJI says this is "aligning with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) designated areas" and is "placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility." Instead of relying on "ICAO Annex 14 configurations for airspace around airports," which the company says "did not always align with official FAA data," it will now use the boundaries officially provided by the regulator.

DJI says that when it first implemented the GEO system in 2013, it did so because rules and regulations were sparse since consumer drones were novel at the time. It says the system was put in place "as a voluntary built-in safety feature to help foster responsible flight practices and prevent DJI drone operators from unintentionally flying in restricted airspace, such as around government buildings, airports, or prisons."

"The GEO system has always been an educational - not an enforcement - tool"

DJI claims that user awareness has evolved, suggesting that such boundaries are no longer needed. In a follow-up blog post, the company says that the geofencing tool was always meant to educate users about the law rather than enforce it and emphasizes that "warning zones and in-app alerts remain in place."

It also says the change could make things easier for commercial operators and "public safety agencies," as they will no longer need to wait for manual approval from DJI before being able to fly in restricted zones they've been permitted to operate in.

However, drone incidents are still clearly a problem, as the strike last week with the SuperScooper airplane shows. While that drone was a sub-250-gram model – made by DJI, according to photos released by the FBI – and thus not subject to the Remote ID rules that control No-Fly Zones, it highlights significant safety concerns due to poor understanding of flight safety.

This is a remarkable shift in drone safety strategy with a potentially enormous impact, especially among drone pilots who are less aware of airspace restrictions and high-risk areas. https://t.co/YJOpe2gcZe

— Brendan Schulman (@dronelaws) January 14, 2025

Even the former DJI head of global policy, Brendan Schulman, doesn't think this is a wise move, as The Verge shared. Shulman has shared numerous posts on X (formerly Twitter) about how this could be problematic. Another user shared that the DJI Fly app says his drone could take off from Runway 27L at Philidelphia Public Airport, which certainly would not be a good situation.

Image: DJI

Regardless of whether this was a good move, the new process went live on January 13. To see the change, users will need to connect their flight app to the internet and select "Update" on the FlySafe pop-up notification.

Sony announced its first firmware update of the new year, bringing changes to the a9 III (Ver. 3.00), a1 (Ver. 3.00) and a1 II (Ver. 2.00). The bulk of the update surrounds various shooting, movie and transfer functions of the three camera models. Perhaps more significant is the update to Sony's Camera Authenticity Solution, which aims to improve the implementation of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). The update will be available sometime in January 2025, though Sony didn't provide a specific date. You can check the status of the firmware availability on Sony's downloads page.

Camera Authenticity Solution updates

Sony is a member of the C2PA Steering Committee, playing a leading role in developing and implementing industry standards for digital content verification. As we all know, there are growing concerns with image manipulation and AI imagery, resulting in misinformation. The C2PA aims to provide publishers, creators and consumers with "flexible ways to understand the authenticity, and provenance of different types of media," according to a press release in March 2024.

Sony says that the latest firmware update expands the Camera Authenticity Solution compatibility with the a9 III, a1 and a1 II with the launch of an Image Validation Site and the Digital Signature Upgrade license developed for select news organizations and their staff photographers.

Sony says this "service is designed to enhance the implementation of C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity), particularly within the news industry, by providing additional authenticity information and introducing a streamlined workflow for professionals requiring higher content verification standards." The expanded initiative will allow photographers to add digital signatures to their images, which allows for confirmation that the photographs haven't been tampered with.

Sony had previously only made this feature (on the a1, a7S III and a7IV) available to select news agencies, with a promise to expand it at a later date. It's slightly unclear from the current wording whether it's now more broadly available.

Chart: Sony

Sony a9 III Ver. 3.00 firmware update

The a9 III is the only camera of the three to receive a completely new function. With the Ver. 3.00 update, there will be a newly added option to use shutter speeds up to 1/80000 seconds at all aperture values when the Exposure Value Expand function is set to "On." This feature will be most helpful for sports and action photographers shooting at wide apertures in bright conditions.

The a9 III will see updated support for the Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF in Bright Monitoring mode, making it easier to get precise focus in tricky lighting situations. Additionally, Sony says that users should see an improvement in image quality when applying user LUTs. There are also updates to the notification display when the latest software is available, an update to "scheduling of FTP transfers while writing data to the camera's storage media" and "improved operability including continued shooting during image transfer to the Creators' app."

Sony a1 Ver. 3.00 firmware update

The Sony a1 doesn't get any new features, but gets quite a few updates to existing features. First, it will see an update to focus bracketing support for continuous shooting while automatically shifting the focus position. Sony says there will be additional settings for exposure value adjustments and the number of shots in exposure bracketing. It will also see the same updates as the a9 III to the Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier usability.

Also like the a9 III, the a1 will see updates to new software notifications, FTP transfer scheduling, and continued shooting during image transfer. It will also have an update on the "use of the Custom Key settings on the AEL button and Delete button during playback."

Sony a1 II Ver. 2.00 firmware update

The a1 II sees the least updates of the three cameras, with no new features available and only a single function updated. With this firmware update, Sony promises an improvement in image quality when applying user LUTs, just like the a9 III.

Press release:

Sony Electronics Announces Firmware Updates for Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III

Updates include shooting function improvements and additional support for the Camera Authenticity Solution

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 14, 2025 – Today, Sony Electronics Inc. announces new firmware updates for the Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) cameras. These firmware versions bring varying updates to shooting, movie, and operability functions, as well as added compatibility for Sony’s evolving Camera Authenticity Solution.

Shooting, Movie, and Operability Updates Per Model:

Camera Authenticity Solution Updates:

The new firmware updates bring compatibility with the Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III for Sony’s expanding Camera Authenticity Solution. This expansion includes the launch of an Image Validation Site and the Digital Signature Upgrade License¹, created for select news organizations and their staff photographers. The service is designed to enhance the implementation of C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity)², particularly within the news industry, by providing additional authenticity information and introducing a streamlined workflow for professionals requiring higher content verification standards. As a member of the C2PA Steering Committee, Sony plays a leading role in developing these standards and driving their broader implementation.

Availability:

Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) firmware downloads will be available in January 2025.

To check the status of the latest firmware availability, please visit: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/cameras-camcorders-digital-cameras/downloads

For more information on Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution, visit: https://www.sony.net/cas/

1 Only still images in JPEG/RAW (.ARW) format are supported.

2 A standards organization that develops open standards and technical specifications for the origin and authenticity of digital content.

'Life in Another Light' infrared photography contest 2024 winners

The winners of the fourth Life in Another Light photo contest have been announced, showcasing unique views captured with infrared photography. The Biennial contest is hosted by Kolari Vision, a company specializing in infrared photography gear, camera conversions, and tips. This year's contest drew over 3,000 submissions across 11 photography categories and a short film category, a first for the contest.

While the main aim of the contest is to highlight infrared photography, Kolari Vision also included some categories focused on traditional visible light, opening up the competition beyond the niche of infrared imagery. Additionally, there was a category for ultraviolet light and categories specifically for Kolari Vision's Candy Chrome Infrared Lens Filter and IR Chrome FIlter.

The contest was judged by seven judges, including guest photographers Pierre-Louis Ferrer and Yann Philippe, who helped judge the filter-specific categories. Kolari Vision explains that each image was evaluated "based on technical execution, composition, and creativity in three rounds of judging before selecting the finalists." The resulting images are otherworldly examples of what's possible with this method of photography.

Landscape infrared – first place

Photographer: Gavin Spooner

Title: Switzerland

Gear used: Panasonic GX85 + IR Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Landscape infrared – second place

Photographer: Jonas Hangartner

Title: WA1K345

Gear used: Full spectrum Canon 5D MKII + 720nm filter from Kolari Vision

Type of light: Infrared

Infrared short film – first place

Cinematographer: Lambert Grand

Title: When Earth Took A Breath

Gear used: IR Chrome Infrared filter (camera used not provided)

Type of light: Infrared

Astro landscape – first place

Photographer: Jonas Hangartner

Title: Losing Track Of Time

Gear used: Panasonic GH5

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Astro landscape – honorable mention

Photographer: Troy Casswell

Title: Luminous Jewels

Gear used: Canon EOS R5 (full spectrum converted) with 365nm UV light to induce fluorescence

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Black & white – first place

Photographer: Carolyn Hinton Hutchins

Title: Alligator In Morning Mist

Gear used: Nikon Z6

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

IR Chrome – first place

Photographer: Mitja Kobal

Title: Dreams Of Reality, Dream 5: Plaza of Kanagawa, Japan

Gear used: Fujifilm GFX50S + IR Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Landscape – visible light – first place

Photographer: Yohan Raintung

Title: Merapi

Gear used: Nikon Z9

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Aerial – first place

Photographer: Bobby Ritchey

Title: Black Sand Beach

Gear used: Not provided

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Long exposure – first place

Photographer: Dibakar Roy

Title: People Mixture

Gear used: Not provided

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Portrait – first place

Photographer: Rob Jemmett

Title: Meg With Scarf

Gear used: Fujifilm X-T2 (converted to full spectrum) + 720nm Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Ultraviolet – first place

Photographer: Michael Riffle

Title: Magnolia Grandiflora

Gear used: Nikon D750 + UV Bandpass Filter

Type of light: Ultraviolet Reflective

Candy Chrome – first place

Photographer: Ginny Taylor

Title: Bout To Bloom

Gear used: Canon EOS R5 + Candy Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Abstract – first place

Photographer: Olga Ivanova

Title: Stairsteps

Gear used: Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Image: Adobe

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.

Photo: DJI

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.

Buy Now:

Image: TTArtisan

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).

Sample Images

Photo: TTArtisan

Photo: TTArtisan

Photo: TTArtisan

Photo: TTArtisan

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.

Nikon Z50II sample 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.

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.

Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration.

Enter your photos here

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.

Open challenges:

• Hands (closes Jan. 13)
• Dance (closes Jan. 17)
• Reflections on Water (closes Jan. 17)

Upcoming challenges:

• A Big Year 2024-2025 (opens Jan. 13)
• Show us STATUES! (opens Jan. 13)
• Lights at Night (opens Jan. 14)
• Restaurants, bars, taverns, pubs (opens Jan. 18)
• Abstract (opens Jan. 18)

Image: Viltrox

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.

Images: LG, Prograde, Nanlite, ThinkTank

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.

Photo: Richard Butler

If you need (or just want) more resolution and performance than the EOS R6 II offers, the excellent Nikon Z8 is also on sale for $300 off its MSRP.

Some small flashes

Image: Godox

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.

Image: Godox

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.

Image: Godox

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.

A Thunderbolt Hub with room to grow

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.

Flying camera bags

Images: ThinkTank

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.

Airport Roller Derby V2

Airport Navigator V2

A plinth for the Mac Mini

Image: Satechi

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 stand is due out next month and will cost $99.

Compact softboxes

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.

Rapid 90

Rapid 120

A long tether

Image: OWC

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.

Another iPhone shutter button

Image: Belkin

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.

Read the previous accessory roundup

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.

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A post shared by Los Angeles County Fire Dept. (@lacountyfd)

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.”

Photo credit: Benedek Lampert

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.

Image: Hollyland

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.

Images: Sandisk / Canon

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.