Photo: Abby Ferguson

Google recently announced the Pixel 9a, its budget offering in the Pixel smartphone lineup. For this model the company opted to ditch the camera bar for a flat camera bump, resulting in a larger battery but smaller cameras. Though it sticks to the two-camera design, with a wide-angle main camera and ultra-wide camera, its main camera uses a 48MP Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor, down from the 64MP Type 1/1.7 (7.3 x 5.5mm) sensor found in the Pixel 8a's main camera. However, Google says that other upgrades, such as software and silicon improvements, make up for the dip in resolution and sensor size, and promises that the 9a is capable of capturing "class-leading photos and videos."

We've had the opportunity to take the phone around for a week, testing out the cameras to put together a sample gallery.

See the sample gallery

The Pixel 9a is hitting shelves on April 10 in the US, Canada and UK. It will be available on April 14th in Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Finland. Australia, India, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia will have to wait until April 16th.

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

Image: Adobe

Last week, Adobe announced that a handful of AI-based features would be moving out of Premiere Pro beta. Now, the company is teasing even more AI tools for Premiere Pro and Photoshop ahead of Adobe Max London on April 24. In a blog post, the company provides a basic overview of what's coming, promising even faster edits and helpful tools for learning.

All of the new features rely on agentic AI, or tech "capable of conversing, acting and solving complex problems." It's essentially a highly capable chatbot that combines elements of generative AI with decision-making and execution capabilities. Adobe says its approach to agentic AI is similar to its approach to generative AI, aiming "to give people more control and free them to spend more time on the work they love – whether that’s creativity, analysis or collaboration."

Image: Adobe

To that end, Adobe teased that at Adobe Max London, it will showcase its first creative agent in Photoshop, found in an all-new Actions panel. "Our vision is for Photoshop to be able to analyze your image and recommend smart, context-aware edits," Adobe explained. It says the editing platform could find ways to improve your image and actually make those improvements with a single click. It also says it wants users to be able to use natural language to access "more than 1,000 one-click actions in Photoshop" for faster and simplified edits.

In the video examples provided in the blog post, prompts are typed into the AI agent, which then handles the edits for the user. The creative agent adds all of the edits as layers, just like if the person were to be making the changes themselves. That means you can still go in and tweak things by hand as needed.

Adobe says this isn't exclusively about speeding up the editing process. Instead, it also envisions the creative agent as a way to learn Photoshop. Given how complex and overwhelming the software can be for new users, such a resource could be helpful. Plus, Adobe says it could also handle repetitive tasks like preparing files for export.

Image: Adobe

Adobe also envisions agentic AI coming to Premiere Pro. One example it provides is using the creative agent to create a rough cut. Getting started on projects is often the hardest step, after all. "While AI can’t replace human creative inspiration, with your input it can make some educated guesses to help you get your project off the ground."

Adobe's Media Intelligence can already help you search for clips by automatically recognizing objects and visual compositions. The platform also understands spoken dialogue and can generate captions and transcripts. So extending those features to a tool that can help quickly cut together clips to help you get started doesn't seem that far-fetched. "We envision a world where you can direct a creative agent to help you refine shot choices, craft rough cuts, assist with color, help mix audio, and more." Like Photoshop, Adobe also wants to use agentic AI in Premiere Pro to help users learn the software, including understanding keyboard shortcuts for complex actions.

Adobe says that the Adobe Research team is currently working on the foundational pieces of the company's agentic AI framework. It will likely be showing off the tools and providing more details during Adobe Max London, which you can catch online for free on April 24.

Image: Atomos

In late 2022, Atomos told investors that it had "completed development of a world class 8K video sensor" and that it was "actively exploring opportunities for commercialisation" and holding talks with camera makers that it said were "showing great interest." In an interview with PetaPixel later that year, the company said it was a full-frame, global shutter sensor capable of capturing 8K at 60fps with up to 15 stops of dynamic range, all while drawing just 2W of power.

We've heard very little about the project since then, but PetaPixel has just reported that it's been abandoned, citing a conversation with the company's COO. Currently, there are no further details about when the call was made to sideline the sensor or why that decision was made. We've reached out to Atomos and will update this story if we hear back.

While there's been very little news about the sensor – dubbed the 'Sapphire F8' – since 2022, it seemed like an interesting proposition. Global shutters are especially useful for video applications, where rolling shutters can cause distortion on fast-moving subjects or during quick camera movements.

In 2022, the Sapphire would've been ahead of the curve

While several cinema-focused cameras have used the tech over the years, it's only recently become available in cameras with larger (full-frame or above) sensors. When Red announced the V-Raptor X in early 2024, it said it was the "first available large format global shutter" cinema camera. Around the same time, Sony's a9 III became the first full-frame mirrorless camera to feature a global shutter. In 2022, Atomos' Sapphire project, developed after it acquired rights and technical staff from broadcast equipment company Grass Valley in 2017, would've been ahead of the curve.

Whatever caused the company to drop the project, it's unfortunate that there won't be more competition in the high-end sensor market. Making a sensor is no small feat, and neither is actually getting it into a finished product – something Atomos already knew since work on the Sapphire began during a project to create a cinema camera, which also wound up being canceled.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Embedding social media posts has become a widespread practice and a critical tool for all sorts of websites. It allows sites to share content without hosting it themselves, opening the doors to showcase more dynamic content and user-generated or brand materials. Now, though, a photographer is asking the US Supreme Court to consider if embedding social media content is a violation of copyright.

As initially reported by Digital Camera World, photographer Elliot McGucken filed a petition for certiorari (a request to review) on March 28. This petition is part of his lawsuit against media company Valnet, Inc., which runs thetravel.com. The lawsuit results from The Travel embedding 36 photographs in McGucken's Instagram posts across multiple articles without his permission. The case argues that embedding a copyrighted work without the artist's permission is copyright infringement.

This debate, which centers around the "server test," is far from new. The server test was a guideline initially established in a 2007 Ninth Circuit Court decision. It essentially says that if a website hosts a copyrighted image on its own systems, it is a copyright violation. But if the website uses third-party hosting, such as by embedding a social media post or an image from an artist's website, it does not violate copyright.

There have been multiple challenges since the initial guideline was established. However, the most recent (outside of this new case) was in 2023, when photographers Alexis Hunley and Matthew Brauer filed a class action lawsuit against Instagram. They claimed that Instagram violated their copyright by allowing Time and Buzzfeed to embed photos they shared on their Instagram profiles. A three-judge panel at the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Instagram was not liable for copyright infringement, though, explaining that when a photo or video is embedded, no copy is made.

The district courts and Ninth Circuit court have already dismissed the complaints, but the photographer has now asked the Supreme Court to weigh in. The petition gives multiple reasons for why it should be granted, one of which is that it "presents a clear legal question that has divided the federal courts." However, as VitalLaw reports, district courts in the Second, Fifth and Tenth Circuits, including a federal court in Manhattan, have all rejected it.

Instagram, like many other social media platforms, allows users to turn off embedding, which prevents websites from sharing content in this way. Instagram rolled this out in 2021, and users can change the setting under the "How others can interact with you" option inside the Settings menu.

The Supreme Court has until May 1 to issue a response.

PowerShot V1 | 25.6mm (50mm equiv.) | F4.5 | 1/640 sec. | ISO 125 Photo: Mitchell Clark

Canon recently made its PowerShot V1 compact available globally, after it was initially launched for the Asian market. While the company's marketing it as a vlogging camera, photographers also seem to have taken an interest in it, with its reasonably large Type 1.4 (18.4 x 12.3mm) sensor paired with a 16-50mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 lens.

We've gotten the opportunity to shoot with it a bit and have put together a sample gallery, which should give you some idea of how the sensor and lens perform. We'll dig deeper into image quality in our full review.

See the sample gallery

Given that it's a vlogging camera, we've also put together some sample footage taken with it. It's embedded below, though, so note that you may need to click through to watch the video on YouTube if you want to see it at its maximum quality.

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

A screenshot of the Google Learning Light Experiment.

Understanding how to control light is one of the more complex parts of learning photography. That's why introductory photography classes typically focus exclusively on ambient light and why there are entire semester-long classes dedicated to lighting. Learning how to manipulate light could get easier now, though, with Google's new Learning Light tool.

Learning Light is part of Google's newly released series of AI "experiments" focused on arts and culture. It combines an AI chatbot with a virtual stage, allowing users to learn about different lighting setups and see them in action. The chatbot, with its delightfully retro LuxeBot3000 name, walks you through eight mini-lessons covering different aspects of lighting, including intensity, color, shape, position, mood and more. There are also four different lessons on the lighting in specific artworks, such as Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

The chatbot walks you through various aspects of lighting.

The lessons are very quick and straightforward. Instead of allowing open-ended chats, the chatbot provides preset answers for users to select from. In fact, the chat bar is fully disabled during the lessons, so there's not even an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. You can, however, choose to exit the guide at any time and play around, which is where I think the tool could be most useful.

Outside of the guide, you can manually adjust multiple settings for six different lights. Users can control power, angle, penumbra, hue and saturation for each individual light or adjust those settings for groupings of lights. The set starts with a mannequin and plant, but you can also add additional props like a couch, plants, and an old-school TV. You can also change the backdrop from a basic studio setting to real-world options like a restaurant, ski resort, train station and more.

There's a rather odd selection of props available.

Of course, the tool is far from perfect. The selection of props is quite small and rather strange (I don't know too many photographers who use a busted-up cardboard box, rusted barrel, or two fire hydrants as props). The lights can't change position, either, so you're stuck with the existing positioning. Additionally, since it is focused on stage lighting, it lacks accessories photographers would use to modify the light, like softboxes or beauty dishes.

The chatbot is also rather limited and not extremely helpful. It is only able to make changes to the properties of the available lights or answer very basic questions about lighting. In fact, it seems a bit odd that this is based on Google's 'Gemini' generative AI tech. Given the long list of limitations, it's a bit like watering houseplants with a fire hose. Perhaps that means that more advanced tools and features could come later, but for now, a lot of technology is backing a fairly simple platform.

Learning Light can walk you through creating a lighting scenario inspired by Nobility in the Evening Cool (Koki nōryō no zu) by Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu.

Despite its flaws, the Learning Light Experiment has benefits. The simple controls make it very approachable no matter someone's experience level, providing a good introduction to what's possible with lighting. It could also be useful for planning basic lighting scenarios for shoots. Perhaps most important, though, is that it's free. More capable programs for playing around with lighting setups can cost substantially more, such as set.a.light 3D, which costs a minimum of $119 when full-price. That could be a hard sell for beginner photographers, so it is nice to see a free platform, even if it is more limited.

Photo: Fujifilm

Fujifilm has announced its latest Instax Mini camera, the retro-looking Instax Mini 41. The company says that the new instant camera features a "stylish new look and improved functionality" compared to its predecessor. The Instax Mini 40 came out four years ago, so it is nice to see a refresh. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping for a massive revamp, it's only a subtle update.

The most significant change to the Instax Mini 41 is a fresh look. Unlike the faux leather finish on the Mini 40, the updated camera features a "textured, tactile body" to provide a "secure, ergonomic grip." It also offers a metallic-looking (though not actual metal) finish and orange color accents for a more polished look.

Fujifilm promises better close-ups thanks to the added parallax correction. Image: Fujifilm

Beyond its new look, the camera also promises improved close-up images. Given that the viewfinder and close-up lens on Instax cameras aren't perfectly lined up, what you see through the viewfinder isn't exactly what the final composition will be. To address this, Fujifilm added parallax correction, which makes it easier to center subjects. The closeup mode is meant for subjects from 30-50cm (11.8-19.7") and doubles as a selfie mode.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 will be available for purchase by the end of April. Interestingly, Fujifilm did not provide any US pricing for the camera, which is unusual for the company. The camera is currently listed on B&H with the option to sign up for notifications, but no price is listed. Likewise, the listing on the Fujifilm website lacks a price as well. While it didn't say specifically that the lack of a price is a result of uncertainty related to the US tariffs, that could be the cause.

Image: Content Authenticity Initiative

Panasonic has become the latest camera company to become a member of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), joining Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Leica. The organization aims to coordinate the industry's efforts to create transparency around how images were created, using tools like C2PA Content Credentials that certify details about how an image was made and edited – especially useful as generative AI becomes increasingly accessible.

In a blog post on its website, the CAI says Panasonic is "joining more than 4,500 media and technology companies, non-profits, creators, educators" to help "build trust and transparency in our digital ecosystem." The post quotes Toshiyuki Tsumura, Business Division Executive of the Imaging Solution Business Division at Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., who says: "By joining the CAI, we are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content, and fostering an environment of trust and transparency online."

"We are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content"

The post doesn't mention any concrete details, like whether this means we'll see content authenticity tools in current or upcoming Lumix cameras. Historically, the matter has been complicated – Fujifilm joined the CAI in early 2024, but in an interview last month, it told us that it was "still developing and investigating how to implement the CAI and the C2PA."

Even brands that have implemented it don't necessarily make the tech available to everyone – some Leica models come with support for Content Credentials unlocked out of the box, but companies like Nikon and Sony have said their authenticity features will mainly be for news agencies. Many of Panasonic's stills cameras are more consumer-oriented, though models like the S1RII are explicitly aimed at professionals and come with features that would mainly be worthwhile for those users. The company is also a big player in the professional video market and makes several cameras specifically aimed at news companies.

However Panasonic chooses to work with the CAI and implement its technologies, this seems like another step forward for content authenticity initiatives. Rebuilding the public's trust in the images they see online will only become more important in the future, and it would be an extremely large task for companies to accomplish alone. Organizations like the CAI help streamline the process and make sure that everyone in the chain has a say, including camera companies, photo editing software companies and technology companies whose platforms will be used to share images.

Photo: Natnan Srisuwan / Moment via Getty Images

There's no ignoring that the latest US tariffs are a hot-button topic right now for Americans who are looking at paying more for products made outside the country. Since the tariffs are so far-reaching, questions are swirling about the impact on the pricing and availability of goods for each industry. That includes the photography and videography industries, since most equipment is made outside of the United States. Unfortunately, things aren't looking great. There's a lot of speculation, but we spoke with experts whose job is to analyze the potential impact.

Product pricing, in general, is a complicated endeavor, even with standard tariffs. It involves many calculations, ranging from tariffs to forecasting future changes in relative currency values. While new tariffs are broadly applied, the rates vary depending on the country. Given that many goods could have individual parts from multiple countries, the situation becomes complex quickly. Additionally, some companies might manufacture certain products in one country while other items in their lineup are made in another, resulting in inconsistent pricing changes across their catalog.

When we look at the three big brands – Canon, Sony and Nikon – all three are based in Japan, but Nikon and Sony have shifted much of their production to Thailand and China. Canon makes some of its more budget-focused equipment in Taiwan, Thailand and China, but it also manufactures some in Japan. Anjali V. Bhatt, the Communications Manager and Research Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) explained that products from Japan have a tariff rate of 24%, while products manufactured in Thailand face a 36% tariff. "So Canon products made in Japan might actually become more affordable than Nikon or Sony for comparable/substitute products, depending on where the gear is shipped from," she said.

Bhatt went so far as to suggest opting for a lens adapter that allows you to use Canon lenses on Nikon or Sony gear. That way, you could save money on new lenses since Canon lenses may become more affordable compared to Nikon and Sony as a result of where they are produced. Of course, that will only save you money if the Canon version of what you want is made in Japan and the alternatives are made elsewhere. Additionally, given that even Japan is subject to tariffs, Canon won't be immune to pricing changes, either.

"All photography equipment not made in the US...will be more expensive."

The tariffs could also push companies to adjust where they manufacture cameras and lenses. That doesn't necessarily mean coming to the US, though. Since many of these companies have existing ties to Japan, it could simply mean moving production to Japan because of the lower tariffs. "Since Nikon and Sony have extensive production capabilities in Japan as well, it’s possible they reshore production back to Japan, away from Thailand," Bhatt said. "But the bottom line is that all photography equipment not made in the US, which is a significant majority of it, will be more expensive," she explained.

Outside of cameras and lenses, auxiliary equipment like tripods will likely also become more expensive. That's because much of it is produced in countries like China or Vietnam, which "will see even higher tariffs (the estimate for the tariff rate on Chinese products is around 75%; Vietnam has been assigned a 46% tariff)," Bhatt said.

Because of the complexity of import tariffs and wholesale pricing, we likely won't see a 1:1 correlation between tariff rates and price increases. In other words, Chinese products likely won't cost 75% more, Japanese products won't cost 24% more and Thai products won't have a 36% increase. The system is a lot more complicated than that. However, economists agree that there will be price hikes of some amount across the board.

Another piece of fallout from the high tariffs could be availability. "If there's equipment from highly-tariffed nations – like China – the tariffs may make them so uncompetitive that retailers drop the brand altogether rather than importing cameras they won't sell," explained Justin Wolfers, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He went on to say that prices may not seem higher immediately. Initially, "it'll just be that buyers find it harder to find a good deal," he said.

"All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly."

Blackmagic Design was the first camera company to specifically announce pricing increases as a result of tariffs. Its prices have changed multiple times over the past two days, with the company explaining that "it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs." Indeed, as we are already seeing, "All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly," Dr. Wolfers said.

Photo: Richard Butler

Nikon has announced the 2.0 firmware for its full-frame Zf camera. The update adds a dedicated bird mode to the camera's subject recognition autofocus, support for connecting to the company's Imaging Cloud service and other improvements that will make shooting video and using older, manual-focus lenses more convenient.

The company says the dedicated bird subject detection mode will be quicker and more accurate at detecting and tracking birds than the Auto or Animal modes, especially in complex scenarios like shooting in forests or mountains. While the Zf likely isn't the first camera people reach for when doing wildlife photography – its gripless retro design is better suited to smaller lenses – it's nice that Nikon is making this mode available on the camera regardless.

Nikon Imaging Cloud lets your camera automatically upload photos to the cloud and download color mode "recipes." Image: Nikon

Support for Nikon Imaging Cloud is also a nice addition. It allows the camera to automatically upload images when connected to a Wi-Fi network, rather than requiring you to connect it to your phone or a computer to offload your shots. Additionally, you can configure Nikon Imaging Cloud to automatically offload those images to other services, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Lightroom and more. The service can also be used to sync additional color profiles to your camera – the Zf can store nine – and to automatically keep your camera's firmware up-to-date.

The 2.0 update also adds Nikon's 'Hi-Res Zoom' mode for video, which lets you progressively apply a digital crop up to 2x your lens' actual focal length when shooting 1080p. The company says it doesn't introduce any loss in resolution, as the camera is still using a 1080p region of the sensor. However, in other cameras like the Z9, the feature does incur some loss of detail, as you're no longer getting oversampled video. Still, if you want to make your footage look like you're zooming in, you'll at least have the option to do so.

The final big change with the update revolves around using manual-focus lenses. The company has improved the focus magnification feature, letting you quickly exit it by half-pressing the shutter button so you can see your full composition before actually taking the picture. When you're using the display, the maximum magnification has been increased from 200% to 400%. You can now also assign ISO and exposure compensation to the cameras' command dials in the manual shooting mode and manually record your aperture value if you're using a lens that doesn't electronically communicate with the camera.

It's not surprising that features like Hi-Res Zoom, Imaging Cloud and bird subject detection are coming to the Zf. After all, they're included in the just-launched Z5II, which uses very similar internals. However, it's nice to see them come so quickly, so users who bought the more expensive Zf won't have to be envious of Z5II owners. It's also one more step to making the company's lineup more cohesive, with most of its latest-gen cameras getting Imaging Cloud.

The update is available now from Nikon's website.

Image: Blackmagic

Almost every news site is flooded with stories about the new tariffs and their impact on individual product categories. Given that so many photography companies manufacture their goods in places other than the United States, several outlets have predicted that the tariffs will impact photography gear. Now, those expectations are becoming a reality, with Blackmagic Design being the first to officially announce price increases because of tariffs.

In a statement provided to DPReview, Blackmagic explained: "In general, it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs, and our team is trying very hard to keep customers informed with updated pricing, so that’s why they may see some changes. Since we have factories in different countries, it causes different price increases, and we are moving production of some products to help lower costs for customers from what we had previously raised them to since the tariffs went into effect. This will take us some time, so customers may continue to see some pricing change, but again, we are working very hard to keep customers informed with updated pricing."

A screenshot of the Blackmagic website reflecting a $5495 price for the Pyxis 12K camera, taken at 12:42 PM EDT on April 7.

Yesterday, CineD reported that the newly released Blackmagic Pyxis 12K camera went from the launch price of $4995 to $6595 on Blackmagic's website, a 32% increase. CineD included a screenshot of Blackmagic's website reflecting the $6595 price. However, at the time of writing, the website shows $5495 for the camera. While that isn't as substantial an increase as what CineD reported, it is still a bump in price, which no one likes seeing. Since Blackmagic said things are in flux right now, that number could likely continue to change. At the time of writing, the price at B&H is still the original launch price.

A screenshot of Blackmagic's statement on Facebook about pricing changes.

Blackmagic also posted a statement on Facebook about general US prices for its products. It said that most products in the US have increased because of the tariffs, and that these price changes only impact the US. A quick look at the Blackmagic website shows that the company also increased the price of the Pyxis 6K camera from a launch price of $2995 to $3295, while the Ursa Cine 17K went from $29,995 to $32,995.

Image: Blackmagic

The NAB 2025 show is underway, with plenty of announcements related to broadcasting and filmmaking coming out. Among those was a lengthy livestream from Blackmagic Design that revealed multiple new products and software tools, including the latest version of its video editing platform. Blackmagic calls DaVinci Resolve 20 "a major new update which adds over 100 new features." Unsurprisingly, many of those new features are AI-related and aimed at speeding up and simplifying the editing process.

The updates cover just about every step of the editing process and touch most aspects of the editing program. You can see all of the update details in the press release below, but there are some standout features worth mentioning. First, AI IntelliScript can automatically create timelines based on the original project script. This is done by first creating an automatic transcription of the video files and then uploading the original script text file. DaVinci Resolve chooses the best takes but provides alternative takes in additional tracks so that you can easily review those as well.

Image: Blackmagic

The company says the IntelliScript doesn't require an exact match to the original script, as similar wording is matched. You can also create a script after the fact by uploading the transcription of the master take and using that as the basis for the timeline. In a similar vein, AI Multicam SmartSwitch promises to automatically switch between multiple camera angles based on the active speaker in each scene.

Also coming to DaVinci Resolve 20 is a tool for animating subtitles. The AI Animated Subtitles feature uses the transcription tool to generate a subtitle track on a timeline, automatically animating them with highlighted text as things are spoken. AI Detect Music Beats will analyze "beat-driven music" and automatically place markers on each beat, making it easier to edit clips to the beat of the music.

Image: Blackmagic

Blackmagic also announced AI Set Extender, which sounds similar to Adobe Premiere Pro's Generative Extend. Blackmagic didn't provide extensive information on the feature but says it "creates a scene extension to fill an entire frame based on a simple text prompt."

While many of the standout features are AI-related, there are plenty of updates to hands-on tools as well. For example, Blackmagic Cloud support will now offer better collaboration tools. Blackmagic also changed the cut, edit and color pages when working with a vertical timeline or project, aimed at optimizing the vertical viewer without wasted space or needing to constantly zoom.

Image: Blackmagic

The voiceover palette tool makes it easier to record voiceovers directly into the timeline, providing cue, record and stop controls. Plus, there's quick access to voice isolation and dialogue leveling tools. Blackmagic also added a "full audio mixer with professional loudness metering" to the cut page, allowing users to mix and monitor audio while recording, editing and finishing their content.

“This is a massive update this year, with AI tools and new features that help to speed up every stage of our customer’s workflow” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “By automating tasks that take a long time manually or are tedious, with features such as keyframe editing, voice over palettes, live overwrite and multi-layer compositing tools, our customers are free to spend more time than ever being creative. The new processing code we’ve been rewriting over the last few years is an amazing base to be able to build these new features on. It’s exciting to see how we can provide tools with DaVinci Resolve to help our customers spend more time exploring their creativity.”

You can see a comprehensive list of all the features on the DaVinci Resolve 20 product page, or in the press release below. DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is now available for download from the Blackmagic Design website. The standard version is free to download, however you'll need DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 for $325 to unlock the advanced editing tools.

This week, Nikon announced the Z5II, its entry-level full-frame camera. It uses a 24MP BSI sensor we've seen in plenty of other cameras, such as the Zf and Z6 II, but that's not a complaint – in the past, it's provided excellent image quality.

We spent a day shooting with a pre-production Z5II. While rainy weather doesn't always make for the best samples, it was just enough to add a bit of ambiance. Do keep in mind that although the samples provide an idea of how the camera performs, they may not exactly reflect the output of a final production model. We'll be looking to get ahold of one of those when they become available, so stay tuned.

See the sample gallery

This photo was taken at a train station in France from the safety of the platform. I was testing out Sony's latest ultra-wide lens, and was very excited that I could get the red bumper posts, the rails, and the parked train all in the shot. Sony a7C R | FE 16mm F1.8 G | F1.8 | 1/60 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Mitchell Clark

Our April editor's photo challenge is now open for submissions. The theme this month is red, green and blue, and we're looking for photos that utilize all three colors.

Some examples: an apple orchard under a blue sky, a color-coordinated bookshelf, a parrot – anything with a tri-chromatic color palette utilizing the three colors that form the basis of all our digital images. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage at the end of the month.

This challenge is open to photos taken at any time. The last day for entry will be Saturday, April 12th (GMT).

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!

Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration. Please remember to include a caption or your submission will be deemed ineligible, and we'll ask you to resubmit it.

Visit the challenge page to read the rules and submit your photo

Images: Zoom, Cutasunda, BlackMagic, 3 Legged Thing

Happy weekend, everyone. We're deep into camera news season, but the accessory makers haven't been slacking at all. Today, we'll be taking a look at a big update to a solid audio recorder, a new take on the light stand and a host of other accessories – but first, the deals.

Canon deals

Photo: Dale Baskin

Canon's mid-range full-frame camera, the EOS R6 II, is currently on sale for $200 off. When we tested it, we were very impressed with how well-rounded it is, combining excellent autofocus, great ergonomics and solid performance.

Photo: Richard Butler

Speaking of cameras we were impressed with, the EOS R5 II is also on sale for $300 off its MSRP. It takes everything that's good about the EOS R6II and turns it up to 11, with a higher-resolution sensor, faster burst rates and more.

Not just a light stand

Image: 3 Legged Thing

3 Legged Thing is getting into the light stand market. On the surface, its new product, the Luna, looks like a standard piece of grip equipment, but if you look closer, you'll notice it's made of carbon fiber. The company says this makes it light, stable and compact when folded up. It has a maximum height of 2m (79").

That's not its only trick, though: you can also detach the center column from the legs and use it as a boom pole for recording audio or getting your camera closer to a hard-to-reach subject. While the head features a 3/8"-16 thread, common for lighting and microphones, it's actually retractable: push down the outer sheath, and it'll reveal a 1/4"-20 thread, which can be used to mount a wide variety of accessories.

Even more grip

The Impact 3-stage Baby Folder Roller is just one of the products in the new KeyGrip series. Image: Impact

If you prefer more traditional light stands, Impact has you covered. The company has announced a new KeyGrip lineup, which it says is supposed to provide rugged, flexible designs at a relatively affordable price. The lineup includes everything from small, sturdy stands meant to hold camera sliders to three-stage stands on rollers that can extend up to 3.35m (11') tall.

Video Performance Guaranteed

Image: Nextorage

If you're a videographer who shoots on Sony cameras and have to be absolutely sure your storage media is fast enough for any resolution, codec or framerate, you have a new option. Nextorage has announced its NX-A2Pro series of CFexpress Type A cards, which it says are the first of their kind to comply with the Video Performance Guarantee (VPG) 800 standard. That means the cards can write at least 800MBps of data continuously.

Of course, the cards' peak write speeds are much higher, at 1900 MBps. Both speeds, however, are well above what you'll need today. The manual for Sony's flagship a1 II says that even the camera's highest-bitrate modes only require a VPG200 or higher card. Nextorage says the NX-A2Pro is designed for "the high-end camera market in the future."

If you're not looking for future-proof storage, the company also announced its NX-A2AE line, which has a VPG400 rating. Both cards will be available starting in "late April."

NX-A2Pro:

NX-A2AE:

A new school way to shoot old-school

Image: Cutasunda

While shooting film gives you a completely analog experience, if you're doing so in 2025, you'll probably want to digitize your photos at some point. The Myriad film holder by Cutasunda, which got a shout-out from PetaPixel this week, promises to help make that process a little easier. It has a diffusion panel to help ensure your film is evenly backlit, and its top panel makes sure your film is flat, even if months in a canister have given it a tendency to curl up. Its adjustable film guides support film sizes from 110 to 6x9, so it'll work with pretty much whatever you're shooting.

It's not a complete package – you'll still need a quality backlight to put behind it, a camera with a macro lens and a tripod – but it plays an important part in bringing your film from the analog world into the digital one.

A legend improved

Photo: Zoom

Zoom's Handy Recorders – especially the H4 and H5 lines – have been popular among videographers for years, as they provide a versatile way to capture audio wherever you are. Now, the H5 has gotten an upgrade: the new H5studio includes an even better stereo microphone capsule, as well as the ability to record in 32-bit float audio, which essentially means you don't have to worry about your audio clipping.

Like the standard H5, the H5studio has a "capsule" system that lets you attach various microphones and inputs to it. It comes standard with a stereo XY capsule that features "the largest mics ever" included in the Handy Recorder lineup, which can capture around 130dB of dynamic range. The recorder's body also features two combination XLR / TRS inputs, line and headphone out jacks, and USB-C. If you swap the capsule, though, you can add two more XLR inputs or even a dual-channel wireless receiver or shotgun microphone. The H5studio can record up to six tracks, which you can monitor via its LCD screen.

A slew of software updates

Finally, an end to copying and pasting color boards or having to use compound clips.

This week, Apple released an update for its Final Cut Pro editing software. The free 11.1 update includes a few minor improvements and integrates one of the company's new AI features, but the biggest addition is Adjustment Clips. If you've ever edited in Premiere Pro or Davinci Resolve, you'll likely be familiar with the concept: it's a layer you can put over multiple other clips to apply the same effect or transition to them. This can be especially useful with color grading; if you have clips that all need the same grade applied, you can simply apply it to an adjustment clip layered over them rather than having to apply them to each clip individually.

As big as that is, it pales in comparison to what BlackMagic has been working on. The company announced a new version of its Resolve editing software that adds an AI tool for creating animated subtitles, a dedicated keyframe editor and an even easier-to-access audio mixer.

Photo: BlackMagic

Its blockbuster announcement, though, is the Blackmagic Camera 9.5 Update, which is currently in beta but provides a massive upgrade to the autofocus system for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. When it launched, the camera just had single autofocus – the camera could focus once but wouldn't update if your subject moved. The new update, though, adds continuous autofocus, which will work to keep whatever's under its selected focus point sharp. It also supports tracking autofocus, where it will attempt to keep its focus point on a selected subject, even if it moves or the framing changes, as well as face tracking autofocus. These changes should make the camera substantially more useful for smaller productions or even single-shooter setups with no dedicated focus puller. The company says it'll be bringing the feature to its other large-sensor cameras as well.

Read last week's roundup

Image: SongRaw

A new lens company hailing from China has popped onto the scene, promising even more autofocus lens options for mirrorless cameras. Named SongRaw, the company's slogan states, "Crafted with Dedication, Honoring Your Passion and Love," adding that it "is dedicated to polishing every detail of the craft." To kick things off, it has announced a fast 50mm lens that it claims is the first Chinese 50mm F1.2 full-frame autofocus mirrorless lens.

SongRaw's debut lens is a full-frame offering that provides that classic 50mm focal length with a wide aperture for a shallow depth of field and better low-light performance. The lens features 13 aperture blades, which SongRaw says promises "beautiful bokeh." It offers autofocus powered by a stepping motor, which SongRaw says is compatible with eye-tracking. It can focus as close as 0.52m (20.5") and is compatible with 72mm filters.

The optical design comprises 15 elements in 10 groups. The information on special elements is a bit mixed, with one piece mentioning two aspherical elements and another including two extra-low dispersion elements. It wouldn't be out of the question to see both in the same lens, though. SongRaw didn't provide any details as to the size or weight of the lens.

Image: SongRaw

The lens is marked with "Moonlit," and the company's barebones website includes that branding. Photos of the lens show an aperture ring, along with a switch labeled "click," suggesting the aperture ring can be clicked or de-clicked. There's also an AF/MF switch and what could be a function button.

SongRaw says the 50mm prime lens will be compatible with FE-mount, Z-mount and L-mount, but that it is prioritizing the Sony model. Nikon and L-mount users may need to wait a bit longer. SongRaw is showing the lens off at NAB, so anyone headed to the show could check it out in person. The lens will be priced at around $1000 and should be available by the middle or end of April.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Unfortunately, this Film Friday brings some disappointing news. Price hikes are in the news everywhere right now, and that includes film prices, at least for those in Japan. Earlier this week, Fuji Rumors shared that, along with a redesign of a disposable camera, Fujifilm is increasing the price of its film in Japan.

Fujifilm Japan's press release explains that the prices are increasing because of the costs of making and transporting the film. "As the prices of materials, raw materials, and transportation costs for photographic film continue to rise, we have been working to absorb costs by improving production efficiency and cutting expenses, but as it is difficult to absorb the costs through corporate efforts alone, we will be revising the prices of some of our photographic film products," a machine-translated version of the release states.

The release says that 35mm color negative film prices have increased by around 21 or 22%, while 35mm and 120mm reversal film prices increased by roughly 31 to 52%. The QuickSnap disposable camera is also around 44% more expensive. While the new prices took effect on April 1, it was not an April Fool's Day joke. A search on Bic Camera, one of Japan's largest electronics retail chains, currently has a single roll of 135 Velvia 50 priced at 6050 yen, or $41.57. If you want a five-pack of 120 Velvia 100 in Japan, you're looking at 23,650 yen, or $162.51.

Color negative film isn't nearly as bad, but it's still extremely expensive. A single roll of 135 Fujifilm 400 – typically considered a beginner-friendly budget option – is listed at 2420 yen, or $16.63. For comparison, that same film is listed at B&H in the US for $8.39.

Fujifilm hasn't said whether the pricing outside of Japan will be affected, but it seems possible that the higher costs will be implemented elsewhere. Given the recent tariffs, that seems especially likely in the US. If you're an analog photographer, it may be a good time to stock up on some film.

Image: Laowa

Venus Optics released a teaser of sorts in January for its first zoom probe lens, with a promised release date of sometime in Q2 this year. Details were slim at the time, but now, in conjunction with NAB, the company has revealed more information on the unique Probe Zoom macro lens.

The new full-frame probe lens from Laowa uses a modular design with four interchangeable front modules and two rear tubes. The rear tubes offer slightly different focal ranges, coming in at 15-24mm T8 and 15-35mm T12. Laowa says it is the "widest and largest range probe lens" available, with a 110.5° angle of view and a 2.3x zoom range.

Images: Laowa

The four front modules allow users to switch between a direct view, periscope, 35° view, and a new 90° view. Each module can rotate 360° independent of the focus and zoom ring with Laowa's patent-pending rotation design. Combined with the two rear tubes, this set enables eight combinations, making it a versatile option for macro content. The probe is 40cm (15.7") long, helping it reach subjects in tricky locations. Plus, the barrels are waterproof, opening up even more possibilities.

The January announcement promised a Q2 release, but things appear to be slightly delayed. The company now says that it will be available to ship in Q3 of this year, so macro enthusiasts have to wait a bit longer. Laowa did provide some details on pricing now, however. The Probe Zoom Macro 15-24mm T8 Direct View lens will be $3,499, and the 15-35mm T12 Direct View lens will be $3,999. Laowa says more details on the lens and pricing will be announced soon.

In addition to the new lens, Laowa also announced it is offering 10% off select products from April 3 to 13 on the Laowa Cine website and to selected resellers, including B&H.

Image: ProGrade

ProGrade Digital has announced three new products aimed at making storage extra portable. The company unveiled two highly compact SSDs that each promise fast speeds and excellent reliability, along with a memory card reader meant to work with the iPhone 16 line of phones to unlock 4K 120p recording.

ProGrade CFexpress Type A Mobile Reader

Image: ProGrade

Smartphone cameras are capable of impressive video quality, which is why many content creators rely exclusively on their phones to record video. But those files quickly eat up storage space. Plus, some formats are only unlocked with external recording, such as the iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max 120 fps ProRes recording mode. The new PGM12 CFexpress Type A mobile card reader from ProGrade aims to make it easier for users to take full advantage of their phone's recording capabilities.

The PGM12 card reader is a single-slot CFexpress Type A reader that ProGrade says offers the same performance as its full-sized card readers despite its more compact size. That means promised transfer rates of up to 1.25GB/s. It features a patented magnetic base and metal mounting plates with a flexible cable, making it feasible to mount to your phone or rig in multiple ways. The card reader is small enough to be attached to the back of an iPhone while also using a MagSafe charger, ensuring you don't run out of storage or battery.

"Our customers can now record video onto low-power, CFexpress Type A memory cards, at the highest possible quality, and not have to worry about running out of storage space, that might be experienced with a fixed capacity storage device," says ProGrade.

The PGM12 reader is available for preorder now for $80 and will ship at the end of April.

Buy now:

ProGrade Pro Mini USB 4.0 Solid State Drive

Image: ProGrade Digital

The ProGrade PG10.5 Pro Mini SSD is a compact SSD that, like the above card reader, is equipped with ProGrade’s patented magnetic base. It also comes with an adhesive metal plate, so you could mount it to any work surface or to ProGrade PG20 Pro Hub.

It uses USB 4.0 technology, resulting in a promised maximum bus speed of up to 40Gbits/sec. ProGrade says it will offer read speeds of 4000MB/s, a write speed of up to 3500MB/s. It should also provide a sustained write speed of 1250MB/s, which is critical for high-resolution video workflows. It's compatible with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.2 and 3.1 Type-C ports.

"The PG10.5’s small physical size and robust design also allow it to be easily removed from the workstation, studio environment, and easily used in more mobile, non-studio environments," said Wes Brewer, CEO and founder of ProGrade.

The PG10.5 Pro Mini SSD is now available for preorder. It comes in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities and is priced at $180, $300 and $550, respectively.

Buy now:

ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD

Image: ProGrade

SSDs keep getting smaller, as is the case with the ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD. This tiny device looks like a classic thumb drive but should offer better performance and reliability. After all, thumb drives aren't typically meant to be used as working drives, and they often don't last for extended periods, either.

The ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD, though, is more up to the needs of creative professionals. It uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology, and ProGrade promises read and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s and a sustained write speed of 300MB/s.

The tiny SSD features tethered caps that protect the Type-A and Type-C ports, while the IP65 rating provides water and dust resistance. It's also X-ray and shock-proof and comes with a three-year warranty.

"The PG30’s relatively small die-cast aluminum body, dual USB Type A and C connectors, coupled with an impressive IP65 dust and water rating, make it an ideal choice for all imaging professionals seeking the compatibility and reliability that ProGrade is known for," said Josh Brewer, Product Manager of ProGrade.

The ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD will be available for purchase at the end of April and comes in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.

Nikon announced the Z5 II mirrorless camera last night, but in addition to that announcement was another exciting update for Nikon videographers. The company revealed that Adobe will finally offer support for Nikon's N-Raw video format in Premiere Pro.

N-Raw is Nikon's proprietary 12-bit Raw video format. It supports Rec2020 color gamut and allows users to adjust white balance in post-production, much like what's possible with Raw photo files. As a result, it provides more flexibility during the editing process. Despite that extra data for editing purposes, it also produces smaller file sizes compared to Apple ProRes Raw. It's ideal for those who need editing flexibility while saving space on memory cards and hard drives.

DPReview's 2025 wishlist included increased N-Raw codec support from software makers since such a limited choice of editing programs reduces the value of that in-camera Raw capture. The only other options for editing N-Raw files are DaVinci Resolve and RedCine-X Pro, so it is great to see Adobe getting on board.

While support for N-Raw in Premiere Pro is certainly welcome news, users will have to wait until "the end of 2025." Nikon didn't provide more specifics than that, simply saying it will come with an updated version of Premiere Pro coming later this year.