Sony World Photography Awards category winners

The Sony World Photography Awards has announced the 10 category winners and 120 shortlisted photographers of its 2026 Open Competition. The contest, which is in its 19th year, aims to recognize the best single images taken in the past year. The 2026 edition received over 430,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories. The entries showcase a diverse range of imagery, including dramatic landscapes, humorous portraits and more.

The Open Photographer of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on April 16. The winner will receive a $5000 cash prize along with Sony imaging equipment. A selection of winning and shortlisted images will be on display as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House from April 17 to May 4, 2026.

You can see all of the shortlisted images at the World Photography Organization website.

Architecture

Photographer: Markus Naarttijärvi

Image name: Industrial Layers

Description: Taken on a dark night, this view of the paper mill in Obbola, Sweden, reveals layers of shadows, concrete, clouds and sky.

Technical details: Fujifilm GFX100s II | GF110mm F2 LM WR | F2.8 | 1/18 sec | ISO 3200

Copyright: Markus Naarttijärvi, Sweden, Winner, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Creative

Photographer: Siavosh Ejlali

Image name: Lost Hope

Description: In this image the photographer describes how the black plastic covering most of the woman’s face is a sign of ‘dark thoughts and the imposition of beliefs’, while the red balloon falling to the ground could be ‘her lost hope’. The background evokes Iranian urban society, which has been the setting for the recent demonstrations involving Iranian women, noting that 'the red clothes and lips are the bloody price that women have paid.’

Copyright: Siavosh Ejlali, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Landscape

Photographer: J Fritz Rumpf

Image name: Shapes and Patterns of the Desert

Description: An early morning glow brings out the rich pastel colours of the Sossusvlei dunes in Namibia. The contrast of the green and delicate peach colours almost overwhelms the senses; the patterns and textures emerging from the shadows give the landscape a distinctive, painterly look.

Technical details: Nikon Z8 | Nikkor Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR | F13 | 1/400 sec | ISO 200

Copyright: J Fritz Rumpf, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Lifestyle

Photographer: Vanta Coda III

Image name: Charlotte and Dolly

Description: Charlotte lies with her cow Dolly, keeping cool in the cow barn between events at the 100th State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg. Outside, the temperature is upwards of 32°C.

Technical details: Canon EOS R3 | RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM | F2.8 | 1/320 sec | ISO 500

Copyright: Vanta Coda III, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Motion

Photographer: Franklin Littlefield

Image name: Sailboat

Description: A punk show in Providence, Rhode Island, featuring the band Sailboat.

Technical details: Fujifilm X-S20 | XF 16mm F2.8 R WR | F2.8 | 1/2 sec | ISO 200

Copyright: Franklin Littlefield, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Natural World & Wildlife

Photographer: Klaus Hellmich

Image name: Arctic Fox in Blizzard

Description: A blue arctic fox in a blizzard, photographed on the Varanger Peninsula, Norway.

Technical details: Nikon Z8 | Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S | F2.8 | 1/50 sec | ISO 1000

Copyright: Klaus Hellmich, Germany, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Object

Photographer: Robby Ogilvie

Image name: Colour Divides

Description: Taken in the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood of Cape Town, South Africa, this image centres on a parked car set against a sharply divided colourful facade. The composition balances geometry and saturation; everyday architecture becomes graphic and deliberate, reflecting how colour and place shape urban identity.

Copyright: Robby Ogilvie, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Portraiture

Photographer: Elle Leontiev

Image name: The Barefoot Volcanologist

Description: On the ash plains of Mount Yasur, on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, Phillip, an internationally recognised, self-taught volcanologist, stands barefoot atop a volcanic rock bomb. Wearing a lava-protection suit gifted to him by some visiting researchers, the volcano smoulders behind him, sending a plume of gas and sulphur into the sky. Phillip grew up beneath the active volcano, and this portrait captures him in his element.

Technical details: Sony a7 III | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | F16 | 1/250 sec | ISO 320

Copyright: Elle Leontiev, Australia, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Street Photography

Photographer: Giulia Pissagroia

Image name: Between the Lines

Description: A family marvels at the view from Ørnevegen (Eagle Road), Norway, in this candid shot.

Technical details: Sony a7 IV | FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS | F22 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1250

Copyright: Giulia Pissagroia, Italy, Winner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Travel

Photographer: Megumi Murakami

Image name: Untitled

Description: The Abare Festival has been passed down for 350 years in Japan's Noto region. This image captures the festival’s finale, as men leap into the river amidst fiercely burning torches that send sparks flying everywhere. They rampage wildly, believing the more they rage, the more the deity rejoices.

Copyright: Megumi Murakami, Japan, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2026

DPReview has been selected as a Global Partner for CP+.

Each year in February, the camera industry gathers in Yokohama, Japan, for CP+ Expo, the industry's official trade show sponsored by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). What's more, DPReview has been selected as one of the founding Global Partners for CIPA's CP+ partnership program, bringing you exclusive news, insights, and hands-on access to the event.

CP+2026 runs from February 26th to March 1st. We've created a dedicated CP+ show page to help you track all the news from CP+ in one place. This is where you'll find our latest updates – including content that may not appear on our homepage – ranging from breaking news and hands-on impressions to behind-the-scenes looks at the event and more.

Let us know if there's anything specific you want us to watch for, and we'll keep our eye out!

Visit our CP+2026 show page

Photo: Mitchell Clark

Earlier this year, Nikon announced the Nikkor 24-105mm F4-7.1, a new, budget full-frame zoom lens designed to be kitted with its entry-level full-frame offering, the Z5II. We've put in some time with it to see how it performs.

As a note, while we've spent some time with the lens on a Z5II, our sample gallery was produced using the higher-resolution Z8; it's probably not a pairing you'll see often out in the wild, but we want to show the lens's image quality in as much detail as possible.

Jump to Sample Gallery

Speaking of, I'll admit that I had certain expectations coming into shooting with this lens. If you've ever used an inexpensive lens with a wide focal range and a relatively slow, variable aperture, you're probably aware that it's not a formula for great image quality. Despite that, I found the 24-105mm to be decently sharp for most of the frame, even wide open. Vignetting was also quite a bit better than I'd have guessed; it's there at F4, and doesn't fully go away until F8, but even wide open it's not too noticeable unless you're specifically taking comparison shots.

The shooting experience

In good light, the 24-105mm F4-7.1 produces impressive image quality for its price throughout its focal range. Nikon Z8 | Nikkor 24-105 F4-7.1 | 45mm | F5.6 | 1/50 sec | ISO 90

Nikon used a stepper motor to power this lens' autofocus, which is what we'd expect for this price range. It performs well; the lens is quick to focus, even when you're going from close up to near infinity. While it's not lightning fast, it'll get the job done for most types of shooting.

The 24-105mm extends quite a way out when you're zooming in, but despite this, its center of gravity doesn't change that much. It's a small thing, but it's nice not having to adjust your grip as you change focal lengths. I also didn't find that the lens forced me to hold it in a way that made me accidentally activate the customizable control ring.

It's not all sunshine, though. Even with modern cameras with stabilized sensors and decent high ISO performance, F7.1 is still quite slow. You don't get down to it until you're almost entirely zoomed in – even at 85mm, the lens can still maintain F6.3 – but it will limit what you can do with it. You won't want to shoot fast-moving subjects unless they're in bright sunlight, and while its longer focal lengths are theoretically decent for portraiture, you may not be able to get as much subject separation as you'd want.

Still, if you prefer the wide-end, it's worth noting that the maximum aperture stays relatively fast for a while. At 35mm it's F4.2, and it stays at or under F5.6 until around 62mm.

Summary

While these kinds of lenses are rarely the most exciting, Nikon has built a decent selection of kit zooms for its Z mount cameras. Retailing for $550 on its own and adding $350 to the retail price of the Z5II, this is the company's least expensive full-frame offering in that category by a fair margin. The 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR retails for $400 more, and adds an additional $450 onto the price of the Z5II. And while that lens is well-regarded, has stabilization and is faster at its long(er) end, it's also a fair bit heavier and a bit larger, though the size gap between them isn't as big as you might think given its extra reach.

While the 24-105mm isn't the kind of lens that most photographers will keep around forever, it seems like it offers a decent place to start for those who aren't sure yet where their photography journey will take them.

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; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

Mastering your autofocus settings lets you capture almost anything. Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 @ 77mm | F2.8 | 1/1250 | ISO 110 Photo: Richard Butler

If you've recently picked up your first camera and find yourself frequently getting out of focus images, it may be a sign that you need to tweak your focus settings. While autofocus seems like it should be simple and straightforward, camera manufacturers offer a long list of settings to adjust autofocus performance for different situations. All of those options can be incredibly confusing, especially if you’re new to photography. In this guide, we'll break down the most basic focus terms and settings to help you identify which are best for you and the subjects you photograph most often.

Focus modes

Some cameras have a physical control for autofocus mode, but most will handle it through their on-screen menus.

The first autofocus setting to consider is your camera's autofocus mode, which changes how the camera behaves once it starts focusing. Most cameras offer Continuous Autofocus (often referred to as AF-C or AI Servo on Canon) and Single Autofocus (AF-S on many brands, and One Shot on Canon). Many cameras also offer Automatic or Hybrid Autofocus (often called AF-A or AI Focus on Canon).

Single AF

AF-S focuses once, and then locks focus at that distance as long as you keep the button half-pressed. It's an ideal option when your subject is still, such as landscapes or product photography. This mode lets you focus and recompose if needed, knowing the focus won't change until you lift your finger.

Continuous AF

AF-C keeps updating focus as long as you hold the button, hence the continuous in the name. It adjusts in real time to moving subjects. As a result, you'll want to choose AF-C for any moving subjects, such as sports, wildlife, street photography, candid portraiture and more, as the camera will attempt to maintain sharp focus even as the subject changes position. Additionally, most modern cameras are very good at handling AF-C, so is the option we'd suggest most people stick to.

Auto AF

Lastly, Hybrid/auto AF lets the camera decide if AF-C or AF-S is best for a given situation. It's meant for times when you're not sure if things will stay stationary or start moving. It doesn't always do a great job of deciding when to switch, though, and leaving it set to this may limit other autofocus features you can use on certain cameras.

Focus area

Cameras give you multiple options regarding where in the frame it focuses.

The next consideration is the focus area setting. Focus areas indicate where the camera should focus within the frame. Each manufacturer provides slightly different options, but broadly speaking, these options vary from the camera detecting what it thinks should be in focus across the entire frame to ones that let you choose a precise spot.

Wide / Auto

The first option that many cameras offer is a Wide focus area. Many brands use some variation of Wide in the name, while others may call it something similar to Auto-area. This setting hands over control to the camera so it can select where to focus automatically across the frame. It's a convenient option for casual use, but it doesn't give you any input into what the camera will focus on. Because of this, you may end up disappointed by the results, especially if your subject isn't obvious or is partially blocked by something in the foreground.

Zone

Many cameras feature preset zone sizes, alongside customizable ones.

Zone, sometimes called Group area, gives you a step more control than wide/auto. It uses a group or block of AF points that you can move to different areas of the frame. The camera then decides where within that block it should prioritize focus. Like with wide/auto, it favors the closest subject or detected faces, making it good for group shots or sports where you know the player's general position.

Expanded point

The expanded point option starts from a chosen point, just like single-point AF, but adds a small cluster of surrounding points if the subject drifts off your main selection. It's an ideal everyday choice for moving subjects such as kids and pets, because it balances control with some camera assistance. It goes by many names depending on your brand, including Expand AF (Canon), Dynamic-area AF (Nikon), Expand Flexible Spot (Sony), Zone (Fujifilm), 1-Area+ (Panasonic) or Group Target (OM System).

Single-point

Canon calls its single-point focus area "1-point AF."

Single‑point is the most precise option and gives you the most control, but it’s best for still or slow-moving subjects. It lets you pick one focus point and place it exactly where you want sharpness, such as an eye in a portrait. Each brand has its own name for this, but most are something similar to Single-point AF or 1-point AF. Sony, however, calls it Flexible Spot. Some brands will also provide size options for that spot to give you more flexibility.

Tracking areas

Some cameras only give you one size of tracking box, while others let you choose from a few options.

Most modern cameras now offer some form of tracking AF. In this mode, you set your focus point on a subject, and the camera then moves the active point(s) around the frame to keep that subject in focus as you recompose or as the subject moves. It's an ideal option for erratic motion, such as sports, birds, pets or kids, especially when you combine it with continuous or auto AF and subject detection.

Each camera manufacturer handles tracking areas slightly differently, but there are generally three methods. Some brands allow you to choose any AF area mode and simply toggle tracking on or off. Others create tracking-specific duplicates of each area mode, though only when in AF-C. Lastly, some simply have one Tracking AF area mode (which Nikon calls 3D Tracking).

Subject detection and tracking

Canon's subject selection screen.

While tracking is a focus area setting, modern cameras also offer additional subject detection and tracking controls in separate menus. These settings are typically layered on top of whatever focus area you choose, meaning you can use your chosen method for selecting a subject while knowing the camera will better track a subject if it's one it recognizes.

Depending on your camera, you may have access to various subject types, including human, animal, birds and vehicles. With these modes, the camera will search for that specific subject and prioritize it if it's near your AF point. Additionally, most recent mirrorless cameras support some level of face/eye detection, which means the camera attempts to find faces or eyes within your chosen focus area and prioritizes them.

With each of these, your camera still primarily targets your AF point. That means that if something like a face shows up in the frame that isn't near your AF point, your camera won't suddenly ignore where you've specified it should focus. As a result, you can generally leave subject detection modes on without worrying that your camera will go rogue trying find faces or trains.

Each brand has its quirks

The above items are a general overview of basic autofocus terms. It's important to keep in mind, though, that each brand has its own naming conventions as well as quirks associated with all of the different features. In a later article, we'll provide a more in-depth look at brand-specific quirks so you can confidently set your autofocus for more consistently focused images.

I photographed this pup during an event called "Barktoberfest," where people dressed their pets for Halloween and brought them to work. He was fascinated by my camera, and followed me around peering into the lens, just begging me to take his photo. Some dogs just love being in front of the camera. Photo: Dale Baskin

Our February Editors' photo challenge theme is "Canine Capers."

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, February 15, and Saturday, February 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.

Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share 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 as soon as the challenge opens.

Visit the challenge page to submit your photo

A gigantic fin whale gently breaking the water's surface. What do you feel about the top-down shooting angle in this image? How does it compare to other top-down shots you've seen? (Disko Bay, Greenland) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4

Aerial photography has always offered a unique perspective, and recent technological advances have made this genre of photography more accessible than ever. But what are the implications for the wildlife we're trying to capture?

In this article, I'd like to share my thoughts about wildlife photography from the air, namely, using a manned aircraft (helicopter or light plane) or a drone. Photographing animals from the air is a somewhat controversial subject, both in terms of how the images look and the moral implications.

"A photographer shouldn't shoot wildlife from the air if doing so causes any serious distress or harm to the animals."

Let's address the second controversy first, since people tend to have strong feelings about it.

A photographer shouldn't shoot wildlife from the air if doing so causes any serious distress or harm to the animals. This means, for example, that if a bear is hunting, disturbing it with a buzzing drone and ruining the chase – and potentially depriving it of its prey – is wrong and shouldn't be done.

However, this does not mean that all aerial wildlife photography is wrong. Some animals simply aren't bothered by aircraft at a distance, so if photography is done responsibly and the animal's well-being is taken into account, there's no problem with shooting it from the air.

A family of walruses having a sleepover on a flat iceberg in Svalbard. These lazy blobs couldn't care less about my drone hovering above them. To make sure of that, my guide was monitoring their responses at all times using binoculars. (Magdalenefjord, Svalbard) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F6.3

Shooting from far away allowed me to show the shapes a flock of flamingos creates in flight. I was so far away that there's no way they would have been disturbed. (Sandwich Harbor, Namibia) Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM | ISO 400 | 1/1000 sec | F8

Now that we have this out of the way, let's talk about the actual photography. Aerial wildlife photography is awesome. Aircraft can fly to places the photographer can't reach by other means. It can offer a different perspective, for better or worse, and generally opens up options, which is what we want, assuming we are interested in creating original, interesting art.

That's the good part, but there is a bad part. Using an aircraft means that we almost surely cannot shoot the animal at eye level. This is detrimental in the sense that the photographer is very limited in the kind of connection they can create between the viewer and the subject.

"Wildlife photography is all about bringing the beauty of animals to life and immersing viewers in their habitats."

Wildlife photography is all about bringing the beauty of animals to life and immersing viewers in their habitats. Shooting from the air limits how close you can get and the shooting angle, which is a very serious disadvantage.

The way to overcome this disadvantage is to create a connection to the wildlife by other means. Namely, use the aircraft to create an interesting composition that shows the animal in its natural habitat in a visually appealing way.

Take, for example, the image below. This is a good example of an animal-in-landscape type of shot, which means a landscape image with a wildlife element. Here, the compositional 'punch' comes from the shapes of the broken sea ice. The pair of walruses is just the cherry on top – the element that breaks the pattern and injects interest into the flat, somewhat repetitive landscape.

A pair of walruses chilling on sea ice. While the wildlife is the main subject, the broader context of the animals in their habitat and the way I composed the landscape are what make this image work. To achieve this composition, I had to use a drone. (Yoldiabukta, Svalbard) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/240 sec | F6.3

I have a bit of a problem with top-down aerial photography, but there are instances where it just works.

Last summer, I shot lunge-feeding fin whales during my Greenland photo workshop, and the drone proved to be the perfect tool for this. Not only did it allow me to get a good view of the whale, free of reflections and close enough to show detail, but since the whales often swim turned to their sides, the drone allowed me to capture the full view of the animals' bodies and behaviors.

Fin whales lunge-feeding in Disko Bay, Greenland. The whales feed by driving krill to the surface, then taking huge gulps and filtering the tiny crustaceans with their baleen. (Disko Bay, Greenland) DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F3.2

Since the whale is on its side, this high angle was actually perfect to show all the desired detail. See the tiny krill? Am I the only one who thought of Shai Hulud (the sand worm from Dune)? (Disko Bay, Greenland DJI Mavic 3 Classic | 24mm F2.8 | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4

The fact that the whales feed turned to the side is exactly why I could shoot top-down (more or less) and still get the interesting parts of my subjects to show in the images.

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveller. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.

If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes and wildlife with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Zambia, China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and more.

Erez has recently published his first e-book, Solving the Puzzle, thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.

Selected Articles by Erez Marom:

• Lava Frenzy: Shooting Fagradalsfjall Volcano
• Behind the Shot: Tambora Sandwich
• Parallelism in Landscape Photography
• Black Hole Sun: Shooting the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina
• Winds of Change: Shooting Changing landscapes
• Demon of the Deep: Shooting Kawah Ijen Volcano
• Shooting Kīlauea Volcano, Part 1: How to Melt a Drone
• Whatever It Doesn't Take

This week, we published our review of the Fujifilm X-T30 III, the company's entry-level, SLR-shaped camera with a now venerable 26MP APS-C sensor. It's shown up in enough of the company's cameras that there are few surprises left when it comes to the image quality, but we still like to share some of the images we take with a camera during the review process.

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.

See the sample gallery

Image: VSCO

If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.

The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).

Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO

Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.

The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.

Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO

For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.

This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."

You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.

Image: VSCO

If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.

The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).

Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO

Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.

The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.

Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO

For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.

This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."

You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.

Image: Mitchell Clark

Setting up any new camera can be an overwhelming experience because of the extensive number of settings and options. Making matters worse, every brand has its own quirks in default settings and button functionality. Canon cameras are no exception, but the guide below highlights some of the most important settings to adjust on your new Canon camera to help you hit the ground running.

Some settings apply no matter what brand of camera you have, which we've covered in a separate article. You may want to start there, especially if you're a beginner. It's also important to remember that each shooting style and genre has different needs; the items below apply to most photographers rather than to specific niche settings. If you're setting up a new Canon camera, these will give you a good place to start before you fully customize it to your needs.

Engage Raw files

Canon provides two primary Raw types: Raw and compressed Raw (called CRaw).

To gain the flexibility of shooting Raw (or Raw + JPEG), access the "Image quality" option at the start of the Camera menus. Alternatively, you can also adjust image quality in the Q menu. It's important to note that when changing this setting in the main menu, you'll need to hit OK to approve, though you don't need to hit OK in the Q menu.

Like other camera brands, Canon offers a choice of Raw file formats. The primary Raw option provides uncompressed files, which is what we'd suggest for most people. CRaw applies lossy compression, particularly in deep shadows, limiting your processing latitude. Dual Pixel Raw is available on some cameras in a separate menu option, though we wouldn't recommend using it as it adds file size for little, if any, benefit.

Password settings

Canon has implemented a password feature, apparently to comply with international regulations, to prevent unauthorized access to other devices your camera may be connected to. Note that it's not intended to prevent or deter theft. It is present on all new models and has been added to many older ones with firmware.

If you have an older mirrorless camera without updated firmware, you will not encounter this (until you update the firmware). But if you turn on a new Canon camera that comes with this tool, or one with updated firmware, you'll see a screen requiring you to set a six-digit PIN, which you cannot bypass. The camera will then require that password whenever you start it up or when it wakes from sleep mode. While some may appreciate the slight increase in security, for most, it's just an annoyance, and we'd recommend turning it off right away.

On subsequent startups, your camera will display a box labeled "Do Not Ask Again." If you check that box, as you may guess, you won't be asked to enter the password again. You can also turn it off in the Manage Password menu (found in the yellow Setup menu) by accessing the "Pword Request" option.

You can also change your password in the Manage Password menu and see a log of password changes. If you forget your password, you can reset it using the "Clear entered information" option on the "Manage Password" screen. Be aware, though, that selecting that will conduct a full factory reset of the camera.

Keep track of AF tracking

Canon's recent R-series cameras have a menu option called ">Whole Area Tracking Servo AF" in the AF section of their menus. This prompts the camera to track whatever is under your chosen AF point (using the whole area of the screen) and can be engaged for any AF area mode, so long as the camera is set to continuous AF (Servo AF in Canon speak).

The easiest way of engaging this tracking mode is to bring up the Q menu and go to the autofocus area option (typically at the top left). You can engage and disengage tracking by pressing the Info button.

The Q menu makes it easy to toggle AF tracking on and off, particularly on more recent cameras. But remember that if your camera says 'Enable' it means it's already enabled, not that you need to press INFO to enable it.

One word of warning, though: on all but the most recent models, the Q menu screen will say "Enable" next to the icon representing tracking. This does not mean you need to press the 'Info' button to enable the function; it actually indicates that the function is already enabled. Don't be confused by this grammatical error. On the most recent models, this has been fixed, and the screen indicates whether tracking is On or Off.

On first-generation R-series cameras (EOS R, EOS RP, EOS R6 and EOS R5), setting the camera to track the subject of your choice is a little more complicated. First, you need to engage Face + Tracking as your AF area (called "AF method" in the main menus), then change another menu setting called "Initial Servo AF pt for Face + Tracking." This gives you an AF target in AF tracking mode, letting you specify what you want the camera to track.

This menu option will be in the AF section of the menus, if your camera has one, or the Custom Function setting section, if it doesn't.

Flexible Priority mode

Parameters with an underline are controlled automatically by the camera. If the underline is not present, that means you are controlling that setting. In this screenshot, the user is controlling shutter speed and aperture, while ISO is set to auto.

Many of Canon's mirrorless cameras offer an exposure mode called Fv mode that behaves similarly to Program, Av (aperture priority), Tv (shutter priority) and Manual all rolled into one, much like Pentax's Hyper Control System. On Canon EOS R‑series cameras (except the EOS R100, R50 and R50V, which lack Fv mode), you select Fv from the standard mode list via the Mode button or the mode dial, depending on the body. The feature lets you control the parameters most important to you, while the camera automatically sets the rest. It also makes it faster to adjust which setting you're controlling; you can simply twist the control ring to gain control over aperture, rather than having to switch to aperture priority mode.

When set to Fv mode, the camera automatically controls shutter speed, aperture, and ISO by default. However, the camera lets you change any combination of those three settings, as well as apply exposure compensation to adjust the camera's metering. You can control which setting the main dial controls, and also choose whether you want to have access to a second setting using the control ring built into RF lenses. From there, you're able to adjust them, just as you would in Tv, Av, or Manual mode. To hand control back to the camera, you can press a button that will reset either selected parameter or all of them to auto; which button does this depends on your camera.

While we like the idea of a mode that lets you control shutter and/or aperture, it also allows you to inadvertently set a manual ISO value, with the camera automatically setting aperture and shutter speed to match. This sort of ISO priority mode is never a sensible outcome, because it's a setting that should always follow from aperture and shutter speed, as they determine how much light your camera gets.

Maximum ISO

If you don't want the camera to use extremely high ISO values, you can set your own maximum.

A fairly common user complaint with Canon cameras is that they tend to use quite high ISOs in low light conditions when ISO is set to auto. This risks leaving newer users frustrated and confused by noisy images. To help with this, Canon, like other brands, lets you set a maximum Auto ISO value in the ISO settings menu, so the camera won't exceed the limit you choose. If you're annoyed by your camera using high ISOs and you're prepared to deal with the camera hitting its ISO limit, you may want to set a lower Max ISO value. It's not something we'd recommend for everyone, but it is worth considering based on your preferences and shooting style.

Shooting HDR photos

Almost all of Canon's EOS R cameras are able to shoot true HDR images that will look more vibrant and lifelike when viewed on an HDR-capable TV, computer monitor or phone (it's only EOS R, RP and R100 users that miss out). However, it's worth noting that Canon offers two similarly-named options: "HDR Shooting (PQ)" that captures a single image and renders it so that it looks good on HDR devices, and HDR Mode, which shoots three images and merges them into a heavily-processed looking image for playback on standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. The first of these modes can be really good; the second, we'd suggest avoiding.

HDR (PQ) files are captured in the HEIF format, but the cameras will let you shoot HEIF + Raw, so you can process a standard JPEG later, if you want, either in-camera or in desktop software.

If you capture a Raw file with HDR Shooting engaged, you can reprocess it as an HDR HEIF or an SDR JPEG, but you cannot process a Raw shot in standard mode into HDR.

On some models, the camera will recommend enabling "Highlight Tone Priority" (HTP), which reduces exposure to capture additional highlight information. More recent models automatically engage HTP (though you can override this in the Highlight Tone Priority menu, if you insist). We would strongly recommend using HDR Shooting and HTP together: the results look great.

Customize your camera for your needs

Custom buttons

As you might expect, all Canon models also let you customize the functions assigned to several of their buttons. This is typically done via either the "Customize buttons for shooting" in the green, Customized Controls section of the menu on newer cameras or "Customize buttons" in the orange, C.Fn section on older models.

All Canon R series cameras let you customize their buttons, it's just a question of where you find the settings.

It's more deeply hidden in the R100, but it is there (Function settings / Custom Functions / Custom controls).

M-Fn button

Canon cameras give you a couple of ways of getting semi-fast access to the settings you might want to change regularly. Most R models (except the R100, R50 and R50V) have an M-Fn button next to the shutter that lets you access up to 10 functions, controlled with the front and rear dials.

The M-Fn button brings up a selection of settings that can be controlled with the front and rear dials. This can be extensively modified from a page hidden deep in the Customize buttons menu. It includes the option to disengage settings so you only have the options you want on the dial you prefer.

This can be customized by going your camera's Customize buttons menu, as described above. If you then select M-Fn or assign its "Dial Func" function to any other button, then press INFO, it'll take you into a sub-sub-sub-menu called "Dial function settings" that lets you choose which functions are assigned to which dial, in which order.

Q menu

The Q menu can be customized on most R series cameras (though not the original R6 and R5).

As well as this, there's the Q menu, which arrays up to eleven settings down the left and right of the live view display. On most of the last two generations of models, this can be customized, so that you can just have the settings you most often change populating the menu. The menu option, typically called either "Quick Control customization" or "Customize Quick control" found in the red, Camera menu. You may, for instance, decide that you would prefer quick access to the HDR PQ settings, rather than having full-time access to the image quality settings.

These are the settings we usually adjust, and the ones recommended by our community. Are there any others you'd recommend changing?

$1000 might sound like a lot of money for a camera, but it's probably the least we'd recommend spending if you want to go beyond phone photography, especially as photography equipment is steadily getting more expensive. The picks on this list will give you more control than a phone and offer a more satisfying photographic experience.

At this price point, your options will be entry-level interchangeable lens cameras or larger-sensor compact cameras with built-in lenses. Compacts offer more control than a phone and a greater zoom range, but likely won't offer a huge jump in image quality compared to the latest flagship phones (despite their typically larger sensors).

Meanwhile, an interchangeable lens camera won't be as easy to carry around and comes with the added expense of lenses. However, they can make you feel even more involved in the photographic process, and the flexibility of swappable lenses will let you learn and grow into different types of photography as you develop your passion. They also feature much larger sensors than phones and the majority of compacts.

It's worth noting that camera makers sometimes assume that beginners will stick with the basic 'kit' zoom that comes with the camera, so it's worth checking whether a good selection of lenses is available (at a price you're willing to spend) before deciding which brand's system to buy into.

Our recommendations:

• Best camera under $1000: Canon EOS R10
• The better performer: Nikon Z50II
• The affordable kit: Sony a6100
• Best compact camera under $1000: Canon G7X III
• Best camera for content creators under $1000: Fujifilm X-M5

Best camera under $1000: Canon EOS R10

24MP Dual Pixel APS-C CMOS sensor | 4K/30p video (60p with crop) | 15fps shooting (23fps with e-shutter)

Photo: Shaminder Dulai

There are a few things that earn it the top spot on this list. The first is its stand-out usability, with dual top-plate dials for controlling exposure settings and a joystick to control its very capable autofocus system. It also has a decent selection of lenses; third parties like Sigma and Tamron have stepped in to round out the selection of primes and higher-end zoom lenses available for it, so you have several good options for moving beyond the kit lens that came with it, something that isn't necessarily true with Nikon's system.

Overall, the EOS R10 is a very capable camera for its price point, and offers a lot of room to grow for those starting out in photography, especially now that there's a reasonable selection of APS-C lenses for it.

Read our Canon EOS R10 review

See Canon EOS R10 studio scene

The other options

While we much prefer the higher level of control that the EOS R10 provides, the less expensive Canon EOS R50 may also be worth a look if you're extremely budget-conscious but still want to stay in the Canon ecosystem. It has fewer control points – most notably, it misses out on the EOS R10's joystick – and it loses out on features such as 4K/60p video capture and faster burst rates, but it's still pretty capable.

We don't recommend the cheaper still EOS R100. It's based on a previous generation of technology, so it's slower and has less sophisticated autofocus.

We also like the Fujifilm X-T30 III in this price bracket. While its autofocus isn't quite as easy to use as Canon's, it has a flexible Auto mode that still gives you a fair level of control to let you grow into the camera, and a kit lens whose wide-angle focal range will be familiar to phone photographers. Fujifilm's "Film Simulation" JPEG color mode help it deliver really attractive out-of-camera images, and the retro design language has proven popular, too.

The better performer: Nikon Z50II

20.9MP APS-C sensor | Subject recognition AF | Full-width 4K video up to 30p

Photo courtesy Nikon

The Z50II makes a case for being the best pick for beginners, thanks to a simple and mostly reliable AF system with automatic subject detection. Nikon has introduced a bright standard zoom lens for APS-C, providing a solid upgrade path from the kit lens, but hasn't allowed third parties to make similar lenses available on its mount, so you have fewer options than with other brands, overall.

Read our Nikon 50II review

What about the Z fc?

Nikon's Z fc is a stylish camera based on the original Z50, which means it has the same sensor as the Z50II. We like it a lot, but the autofocus on the Z50II is such a marked improvement that it's hard to recommend picking up a Z fc at this point – you can read our full comparison between the two cameras here. If you have a strong attachment to the Z fc's aesthetics, your best option is probably holding off for a bit to see if Nikon updates the Z fc. If that's not an option, see if you can get it on sale or used.

The affordable kit: Sony a6100

24MP APS-C sensor | Hybrid AF with Real-time Tracking | 4K video capture

The Sony a6100 offers a lot of power in a compact, well-priced body. The 16-50mm power zoom isn't the best, though. Photo: Richard Butler

It was a very capable and affordable camera when it was launched several years ago, offering some of the best autofocus around and a wide selection of lenses. The latter part is still an advantage, but many competitors' autofocus systems are now on par with the a6100's. However, it's still worth considering if you want to get both a camera body and a decent prime lens for under $1,000.

The a6100 is the most basic model in the a6000-series and doesn't feel quite as robust as its step-up siblings. It offers a lower-resolution electronic viewfinder, and control dials that are both thumb-operated. Its touchscreen flips upward 180-degrees for easy selfie framing and vlogging. It also uses Sony's old menu system, which can be a chore to work with.

Read our Sony a6100 review

See the Sony a6100 studio scene

Best compact camera under $1000: Canon G7X III

20MP Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor | 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens | 4K/30p video capture

The PowerShot G7X III can deliver excellent image quality, backed up by good (though not great) autofocus

The Canon PowerShot G7X III is the last in what used to be a popular style: the pocketable enthusiast photographers' compact, with a relatively large Type 1 20MP sensor and bright zoom lens. Canon has added features to make it more vlogging-friendly, but the clicking control wheel gives a satisfying, hands-on shooting experience.

A note on availability: the PowerShot G7X III has been difficult to get for a while, but Canon has recently reiterated that it's working on ramping up production. Still, getting your hands on one for anything near its original MSRP may require some patience.

Read our Canon PowerShot G7X III review

See the Canon PowerShot G7X III studio scene

Best camera for content creation: Fujifilm X-M5

26MP APS-C BSI CMOS sensor | Fully articulated 3" LCD | 6.2K 3:2 video up to 30p

It's aimed at creators taking pictures and video for the web, with a suite of vlogging features that let you shoot video that's ready to upload as soon as you transfer it to your phone. It also has a dial for easily switching between 'Film Simulations,' Fujifilm's much-loved color modes, and the full suite of stills features from larger, more expensive models – minus a viewfinder. Its support for X-mount lenses also gives you access to the most complete range of APS-C lenses, no matter what journey you're on.

Read our Fujifilm X-M5 review

See the Fujifilm X-M5 studio scene

What if I only vlog?

If you plan to shoot more videos than photos, it's worth considering the Canon PowerShot V1. It's a compact camera built for vlogging with its integrated 16-50mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 lens, large (for a compact) Type 1.4 (18.4 x 12.3mm) sensor, complete with optical image stabilization and an ND filter. While we don't think it offers an especially enjoyable photography experience, features like a built-in fan for cooling, headphone and microphone ports, very usable stabilization and the ability to shoot 4K60p with a 1.4x crop make it a quite powerful video camera for its size.

Click here to read the Canon PowerShot V1 review

If you only care about vlogging, and want an even more pocketable option, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 comes in under $1000 and can't be beat when it comes to stabilization thanks to its built-in gimbal. That, and the ability to sync with DJI's wireless microphones, earn it the top spot in our dedicated vlogging buying guide.

Click here to read our Best Cameras for Vlogging buying guide

Why you should trust us

This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview's editorial team. We don't select a camera until we've used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.

American Robin with Cherry Tree in the background. Fujifilm X-T3 w/ AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR | F5.6 | 1/2400 sec | ISO 800 Photo: Morris Altman AKA Morris0

Continuing our new series on photography and gear, DPReview community member Morris Altman (AKA Morris0) shares how a childhood curiosity sparked by his parents’ camera grew into a lifelong passion for wildlife and avian photography – one that’s evolved into a finely tuned, travel‑ready Fujifilm setup built for lightness and precision.

After more than fifty years behind the lens, his bag today reflects both experience and intentional simplicity: every piece has its place.

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'What's in your bag?'

Morris0's photography journey

Based in New York City, Morris0 spends much of his time photographing wildlife along the Eastern Flyway, a prime route for migratory birds. Avian subjects dominate his portfolio, though his award-winning work also spans mammals, flowers, landscapes, and even aviation.

"I worked hard to refine my knowledge of lighting and composition, both of which I had learned from my father. I’ve won awards for the following types of photography: avian, mammals, insects, flowers, landscape and aviation," he tells us.

"I worked hard to refine my knowledge of lighting and composition, both of which I had learned from my father."

"As if I weren’t busy enough raising a family and working as an IT director, I also served as a school board president. I studied both computers and technical theater in college and even worked on Broadway as a lighting and sound designer. Today, I’m retired and loving it. I spend much of my time taking pictures and sharing what I’ve learned about photography."

When did you get started in photography?

"I’ve been taking photos since I was seven years old, using my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic 127 with those crazy flash cubes. My dad was an illustrator and comic strip artist, and I learned composition and the use of light from him. I was doing my own darkroom work by the age of ten and got my first SLR, a Canon AE‑1, at eighteen."

"While I’ve been taking photos for most of my life, it was around the year 2000 that I became truly passionate about photography. That was also when I went digital, started sharing my work online, and began entering various contests."

Wood duck in flight with long exposure to blur the wings. Fujifilm X-H2S w/Nikon 500mm f/5.6E @ 500mm | F/6.3 | 1/60 sec | ISO 800 Photo: Morris0

How have you upgraded your camera setup over the years?

"When digital came along, I first got a Canon G1, which was fantastic. Even with a teleconverter adapter, though, the focal length was too short for wildlife photography. My solution was to get a Fujifilm FinePix S602, since I couldn’t justify the cost of a DSLR at the time.

"When photographing birds, he leans on Fujifilm’s XF 500mm for tight shots, paired with a 1.4x teleconverter for added reach."

As my family’s finances improved, my wife told me to get the DSLR setup of my dreams, so I purchased a Nikon D70s along with an assortment of lenses."

What's in your bag, Morris0?

Morris0’s current kit is built around two Fujifilm X‑H2 bodies, each carried on cross‑body straps so he’s always ready to shoot. The bag is for transport only. Once he’s in the field, both cameras are out and active.

When photographing birds, he leans on Fujifilm’s XF 500mm for tight shots, paired with a 1.4x teleconverter for added reach. If he expects large flocks or wider compositions, his second body carries the XF 70–300mm F5.6.

• Main Camera: Fujifilm X-H2S
• Lenses: XF 500mm F5.6 and a XF 70-300mm F5.6
• 1.4x and 2x telconverters
• Sirui W-2204 waterproof carbon fiber tripod
• Jobu Junior 3 gimbal head, and a Gitzo ball head
• Think Tank Airport Advantage Roller
• ORORO heated glove liners
• Tilley LTM6 Airflo sun hat
• Desiccant packs and cleaning cloths
• Battery pouches with Fuji batteries
• A pouch with hex keys

Morris0's Think Tank Photo Airport Advantage Roller backpack with camera, lens and other accessories. Photo: Morris0

Why are these accessories in your bag?

"The heated gloves I use are Ororo heated glove liners, which are very thin and allow me to feel all the controls on my camera. Being able to feel the controls means I don’t have to take my eye off the viewfinder, which is a huge advantage when photographing action. There are several brands of heated gloves, but I’ve only tried these, and they’ve kept my hands warm even at -8°C (17°F). The batteries last a few hours, so carrying spares for long outings is a must."

"My hat is a Tilley LTM6 Airflo Sun Hat. The vent on top helps keep my head cool by letting the breeze flow through, making hot days in the sun much more comfortable. The wide brim provides excellent shade, and I also use the hat in the rain – it’s made of canvas and keeps water off my shoulders and face. It even works well in the snow when I wear it over my hood."

The top level of Morris0's packed camera bag. Photo: Morris0

How did you end up becoming a Fujifilm photographer?

"I developed several pinched nerves in my neck and wrist that made my Nikon gear far too heavy to use. I couldn’t shoot for about six months, and when I finally could, I decided to lighten my load, likely the source of my problems."

"Switching to the Fujifilm X‑T3 paired with the XF 100-400mm lens was my solution. At that time, very few people were photographing birds in flight with that setup, which led me to explore the custom AF‑C settings. After a lot of experimenting, I shared my findings and settings with the community."

"When I first switched to Fujifilm, I worried that the XF 100-400mm wouldn’t hold up to my demanding shooting style – and I was right. When I sent it in for repair, I tried a Sigma 150–600mm with the then‑new Fringer Adapter and discovered how well they worked together. While I loved the performance of the 150-600mm, the long rotation required for zooming began to strain my arm. Eventually, I transitioned to the Nikon 500mm PF with the Fringer Adapter, and that legendary lens performed beautifully on the X‑T3."

The sun burns through the fog at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Fujifilm X-H2S w/ Fujinon XF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR | F5.6 | 1/900 sec | ISO 1600 Photo: Morris0

You're known for your love of birds. How did this come about?

"Living in New York City, I’m fortunate to be along the Eastern Flyway, which brings a variety of seasonal birds to photograph. I also love to travel and have visited many national parks and cities. While I often shoot alone, I enjoy working in small groups and mentoring other photographers."

"I’ve had many wonderful photography trips, but the most recent, visiting Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and White Sands National Park, was truly special. It included the best single day of photography I’ve ever experienced. The day began before sunrise at a crisp, cool -8°C (17°F), with fog and frost covering everything. The pre‑dawn light was incredible, and the entire landscape glowed orange.”

Snow Owl Photographed on the South Shore of Long Island on a foggy morning. Nikon D200 w/ AF-S Nikkor 80-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 260mm | F8 | 1/800 sec | ISO 400 Photo: Morris0

Morris0's advice for other photographers

"Some digital photography advice for you all: simplify your setup, both to keep weight down and so that you can be intimate with your equipment. Invest in clothing and accessories that keep you comfortable, as it's much harder to be creative and to operate your gear if you're miserable."

You can also visit Morris0's social media channels on Facebook and his portfolio website.

Some responses have been edited for clarity and flow.

Editor's note: This article continues a new series, 'What's in your bag?', highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you're selected for a feature, we'll be in touch with next steps.

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Image: Westend61 / Westend61 via Getty Images

Welcome back to our Question of the Week series! This reader-focused series aims to get our photographic community to share thoughts on all sorts of photography-related topics in our forums. We pose questions about gear, favorite camera stores, advice, problem-solving and more, and you share your thoughts and opinions.

This week, we’re leaning into the holiday spirit! The season of giving (and occasionally re-gifting) is upon us, and that means it’s time to unwrap some memories – both heartwarming and hilarious.

What are the best (and worst) photography-related gifts you've received?

What’s the best photography-related gift you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a dream lens that caused you to take on an adventure deep in the mountains, or a handmade camera strap that’s now an essential part of your kit. And what about the worst? Perhaps someone thought you needed yet another "World’s Best Photographer" mug, or that odd lens filter set that turned every photo a shade of green.

In this edition of our Question of the Week series, we want to hear your gift stories: the memorable, the useful and the truly baffling. Share your favorites (and flops) in the forum link below. Photos of the gifts (or what you created with them) are also more than welcome! We'll highlight some of your most entertaining and heartfelt responses in next week's roundup.

Click here to answer the Question of the week

Each year in February, the camera industry gathers in Yokohama, Japan, for CP+ Expo, the industry's official trade show sponsored by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). DPReview is proud to be one of four Founding Global Media Partners for the inaugural CP+ partnership program, bringing you exclusive news, insights, and hands-on access to the event.

CP+ runs from February 26th to March 1st. Visit this hub for pre-show announcements, hands-on impressions from the expo floor, interviews with industry executives, behind-the-scenes looks at what it takes to cover this critical event for the camera industry.

86%

Overall score

Jump to conclusion

The Fujifilm X-T30 III is the company's latest entry-level, SLR-shaped mirrorless camera, with its latest color mode recipes and autofocus.

Key specifications

• 26MP X-Trans APS-C BSI CMOS sensor
• Film simulation dial with recipe positions
• Tilt up/down rear screen
• 2.36M dot EVF
• 4K/60 video with 1.18x crop, 6.2K/30 full-sensor capture
• 315 shot-per-charge battery life, 425 in power saving mode

The X-T30 III is available at a recommended price of $999. There is also the option to buy the camera with a new, unusually wide, 13-33mm F3.5-6.3 OIS zoom lens, which will cost around $1150.

Index

• What's new?
• What is it?
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Image Quality
• Autofocus
• Video
• In Use
• The Auto Experience
• Conclusion
• Sample gallery
• Specifications
• Press release

What's new?

The Film Simulation dial on the camera's shoulder has three custom positions that can be assigned to film simulations or the simulation-and-parameter-tweak combinations known as 'recipes.'

The X-T30 III, as the name implies, is an iterative update of the existing X-T30 II. It gains the latest Fujifilm processor, which brings subject recognition autofocus. This brings it into line with the X-M5 and X-T50.

It also gains a Film Simulation dial, instead of the drive mode dial on the previous X-T30 models. Like the more expensive X-E5, the three custom positions on the dial can be set up to store 'recipes': sets of JPEG processing settings that modify the behavior of an underlying film simulation.

The more powerful processor also brings a boost in the video features, with 60fps 4K video options (with a 1.18x crop) and the option to shoot using the whole sensor in 6.2K resolution at up to 30fps.

Finally, the X-T30 III becomes the first model to be offered with a new 13-33mm F3.5-5.6 stabilized kit zoom. This offers an unusually wide 20-50mm equivalent range, which is likely to be a welcome capability for photographers whose previous experience has mainly been with the wide-angle cameras on smartphones.

What is it?

The X-T30 III maintains the classic-SLR looks of the X-T series.

The X-T30 III plays the same role in the lineup as its predecessor did: the least expensive SLR-shaped camera in the Fujifilm range. Like the Mark II and the X-M5, it's built around an unstabilized 26MP BSI CMOS sensor. It's an APS-C-sized chip with Fujifilm's proprietary X-Trans filter pattern in front of it. This was originally designed to reduce visible errors in images, but increasingly just seems to make the files a little trickier to process.

The X-T30 III offers a decent set of features: it'll shoot moderately quickly, captures good quality video and offers a range of subject-recognition AF modes, making it quick and easy to focus on common subject types. It also has a switch to jump quickly to its Auto mode that tries to select the appropriate scene mode and settings for whatever you point it at. It's also somewhat unusual in still offering a small pop-up flash.

The standout feature of the X-T30 III, in common with the rest of the Fujifilm range, is the provision of its film simulation color modes, giving you a selection of (mostly) well-judged, attractive color responses for your images. The Mk III puts these at your fingertips by providing a dedicated dial, making it easy to experiment with the different looks it offers.

How it compares

The X-T30 III is one of Fujifilm's entry-level models. The viewfinder means it's a little more expensive than the rangefinder-style X-M5, but it has a list price lower than that of the image-stabilized X-S20. We'll include the X-S20 as the most affordable stabilized APS-C camera.

In terms of rivals, the Nikon Z50II is probably the most like-for-like competitor, with Canon's EOS R10 also offering similar specs for similar money. We're omitting the distinctly elderly Sony a6400 as it only shoots 8-bit video and doesn't have such extensive subject recognition AF. The OM System lineup either offers the OM-D E-M10 IV for less money or the OM-5 II for more, both are built around smaller but stabilized sensors. The OM-5 II is the least expensive mirrorless camera to offer an 'IP' rating for its weather sealing.

In spec terms, there's not much to choose between these models. What the chart can't show is that the Nikon probably has the best autofocus tracking performance here, with the Canon a very close second (it's a little less dependable in video mode). This is still something of a weakness for the Fujifilm, though its subject-recognition modes do well.

Both the Canon and Nikon handle better than the Fujifilm, having fewer, but in our experience, better laid-out controls that are harder to operate accidentally. The Fujifilm's Auto switch will be handy for some users and anyone looking for a camera to grow into is more likely to find the lenses they want in the X mount, but the offerings for Canon and Nikon are (finally) improving, so it's worth investigating whether the lenses you think you might want are available for each system, before picking a camera body.

The X-T30 III is also the smallest camera here and offers a wider array of attractive color modes than its rivals. There's also the option of that unusually wide kit zoom.

Body and handling

The X-T30 II offers plenty of hands-on control, including two clickable command dials, an exposure comp dial and an AF joystick, but these have all been fitted into a small space.

The body of the X-T30 III is essentially the same as the one from previous X-T30 models, meaning it's slightly smaller than the X-T50 and lighter. A ridge down the front of the camera and a protruding bump on the back means it fits firmly in the hand, and feels secure thanks to the tactile rubber coating, front and rear.

The X-T30 III has a fair degree of external control, including six buttons that can be customized and four swipeable directions on the rear touch screen. It also has two well-positioned clickable command dials, a dedicated exposure comp dial and dedicated shutter speed dial, as well as that film simulation dial.

There's also a joystick for positioning the AF point or navigating the menus and flick switches under two of the dials to activate the flash and to engage full Auto mode.

While we're pretty impressed, overall with this level of direct and customizable control, we find it's perhaps a little overwhelming on a body this small. If you have larger fingers, or don't know what all the controls do, the X-T30 III risks being a bit of a handful. The clicking button under the front command dial can also be easy to inadvertently press when holding the camera or trying to change your settings, which, by default, will cycle it to control a different parameter than the one you were attempting to change. Of course, you can customize it to perform only a single function to avoid that problem.

The X-T30 III only has three ports on its right-hand side, but they offer a lot of functions.

In terms of ports, the X-T30 III has a 2.5mm socket that serves double-duty as a remote control connector or a mic input. Most mics use a 3.5mm plug, so you'll need an adapter to attach one. Below this there's a USB socket that can be used for charging the camera, transferring data or connecting a pair of headphones, with the supplied adapter.

Finally, there's the micro HDMI socket for outputting video or a Raw video data stream that can then be encoded by either a BlackMagic or Atomos external recorder to BRaw or ProRes Raw, respectively. This isn't the obvious model to do that from, especially not given how delicate micro HDMI sockets can be, but it's nice that Fujifilm hasn't omitted a feature this hardware can support.

Battery

The X-T30 III uses the same 8.7 Wh NP-W126S battery as most of Fujifilm's smaller cameras. It powers the camera to a rated value of 315 shots per charge, or 425 in 'Economy' mode. These numbers don't reflect the number of shots you'll get from the camera (getting twice the rated figure isn't unusual, depending on your use of image review, flash or burst shooting), but they're broadly comparable between cameras.

A figure of over 300 shots per charge is good for this class of camera and is likely to mean you can use it for a weekend of casual shooting without having to think about the battery. The battery can be recharged over USB.

Image Quality

The X-T30 III has proven image quality. Fujifilm X-T30 III | Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR | F5 | 1/680 sec | ISO 320 Photo: Mitchell Clark

Fujifilm is using a very familiar sensor in the X-T30 III, as it's the same one that appeared in the previous two iterations of the X-T30 (and older versions of the more expensive X-T series). It's also the same sensor/processor combination that we saw in the Fujifilm X-M5.

None of this should be read as a complaint; the images from these cameras capture a good level of detail in Raw, with ever so slightly less than other 26MP models, potentially because of Fujifilm's 'X-Trans' color filter design not playing particularly well with Adobe Camera Raw. We've also found that the JPEGs don't always make fine details pop, a situation that gets slightly worse at higher ISOs when noise reduction is being applied, though you may not even notice either unless you're zooming or cropping pretty far into your images.

If you're a beginner photographer, though, don't take those quibbles as a reason to avoid the X-T30 III. Its image quality and dynamic range are very good, and those factors won't hold you back as you build your skills. Plus, you'll benefit from Fujifilm's well-considered JPEG colors, which have proven to be crowd-pleasing.

Shutter shock

One caveat to its otherwise good image quality is that, when paired with the 13-33mm kit lens, there can often be noticeable shutter shock in images taken with the lens zoomed in. This manifests as them looking not particularly sharp when you zoom in on them (though typically they'd still be acceptable to post on social media or to send to friends).

The easiest way to avoid this is to set the camera to use the electronic first curtain shutter (using the "E-Front + mechanical" mode so that it switches back to mech shutter at fast shutter speeds), especially if you plan to shoot at our around 1/100 sec shutter speed, or if you're letting the camera automatically set your shutter speed. Fujifilm programs its more entry-level cameras to use a faster shutter speed in auto, which means that, when paired with lenses up to 35mm, the X-T30 III's minimum shutter speed in several of its modes will be 1/100 sec; directly in the problematic range.

The issue also isn't as prevalent with all lenses; we didn't see much shutter shock when we tested it with the 35mm XF F2 lens, despite its focal length being very similar to the long end of the kit lens, where the issue is most noticeable.

Autofocus

Fujifilm X-T30 III | Fujifilm XC 13-33mm F3.5-6.3 OIS | 30mm | F6.1 | 1/180 sec | ISO 320 Photo: Mitchell Clark

The X-T30 III uses essentially the same autofocusing system as the rest of the company's modern cameras. It lets you select what you want to focus on with a variety of AF area sizes, ranging from a single point if you're trying to be precise, to the "Wide" mode that hands control of what to focus on over to the camera. If your camera is set to continuous focus mode, Wide mode is replaced by a tracking box, which will attempt to stick to whatever you put it over as it or the camera moves.

You can select the focus point using the joystick on the back of the camera or by tapping directly on your desired subject using the touchscreen. There's also the option to use a customizable portion of the touchscreen as a joystick when your eye is up to the EVF.

The tracking option gives you a single-size box, but other modes offer more precision.

The X-T30 III has AI-trained subject detection modes for humans, animals, birds, cars, motorcycles/bikes, airplanes and trains. The settings for human detection are separate from the other subject detection modes, which, in most cases, makes it a small hassle to switch between them. You'll either have to set up two custom buttons or delve into the Q menu if you want to go from taking pictures of people to a non-human subject, or vice versa.

The subject recognition works no matter what your focus point selection method is, and it does a good job of only trying to focus on a recognized subject that's directly under or quite close to your chosen AF point. That means you can leave subject detection on without worrying that the camera will try to jump to a recognized subject if it's somewhere else in the scene.

This means you can use the AF area to specify which subject you want to focus on, if there's more than one in the scene. This works less well in Wide mode, where the camera is choosing where to focus. It'll only indicate a single recognized subject, and though you can use the joystick to pick another, you won't really be sure of what it'll select. Similarly, if the current subject turns away, the camera will leap to any other subject it can find. Generally, we find you can get more out of the subject recognition modes when you select an AF area to tell the camera what to focus on.

Autofocus performance

When it comes to photographing relatively static scenes or subjects the camera can recognize, it does a decent job of getting things in focus, even if they're moving at moderate speeds. For everyday photography, its single and continuous autofocus modes will likely get the job done.

If you're trying to shoot sports, action or even particularly squirmy pets or children, though, the story may be a bit different. As with many of Fujifilm's cameras, tracking non-recognized or fast-moving recognized subjects isn't the X-T30 III's strong suit. Even in decent lighting, there were several times when the tracking box would wander off the static subject we wanted it to stick to, and even if it does stick to something, it may slightly misjudge the focus or just not be able to keep up with a subject moving quickly towards it (though it's hard to say how much of that is on the camera, versus on the lens).

While there were just as many times that it let us successfully use the track and recompose method, it'd be hard to trust it as much as a similar camera from Nikon, Canon or Sony in a situation where you only had a limited amount of time to get the shot. This isn't to say that you can't get the shots you want with the X-T30 III; you can, with a little bit of practice. It's just that other cameras may make it a bit easier.

Video

The X-T30 III's video specs are competitive, but there are other models better suited to video within the range.

The X-T30 III gains all the video modes we've seen appear in this generation of 26MP Fujifilm models. In many respects, it's a sensor better suited to video than the 40MP chip in their more expensive models, because it doesn't have to read out so much data to produce its 4K footage.

The X-T30 II can capture full-sensor, 'open gate' footage at up to 30p in 6.2K resolution, or it can deliver 4K derived from this 6.2K resolution in more common aspect ratios. It can shoot 4K at up to 60p with a slight crop, and also has a "9:16 short movie mode" like the X-M5, allowing you to record vertical videos from a center crop of the sensor, without having to actually turn the camera on its side.

Like the X-M5, it produces relatively detailed video in its 6K and 4K/24 modes, though you'll lose a bit of quality if you shoot 4K above 30fps (with the trade-off being that you can change the playback framerate when you're editing, producing slow-motion footage.) The camera lets you use its Film Simulations in video as well, including the subtle, attractive 'Eterna' Sim designed for video, and supports recording HDR video using the HLG tone curve. It also offers FLog and FLog2 tone curves. These trade convenience – you'll have you edit your footage before it's ready for viewing – for flexibility, giving you the ability to adjust lightness and tones when you're editing, either manually, or with a pre-made LUT (Look Up Table) that lets you easily apply a specific look to your footage.

However, while the video specs are more than solid for this class of camera, the X-T30 III's lack of image stabilization makes the X-T30 II a harder camera to shoot good footage with (a flaw shared by the rest of the cameras in this class that can be rectified with a tripod or gimbal). The kit zoom is stabilized, and you can add digital stabilization in the camera, but the X-S20 is probably the better choice if video is a significant interest to you. As well as stabilization, the X-S20 has standard 3.5mm mic and headphone sockets and is compatible with the accessory fan unit to extend recording times.

In Use

Forgive the awkward grip on the camera; it's mounted to a tripod whose stability was questionable. Photo: Antoni Carlson

The X-T30 III's big new trick over its predecessor is its 'Film Simulation' dial, which comes with an improved experience by supporting the 'Film Recipes' that are popular with many in the Fujifilm community. The dial gives you easy access to several of the company's mostly well-judged color modes, encouraging you to change up the aesthetic of your photos while you're shooting, rather than in editing.

The 'Recipes' system lets you customize it further, letting you modify those Simulations further with a selection of settings, and letting you save recipes to the three "FS" positions on the dial. This feature is taken directly from the higher-end X-E5, and its inclusion is just as welcome here.

While more experienced users may enjoy how many physical controls the X-T30 III has, we fear that it risks being overwhelming to beginner photographers. Not only is it covered with buttons and dials, but some are multi-function, and too easily activated. While more experienced shooters may notice that their easily pressed dial is suddenly doing something other than what they wanted, a beginner might be tricked into thinking they're doing something wrong. And while we're happy to have the joystick, its placement in the camera's already tight grouping of controls means it's not the easiest to reach, especially if you're trying to use the camera one-handed.

It's not a camera you have to think long and hard about bringing with you

One last small annoyance: rather than being near the center of the camera, the tripod socket has been put as close to the battery / SD card slot compartment as it could be. That means that, no matter how small your tripod plate is, you'll have to remove it if you want to get to your storage or battery. The camera's use of a 10Gbps USB-C port means it's less likely that you'll need to do that, as you can quickly offload images from it or charge it, but it still would've been nice to have the option to open the flap without taking off your tripod plate.

It is worth noting, though, that this decision could be mostly due to the camera's compact size. It's just a touch smaller than the higher-end X-T50, which means it's just as easy to carry around, or to throw in your bag on a whim. That's especially true if you're using the collapsing kit lens, which makes its footprint even smaller. While it'd be a stretch to call it pocketable, it's not a camera you have to think long and hard about bringing with you.

The Auto Experience

Flipping the Auto switch puts the camera in charge of most of the settings, but doesn't take away your creative control.

The X-T30 III's Auto mode, easily accessible by a switch on the top plate, is a useful provision for beginners who won't have the experience to know which settings are best to use in every situation. We found that it typically used reasonable settings and didn't feel too limiting: it still allows shooting in Raw + JPEG, and gives you control over settings like the focus point, Film Simulation, exposure compensation, and whether to use the flash or not. This means the X-T30 III offers some of the ease of shooting with a phone, while still retaining the engagement of using a dedicated camera.

The camera attempts to recognize what you're trying to take a picture of, and in what conditions

Part of what makes it work is that the camera attempts to recognize what you're trying to take a picture of, and in what conditions (e.g., backlit portrait, fast-moving animal, etc), and set its exposure parameters and dynamic range settings accordingly. You can also manually specify what you're shooting to have the camera tune its settings to be more appropriate, with dedicated modes for shooting portraits, landscapes, sports and more.

The autofocus also works a bit differently in Auto mode. Rather than making you manually select between human recognition or other kinds of subject recognition, it uses an automatic subject detection mode that you don't have access to in the traditional shooting modes, which tries to detect any of its recognized subject types in the scene, including humans. While it does a good job of showing which subject it's selecting, it still doesn't make it obvious if it's recognizing multiple subjects that you can switch between.

Another complaint around Auto mode is that, if you set an ISO setting in the standard mode, and then switch to Auto, it retains that setting, which could leave the camera fighting to get a proper exposure. While it's nice that you have control over ISO in Auto, it'd probably be best for it to initially switch to auto ISO mode.

Conclusion

By Mitchell Clark

Overall, the X-T30 III is a solid option for beginners looking to start with photography, or for those who feel like the lack of interchangeable lenses on their phone is holding them back. Paired with its kit lens, it offers a range of focal lengths that people will likely already be familiar with, but with enough image quality to stand out from most smartphone snaps (though you can get even more out of its sensor by switching to a nicer lens).

While the shooting experience might be overwhelming at first – there are a lot of buttons, dials and switches – the camera offers the escape hatch of a well-considered Auto mode that lets you focus on composition, without taking away all your creative freedom. And when you're ready for it, you can customize the buttons and dials to act in a way that works for you, though it would be nice if they were set up a little more sensibly out of the box.

Speaking of creative freedom, the Film Simulation dial and its support for quickly switching between the "Recipes" often shared by the Fujifilm community is a useful tool for getting the look you want straight out of camera. While you could achieve everything it's doing with a Raw file and editing software, the latter requires the knowledge of how to use it and, often, a subscription or up-front payment that you may not be ready to commit to.

It's a solid option for beginners, and should grow with you

The X-T30 III isn't a perfect camera, though. It's unfortunate that you have to manually work around the shutter shock issue to get maximum image quality with the kit lens, and its autofocus system isn't the easiest or the most confidence-inspiring. You'll have to practice a fair bit with it to get results that other cameras let you achieve out of the box.

Ultimately, it's a combination of these factors that keeps this camera from getting a Gold award. But it's still a solid option for beginners, and should be able to grow with you wherever your photography journey takes you, in part thanks to the near-endless selection of lenses that you can pair with it. For that, it earns our Silver award.

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Compared to its peers

Nikon's Z50II has better autofocus than the Fujifilm X-T30 III, which could be important if you think your photography journey will lead you to shooting sports and action. It's also likely a better pick for video, thanks to its standard ports for headphones and microphones. However, while Nikon has slowly been improving its APS-C lens lineup, there still aren't nearly as many options as there are for X mount, and the company exerts stricter control over what lenses are allowed to exist for Z mount.

The story is very similar for the Canon EOS R10, though its video capabilities are closer to the X-T30 III's. As with Nikon, Canon exerts more control than Fujifilm over what lenses can be made for its lens mount and produces far fewer first-party options. However, its autofocus will perform better than Fujifilm's, and its ergonomics (though probably not its looks) will be preferable to some.

By virtue of its stabilized sensor and price, the Fujifilm X-S20 represents a step up from the rest of the cameras we're comparing. Its image quality and autofocus will be virtually identical to the X-T30 III's, and while it offers the same Film Simulations, it doesn't make it quite as easy to get to them, nor does it make adopting recipes so simple. The IBIS system, fully articulating screen and full headphone / microphone jacks make it a much more capable video tool, despite it having otherwise very similar specs.

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.

Production samples

Pre-production samples

Image: OM System

OM System has unveiled the OM‑3 Astro, an astrophotography‑focused variant of its OM‑3 mirrorless camera. The new model keeps the core specs and handling of the original OM‑3, but it adds astro‑oriented enhancements, including a modified IR‑cut filter and dedicated custom modes designed to make capturing the night sky easier and more effective.

The primary upgrade for astrophotographers is an integrated infrared (IR) cut filter in front of the sensor. OM Systems says the dedicated filter is tuned for 100% transmission of Hydrogen α wavelengths, making it more sensitive to the dim red light emitted by many nebulae. This allows photographers to capture the colors of Hα‑emitting nebulae more effectively than with standard cameras.

The OM-3 Astro features a dedicated IR cut filter that enables better capture of red nebulae. Image: OM System

Beyond the filter, OM System added additional features to streamline night‑sky photography. The camera includes new color profiles specifically designed for astrophotography, including one for photographing red nebulae and one for night-time landscapes. Additionally, new preconfigured custom modes dedicated to astrophotography allow faster setup when using stacking modes or during handheld shooting.

Like the base OM-3 model and previous OM bodies, the OM-3 Astro offers several tools that are ideal for astrophotographers. This includes Starry Sky AF, which lets users lock onto stars with autofocus instead of relying solely on manual focus. It also offers stacking options, a Night Vision mode that adds a red overlay to the interface and more.

Image: OM System

In addition to the camera, OM System also introduced two new body-mount filters for astrophotography. The Light Pollution Suppression Filter, as the name suggests, reduces the impact of artificial light to preserve nebula and constellation colors. The Soft Filter enhances point light sources, making small, bright stars stand out more with a subtle glow.

The OM System OM-3 Astro will be available in March on a made-to-order basis for $2500. The Light Pollution Suppression Filter and Soft Filter will also be available in March for $340 and $230, respectively. All three products are available for preorder now.

Preorder now:

Sometimes, the availability of even a single lens could be the deciding factor on whether to invest in a particular mount. Photo: Mitchell Clark

If you've spent any time in the comments sections of articles about cameras, you've probably come across the idea that which camera body you choose barely matters: the lenses are the most important thing to consider. While this can read as people being dismissive of new tech, or even as sour grapes from people who don't want to admit that something new is, in fact, better than what they have, I have to begrudgingly admit that the killjoys have a point. They're correct when they say that you're likely to keep your lenses longer than any particular body.

Because of that, your lenses become (a sometimes very substantial) lock-in to a particular mount, which is something of a walled garden. With seemingly every company on its A-game when it comes to designing cameras, it's possible that the most important part of choosing which system to go with is making sure that you'll be comfortable in that garden. The most capable body in the world won't do anything for you if the lenses you want aren't available at a price you're willing to pay.

Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM - $240	Canon RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM - $1550	Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM - $2600
Nikon Z 50mm F1.4 - $600	Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S - $670	Nikon Z 50mm F1.2 S - $2250

It'd be impossible to go through every combination of lenses that someone might want and rank how each system stacks up, but that's sort of the point. Only you know your exact wants and needs, and everyone's will be different, which is why it's not safe to assume that each mount will have all the options you're looking for. When choosing which garden you'll spend the next ten to twenty years in, you'll want to consider what lenses are currently available, and whether the manufacturer's capabilities and R&D budget will be enough to fill in any gaps.

Conversely, if a system you like already has the lenses you want, that may be enough. There's no benefit to you in knowing that some other system has umpteen more lenses available if they're lenses you can't imagine yourself ever using. Similarly, one mount offering a choice of eight 50mm lenses won't tip the scales in its favor if all the others have one that matches your price and performance criteria.

It's worth noting that the exercise of checking lens availability becomes even more important if you have niche or unusual requirements. Sure, companies have been building out their lineups with more experimental lenses, but if you're looking for something truly weird, there's a good chance the more restrictive mounts may not get what you want in an amount of time you're willing to wait. Canon currently doesn't allow any third-party full-frame autofocus lenses for RF mount, and while Nikon allows Tamron and Sigma to produce Z-mount lenses, there's a question mark over the future of lenses from makers that don't have a license.

If you're factoring in third-party lenses into your choice of mount, keep in mind what level of legal gray zone they're operating in

Panasonic, Leica and Sigma, meanwhile, have a bit of a bigger tent with the L mount, with each making lenses that work on each other's cameras, and allowing other companies like Samyang, Siuri, Viltrox, and many others to join the alliance and do the same. Then there's Sony, which hasn't made any overt attempts to control what lenses are made for its E mount, though it does appear to arbitrarily restrict shooting faster than 15fps to its own-brand lenses (which could be a disappointment if you're excited by the amazing sports lenses Sigma has been making).

The point is that if you're factoring in lenses from third parties into your choice of mount, it's worth keeping in mind what level of legal gray zone they're operating in, and whether you'd still be happy with your decision if some of the lenses you were planning on picking up suddenly become unavailable, or if they don't work as expected in all cases. It's also up to you to decide whether your personal moral convictions about companies' right to defend their intellectual property have any bearing on your decision.

It's easy to get overwhelmed trying to compare lens ecosystems. While there may only be a handful of cameras you're interested in, you'll probably have to parse several more lens offerings if you choose to make those your main consideration. And that's not even mentioning the idea that some manufacturers might make something that you never would've even thought about, but you'd really like to try.

Choosing a lens mount is a commitment

Still, we think it's a worthwhile part of the buying process; perhaps even the most important part. Choosing a lens mount is a commitment, and it's worth the extra work up front so you don't find yourself peering over the garden wall after realizing that your system just doesn't have the specific option you'd like (or, at least, not for a price you're willing to pay).

Back in the days when DPReview was part of Amazon, I took photos at an event called "Barktoberfest," where people brought their pets to work in Halloween costumes. At one such event, I came across this French Bulldog, dressed in a Mexican poncho and sombrero, who had a look on his face that said, "I can't believe my person is making me do this." Photo: Dale Baskin

Our January Editor's photo challenge theme is "Canine Capers."

This month, our Editor's challenge has gone to the dogs. Literally. We want to see your most impressive dog photography. Whether you've captured a soulful portrait, an action shot of a pup in flight, or your furry sidekick in an embarrassingly bad Halloween costume, we want to see it. Our favorites will be featured in an article on the DPReview homepage.

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, February 15, and Saturday, February 21 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.

Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share 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 as soon as the challenge opens.

Visit the challenge page to see the full rules

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.

In addition to its ultra-wide prime, Canon announced a rather exotic lens this week: the RF 7-14mm F2.8-3.5 L Fisheye STM, which, at its widest setting, has a 190° field of view, meaning it can actually see behind itself. We got to spend a bit of time with it prior to its launch to get an idea of what shooting with this kind of focal length is like. (The experience gave us a renewed awareness of where our fingers and the feet of our tripods are.)

We hope to spend a bit more time with this lens to capture a few more kinds of subjects with it, such as architecture in good weather and, if we can find one, a skateboarder. We'll be sure to keep you updated when we add those images, but for now, enjoy the gallery.

There have been several rounds of lens news recently, with Canon introducing two new ultrawide options for RF mount, Leica releasing its first wide-angle Noctilux and Viltrox finally announcing its first lens for L mount. Some of DPReview's editors sat down to discuss these new options and to talk about what impact they might have for photographers.

Let us know what you think of the new lenses in the comments or on our forums!