Few photographers are as synonymous with richly saturated color as William Eggleston, but the complexity behind making his prints is often underappreciated. In this behind-the-scenes look, longtime collaborators and master printers Guy Stricherz and Irene Malli walk through every stage of his dye-transfer process, revealing just how much work goes into each print.

Eggleston discovered the dye-transfer process in the 1970s, a crucial step that enabled him to move from black-and-white to color photography. Stricherz and Malli have been printing his photographs for the last 25 years, and the video reveals their meticulous workflow that turns a single transparency into three color-separation negatives and, ultimately, one luminous final print.

Over the course of the video, you see how laboratory immersion oil, spotless glass, and carefully controlled enlarger exposures give way to Kodak Matrix film, darkroom processing, and delicate gelatin reliefs that hold each dye. From there, Stricherz and Malli move into inking, rinsing, and rolling the magenta, cyan, and yellow layers in sequence, relying on timing and chemistry adjustments to fine-tune density, contrast, and color balance. The result is a fascinating view into the analog process that powered Eggleston’s shift into the deeply saturated color work that helped redefine art photography.

M16 – the so-called Eagle Nebula with the 3 Pillars of Creation in its center – is one of the most iconic images we know from the Hubble Space Telescope. Photo: Michael S.

From photographing high‑energy sports events to hours focused under the stars, DPReview community member Michael S. (Astro Tafelberg) has spent more than 30 years chasing moments that combine precision, light and timing. Based in Austria’s Burgenland region, he now devotes most of his nights to astrophotography, revealing distant worlds few ever see through their own eyes.

Submit your story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

Meet Michael S. (Astro Tafelberg)

Home base: Burgenland, Austria

Favorite camera and lens: Leica SL3 with Leica 90–280 mm F2.8–4 or Nikon D810a paired with a 14‑inch telescope for deep‑sky imaging.

Typical photo scenes: Wildlife walks in national parks by day, lunar and planetary sessions from his observatory by night.

What's in Michael's bag

• Primary camera: Leica SL3 full-frame mirrorless
• Lenses: Leica 24-90mm and a 90-280mm, 50mm F1.4 prime, 90mm F2.0 prime and the 150-600mm Sigma L mount
• Secondary cameras: Nikon Z8, Nikon D810a and a Leica Diglux 8
• Other lenses: Sony 14mm F1.8
• 1.4x teleconverter used with the Sigma 150-600mm
• Lowepro packs in two sizes – medium and large

Michael's camera bag with camera, lenses and other accessories. Photo: Michael S.

"For daytime nature work, I rely on my Leica SL3 and a mix of Leica glass 24–90 mm, 90–280 mm, 50 mm F1.4, and 90 mm F2, plus a Sigma 150–600 mm L‑mount with a 1.4× teleconverter. My trusty Leica Digilux 8 serves as a compact backup.
For astrophotography, I use the Nikon D810a and specialized cameras from ZWO and Player One Astronomy mounted on a 14‑inch telescope inside my backyard observatory."

Why is the Leica SL3 your preferred camera?

"For daylight photography, I prefer my Leica SL3 with a 24-90mm, 90-280mm, 50mm F1.4, 90mm F2.0 and the Sigma L mount 150-600mm lens. And if the weather allows it, I'm sitting for hours in my 2.7m diameter observatory and use lucky imaging for the Moon, Mars, Jupiter or Saturn."

"For daylight photography, I prefer my Leica SL3 with a 24-90mm, 90-280mm, 50mm F1.4, 90mm F2.0 and the Sigma L mount 150-600mm lens."

Why is the 14‑inch telescope and Nikon D810a your preferred pairing?

"Using 'lucky imaging,' I capture hundreds of frames of planets like Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn, then stack only the sharpest. On moonless nights, I switch to deep‑sky mode with a 0.7× reducer, bringing my setup to F7.7 for longer, more detailed exposures."

Jupiter – a detailed image of the gas giant with the famous Great Red Spot – again imaged with the planetary setup, high-speed camera with color sensor, and the best images, most stable ones out of a 2-minute video recorded and stacked. Photo: Michael S.

What other gear makes a difference for you?

A sturdy Manfrotto tripod is essential. I also use neutral‑density filters for smooth water shots on hikes, and always carry a bottle of still water because imaging sessions can run for hours.

How do you adapt your setup to different situations?

If the skies are clear, I spend the night at the observatory capturing the cosmos. When the weather turns cloudy, I hike in nearby parks to spot wildlife. My goal remains the same: to capture scenes as authentically as possible.

M33 – one of our neighbor galaxies, about 2.8 million light-years away. Imaged using my 14-inch telescope + Nikon D810a. Photo: Michael S.

Michael's advice for other photographers

Michael believes that mastering the fundamentals, such as equipment stability, precise focus and patience, is what separates a good shot from a great one, whether you’re freezing a fast‑moving athlete or stacking photons from a galaxy.

If you’d like to share your photography setup, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and photography strategies. You could be featured next!

Editor's note: This article continues a 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.

Submit your story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

Female in Focus x Nikon 2025

The winners of the Female in Focus 2025 competition have been announced, showcasing exceptional work on this year's theme, On the Cusp. The contest, which is hosted by the British Journal of Photography in partnership with Nikon, aims to amplify the voices of women and non-binary photographers worldwide.

This year's edition awarded two projects and 21 single images that explore concepts of transition, whether personal, cultural, environmental or technological. The winning images were selected from thousands of submissions. They will be exhibited at the 10 14 Gallery in London from April 24 to May 29, followed by the International Centre for the Image in Dublin from September 10 to October 25.

"We’re thrilled to celebrate this year’s Female in Focus winners, whose work brilliantly captures the spirit of being 'On the Cusp,'" said Ruby Nicholson, Senior Communications Manager, Nikon Northern Europe. "I’ve been particularly struck by the playful rebelliousness threaded through so many of the images, each one offering a bold and thoughtful perspective on liminality. It’s a privilege for Nikon to support an award that spotlights the extraordinary talent of female and non-binary photographers, and we’re incredibly proud to help amplify their voices on a global stage."

You can see the entirety of the winning series, along with all of the winning images at the contest website.

Winning series: New Scramble by Giya Makondo-Wills

Photographer: Giya Makondo-Wills

Series title: New Scramble

Project details: In 2017, data overtook oil as the world’s most valuable commodity. The work sits in the void between departure of information and arrival in a server. The space between night and dawn, the air that falls between the lips of the storyteller and ear of the receiver, the abyss that we must cross when the old world is dying and the new one is not yet born.

South Africa’s tech industry is booming. New Scramble documents the proliferation of data centres by global giants, including Microsoft and Google. Partly set in Gauteng, it documents how these centres, symbols of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, strain local infrastructure and natural resources, provoking ecological and ethical crises. Every day, 6-8 million people go without electricity, and 14 million have no safe drinking water. One data centre can consume as much daily water as 3,000-6,000 people and the equivalent energy of 400,000 people. Water to entire neighbourhoods stops at 7 pm, including those where my family lives. A data centre is cooled. Hundreds go without power. Centres keep running.

Extraction also grabs the intangible – thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes, habits – as we search, scroll. Once, stories helped us make sense of mystery and disaster. Today they're stored, commodified. In this work, I reference ancestral practices, folklore, and creation stories, consider how narratives transform in fibre optic sub-sea cables and over-heating servers - travelling from the intangible to the physical and back.

It spotlights data mining as fuel for modern capitalism, replicating historic colonial appropriation, extracting value, erasing origins. It shows that data sovereignty and ownership are critical. How we communicate is changing - if we don’t own the channels we use to communicate, we don’t own the stories, language, identity, culture. What are the implications of this in 100 or 200 years? Could it erase our history, culture? The work is narrated by a letter to my Gogo (grandmother) where I share these concerns.

Female in Focus 2026 © Giya Makondo-Wills

Winning series: The Other Battlefields by Laetitia Vançon

Photographer: Laetitia Vançon

Series title: The Other Battlefields

Project details: "The Other Battlefields" explores the profound imprint of war on Ukrainian youth, offering a glimpse into what it means to grow up and live in a country at war, more than three years after the Russian invasion.

The years of youth are normally synonymous with widening horizons, the weaving of friendships, and the promise of adventure. But for many young Ukrainians, those expectations have been shattered, replaced by fear, loss, depression, and exile.

This visual narrative unveils fractured lives and dimmed dreams, yet also a fierce resilience that pushes back against the surrounding darkness. Each image is a fragment, part of the many individual stories I have been following over the long term. These stories themselves are part of a broader mosaic, reflecting the hopes and realities of a wounded nation.

It was in June 2022, in Odesa, that I fully realized the importance of documenting this sacrificed generation. Young graduates, deprived of their commencement ceremony for obvious security reasons, transformed their frustration into a spontaneous art performance, later sharing it on social media to show the world what they had lost and what they were enduring. That poignant moment revealed the urgency of bearing witness and preserving their stories.

The visible scars are only part of the narrative. Beneath the surface lie other wounds, invisible yet profound, that testify to a war also fought within the soul. These battles, whether close to or far from the frontlines, are those of freedom, dignity, reconstruction, and hope. Together, they draw the many contours of a conflict that is irreversibly shaping Ukrainian youth and its future.

Female in Focus 2026 © Laetitia Vançon

Single image winner: Ana Flores

Photographer: Ada Marino

Image title: Paterfamilias

Caption: This image is part of Paterfamilias series. Paterfamilias is an autobiographical project, exploring the theme of oppression in the domestic sphere, bringing to light the consequences of deteriorated relationships in male-dominated families. The project narrative stirs memories by virtue of its rawness. Feelings and resentments, as the fruit of this experience, work to raise awareness of a deviant cultural aspect that continues to demean the dignity of women. The images are wrapped in a form of surrealism that elevates and makes tangible the sense of conflict, frustration and tension of an unsafe refuge. The project aims to capture manifestations of female sentiments such as resilience, awareness and the desire to emerge, commenting on silent social phenomenon yet one of destructive and disruptive forcefulness.

Female in Focus 2026 © Ada Marino

Single image winner: Ana Flores

Photographer: Ana Flores

Image title: Claudia, Darleine, Marthe, Victorie and Maryline

Caption: This image is from my series called "Je te connais de demain" (I know you from yesterday). I photographed Claudia, Darleine, Victoire, Marthe, and Maryline during my recent trip to Togo in May. It was a special moment; these women are part of the community that my dearest friend and photographer Delali Ayivi supports through her work, and being welcomed into her world, her homeland, was a rare and meaningful experience.

This series is an exploration of intimacy: of the profound love, care, and empowerment found within female relationships. It speaks to the spaces where vulnerability is shared freely, and where collective care becomes a force for survival and transformation. It is a tribute to those bonds, nurturing spaces we build for one another, and the quiet gestures and rituals that sustain us and lay the groundwork for growth. Love, in this context, is an act of deep presence and mutual recognition. It’s about holding space for one another’s full selves, for pain and healing, confusion and clarity alike. This series highlights the quiet strength of care, the depth of companionship, and the resilience that emerges in safe spaces. It sees love as something active and lived, not abstract or idealised, but present in the smallest details of our connections. The title evokes a sense of timeless, intuitive connection. It speaks to recognition beyond time, a connection so strong it feels predestined. In this context, it reflects how deep friendships or sisterhoods feel both familiar and forward-carrying, as if we’ve always known each other, and will continue to.

This image represents the care we offer one another, the small moments of love, support, and shared growth. We’re all in transition, moving from one version of ourselves to the next. As friends, as women, as chosen sisters, our evolution is shared. The space we hold for each other is a gift. It allows us to question, unlearn and heal.

Female in Focus 2026 © Ana Flores

Single image winner: Andrea Marti

Photographer: Andrea Marti

Image title: Crush

Caption: Crush is the second chapter in a larger body of work composed of staged images of couples kissing. The series adopts a pseudo-documentary approach, blurring the boundaries between reality and construction. Through stylized compositions and character-driven narratives, Crush explores the intersections of intimacy, identity, and performance, drawing inspiration from fantasy, fleeting encounters, and desire.

Female in Focus 2026 © Andrea Marti

Single image winner: Angela Cappetta

Photographer: Angela Cappetta

Image title: Unbraiding

Caption: Glendalis' sisters unbraid her hair as she does her homework.

Female in Focus 2026 © Angela Cappetta

Single image winner: Anna Zeigler

Photographer: Anna Zeigler

Image title: Mama´s rebirth

Caption: My mother, a couple of months after her stem cell transplantation procedure. She suffers from PPMS. After trying numerous other treatments, her last hope to hold off the deterioration of the nerve cells for as long as possible was to undergo an autologous stem cell transplantation. And as spring hit, I thought it was the perfect time to celebrate her new birth with a portrait shoot to celebrate her bravery, perseverance and will to fight.

Female in Focus 2026 © Anna Zeigler

Single image winner: Cybele Malinowski

Photographer: Cybele Malinowski

Image title: Deep Fake - Cher

Caption: Annika, a Swedish singer and dancer, has constructed an entire career around inhabiting Cher–transforming her voice, body, and identity into one of pop culture's most enduring icons. In this frame from DEEPFAKE, we encounter her on all fours outside a suburban Las Vegas house, a position of vulnerability that strips away the goddess-like power Cher embodies. The image confronts us with uncomfortable questions: Who is performing for whom? What psychological space does Annika occupy when she's neither fully herself nor fully Cher?

This moment captures the profound displacement at the heart of celebrity
impersonation. Annika has dedicated her life to perfecting another woman's voice,
mannerisms, and image–a cultural labor that simultaneously erases and elevates her own identity. The suburban setting amplifies this dissonance; Cher exists in our imagination as glamorous, untouchable, yet here she kneels on ordinary pavement in anonymous American sprawl.

DEEPFAKE interrogates how identity becomes transferable currency in late capitalism. Annika's body is both canvas and commodity–she has monetized her ability to disappear into someone else. The work asks: what remains of the self when your livelihood depends on its erasure? In documenting these performers, DEEPFAKE reveals the psychological cost of living as perpetual simulacrum, where authenticity becomes increasingly elusive.

Female in Focus 2026 © Cybele Malinowski

Single image winner: Esther Nsapu

Photographer: Esther Nsapu

Image title: The heirs of silence

Caption: In Burundi, many women keep their hair naturally curly, not because it is fashionable,but out of necessity, simplicity, and loyalty to who they are. They tell me that all they have to do is wake up, comb their hair, put on a little pomade, and the day can begin. Whether they go to the market, home, or the fields, their hair accompanies them like an extension of themselves, without artifice.

In a country where poverty affects the majority of the population, maintaining natural hair becomes a way of living within one's means. Hair relaxers, wigs, and salons are often too expensive or inaccessible. But it's not just a question of money: it's also a way of staying close to traditions, showing simplicity, and honoring beauty in its truest form.

Female in Focus 2026 © Esther Nsapu

Single image winner: Fran Rowse

Photographer: Fran Rowse

Image title: Rae - 'Cornish Maids'

Caption: The project Cornish Maids is an ongoing photographic series by photographer Fran Rowse. Offering a window into the lives and dreams of women and girls in the Southwest, her work confronts social constraints, feminism, and new contemporary ideas of Cornish culture. Rooted in both documentary and dress-up, she begins conversations about female ambition and empowerment in a county that quietly suffers from poverty, financial crisis, and marginalised rural communities.

"Cornish Maids" – a local phrase for women and girls – presents a series of intimate
portraits. Rowse explores her own sense of lost girlhood, growing up in a fishing and
farming family typical of Cornish communities. The ball gowns and tiaras create a
striking contrast against the stark Cornish backdrop, revealing the tension between
aspiration and reality for Cornish women.

By combining visual glamour with social realism, Cornish Maids reimagines
contemporary Cornish womanhood. It challenges stereotypes of rural life, offering a
powerful narrative of empowerment, pride, and belonging – deeply rooted in female experience and forging a sense of sisterhood in a historically male-dominated county.

Female in Focus 2026 © Fran Rowse

Single image winner: Jip Schalkx

Photographer: Jip Schalkx

Image title: 4ever &ver &ver

Caption: This work is part of my ongoing research into how young people navigate a world where the boundaries between online and offline are constantly blurring, and explores how young people navigate a new social reality shaped by visibility, performance, and platform logic. Communication today is no longer just about connection, it's deeply influenced by revenue-driven platforms and the commodification of self-expression.

A group of teenage girls lie side by side in a large bed, each wearing headphones.
While they share the same space, each seems absorbed in her own world – caught
between closeness and distance, self and others. The scene reflects the paradox of
our time: constant connection paired with quiet isolation.

Rather than critique, the work seeks to understand. It drifts through this emotional in-betweenness, observing how intimacy and solitude coexist in a generation that lives through images, sound and commerce. The soft gestures and muted tones create an atmosphere that feels familiar yet slightly detached – a reflection of how it feels to live in a world that is always visible, always performing, and still searching for
something real.

Female in Focus 2026 © Jip Schalkx

Single image winner: Karen Paz Gonzalez

Photographer: Karen Paz Gonzalez

Image title: Damián y el espejo del lago

Caption: In the Xochimilco wetlands, Damián floats on the water in a moment of calm. He lives among the chinampas, where daily life blends with the rhythm of the lake. As his reflection envelops him, his body seems to become part of the landscape. The image seeks to portray the connection between childhood and nature, and the stillness that exists in territories where water remains a symbol of memory.

Female in Focus 2026 © Karen Paz Gonzalez

Single image winner: Kinga Wrona

Photographer: Kinga Wrona

Image title: Mariscadoras - humans of the sea

Caption: Mariscadoras – mostly women over 40 who work as shellfish gatherers, carrying forward one of Spain’s oldest coastal traditions. For decades, they have harvested clams and cockles from the Galician estuaries (North of Spain), their rhythm bound to the sea’s ebb and flow. But the tides are shifting. Rising water temperatures, disrupted salinity, and invasive species brought by climate change are altering the balance of life in the estuaries. What once nourished their communities now demands painful adaptation and resilience.

The Mariscadoras find themselves on the cusp of transformation. Some stays and
keep working at the sea, some have left the profession, unable to sustain the growing hardships, another part of them created the collective Amar Carril and became "silent activists," turning their daily labor into acts of resistance and education. Through their work, they fight not only for survival but for recognition – of their craft, their knowledge, and the fragile ecosystems they protect.

Female in Focus 2026 © Kinga Wrona

Single image winner: Kseniya Halubovich

Photographer: Kseniya Halubovich

Image title: Reflection of the Past

Caption: Ukraine, Kharkiv, 20 km from the frontline. Alla lives in a hospice for displaced people from occupied or dangerous areas. She is already struggling to stay oriented in reality, but she loves to talk about her family.

Female in Focus 2026 © Kseniya Halubovich

Single image winner: Laila Seiber

Photographer: Laila Seiber

Image title: Gaza remains in our hearts

Caption: Ahmed, Aseel, Samar and Joudi, four siblings from Gaza City, have found refuge in Cairo. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, more than 100,000 Palestinians have fled to Egypt. However, without residency status, the siblings cannot attend school or work. As they try to cope with this new situation and learn online, their thoughts are often with those left behind in Gaza. They miss their home and have lost loved ones due to attacks from the Israeli military. More than 70.000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7th 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It is estimated that 80% of them are civilians.

Female in Focus 2026 © Laila Seiber

Single image winner: Laila Sieber

Photographer: Laila Sieber

Image title: Anna

Caption: Even though Anna can't speak, you can tell when she's relaxed. My niece Anna loves to be bathed. In this photo, she is four years old, but she will always need round-the-clock care, more than a baby would. Six weeks after her birth, an infection damaged large parts of her brain, meaning she will never be able to see, hear, eat, talk or walk like other children. My sister and her family integrate her into every part of their lives, which is often a difficult journey requiring all their dedication, and sometimes isolating them from society. Any illness can be life-threatening for Anna, so they try to protect her while also taking care of their other two children's needs. Anna's story reminds us daily of the fragility of life. Above all, however, it demonstrates the power of unconditional love and how it can make life worth living, even when it is very different from what we might expect.

Female in Focus 2026 © Laila Sieber

Single image winner: Lina Maria Sanchez

Photographer: Lina Maria Sanchez

Image title: Ilhan

Caption: This photo was taken from my project "Ilhan", in which I portray Ilhan, a non-binary Muslim person in Buenos Aires, who kindly and respectfully allowed me to photograph them wearing their mother’s wedding dress and their trans hijab on an autumn day. I feel a deep affection for this project because it allowed me to connect and see another way of looking at the world.

Female in Focus 2026 © Lina Maria Sanchez

Single image winner: Nayra Aly

Photographer: Nayra Aly

Image title: Baba - ﺑﺎﺑﺎ

Caption: This photograph is part of my hybrid memoir, "Longing for belonging," which reflects my evolving relationship with my father. His long absence during my childhood left me grieving a presence I feared losing altogether, shaping a distance between us. Today, we're learning to rebuild as two adults. His traditional Egyptian thawb contrasts with my jeans and white t-shirt, embodying generational divides: between tradition and modernity, presence and absence, and the complex ways love is understood

Female in Focus 2026 © Nayra Aly

Single image winner: Oda Fjellang

Photographer: Oda Fjellang

Image title: Whale belly in ice

Caption: This whale died in the fjord of Oslo and floated up to the surface just at the same time as the ice trapped it. It stayed in that position for months. In pre-industrial times, whales in the fjord were normal and a big source of food for humans, but these days it´s almost a death sentence when big animals enter the fjord because the fjord itself is slowly dying, so there is less and less food there for the animals to eat, and more and more pollution, noise and ships.

Female in Focus 2026 © Oda Fjellang

Single image winner: Olivia Morgan

Photographer: Olivia Morgan

Image title: When It's All Said N Done II

Caption: There is tension, there is ease, there
are these moments in between where
time is lost and the word masculinity
and femininity don’t easily exist,
there is only gentility and care
moments where we feel bare and full
all at the same time! When it’s all
said and done we just screaming and
reaching to be felt, reaching for
some sense of our unbiased selves,
pure and enthralled in love

Female in Focus 2026 © Olivia Morgan

Single image winner: Paloma Gonzalez

Photographer: Paloma Gonzalez

Image title: Kid's Birthday Party

Caption: The image is part of an ongoing series about memories, personal history and grief. My mom died a year ago and the series was born as a way to process the loss and grief, while celebrating our shared history by constructing characters using familiar objects.

Female in Focus 2026 © Paloma Gonzalez

Single image winner: Rayna Carruthers

Photographer: Rayna Carruthers

Image title: A Mother’s Care

Caption: In their tent in the informal settlement of Amsha camp, Bushra takes trash from her son, who helps her prepare lunch for the family. The shelter was built by Bushra and her husband, with help from other camp residents. Bushra had worked for the past 12 years at a local refugee educational centre, a job that allowed her to provide for her family. But as Syrians are now being encouraged to return and the centre has shut down, she has lost her income. With rising challenges to pay for food, rent, and other essentials, the family is preparing to return to Syria soon.

Female in Focus 2026 © Rayna Carruthers

Single image winner: Teva Cosic

Photographer: Teva Cosic

Image title: Untitled (tillsammans och isär/together and apart)

Caption: A portrait of my mother and me. Together and apart, obscured by the paper that we are also breaking through, a small gesture to the hidden and the visible.

From my ongoing body of work, Tillsammans och Isär (together and apart), which contemplates the nature of home and how our cultural inheritances shape the ways we navigate what it means to belong. Responding to my own mixed Swedish heritage, the work negotiates between memory and fabulation. It seeks to address the intimate strangeness of being both at home and removed from it.

Female in Focus 2026 © Teva Cosic

The Tamron Link is a tiny accessory that attaches to your lens and lets you connect to it wirelessly. It only adds 2g to your setup's weight. Image: Tamron

Tamron has announced an update to its Lens Utility app, along with a new accessory that will give users of its lenses more ways to customize their lenses with less hassle. The update adds new features and brings the app to iOS; previously, it was only available for desktop operating systems and Android.

The new accessory is called the Tamron Link, and it connects to the USB-C port on supported lenses to let you communicate with them wirelessly via Bluetooth, rather than having to use a cable. From there, you can customize the lens with the Tamron Lens Utility on your phone. The company says it can currently only be used in Japan, the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom and China.

The Tamron Lens Utility app can give you advanced control over your lens' focus, as well as access to customization settings. Image: Tamron

As for what you can do when you're connected, the Tamron Lens Utility has previously allowed you to change settings like what the custom switch and focus set button do, and to fine-tune how the focus ring works, changing between linear and non-linear control in manual focus mode. You can also use it as a "Digital Follow Focus," telling the lens to focus to pre-set distances at customizable speeds.

With the 5.0 update, the utility gains several new features. The Digital Follow Focus feature also lets you control your aperture setting as well as your focus, and gains a virtual stopper so you can't over- or under-adjust from your selected focus point. You can also set the rotation angle for the focus and aperture rings, so you can customize how much you have to turn them, depending on whether you're prioritizing smooth transitions or fast, one-handed control. The app also supports a virtual astro-focus lock and lets you shift the lens's focus during interval shooting.

The new iOS version of the app only supports connecting to lenses wirelessly via the Tamron Link

The new iOS version of the app only supports connecting to lenses wirelessly via the Tamron Link, despite newer iOS devices having built-in USB-C ports. The Android version can connect either with Tamron Link or with a Tamron Connection Cable.

The new version of the Tamron Lens Utility is available to download for free on iOS and Android, starting February 19th. Tamron Link will launch the same day and will retail for $50. The company warns that it won't work with every Tamron Lens Utility-compatible lens at launch; the Z-mount 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 and E-mount 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD will need firmware updates, coming this spring, before they can be used with the accessory. Since the Tamron Link only works with the mobile apps, which don't support firmware updates, those lenses will have to be updated with a desktop computer when the times comes.

Image: Tamron

Tamron has announced the 35-100mm F2.8 Di III VXD, a full-frame zoom lens for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount cameras. As is tradition for the company, it's an unusual focal range – its run at a 35-105mm F2.8 in the 90s didn't spawn a wave of copycats – that's nonetheless intriguing.

The biggest selling point for the lens is its size and weight, with Tamron promising "the beauty of F2.8, in the palm of your hand." (Reference acknowledged, whether it was intentional or not.) The E-mount version of the lens is 565g (19.9oz), and 119mm (4.7") long, with the Z-mount version being a touch longer and heavier. As a reference, Sigma's 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art weighs 990g (34.9oz) and is 160mm (6.3") long. Obviously, that lens goes noticeably wider and a touch further, but if you don't find yourself wanting to go wider than 35mm that often, it may well be worth the weight savings.

Tamron also compares the lens to its 35-150mm F2-2.8 lens, which is both faster at the short end (though it drops to F2.8 quite quickly) and has more reach. However, that lens is a beefy 1165g (41.1oz), so you'll once again have to weigh what's more important to you.

Image: Tamron

The 35-100mm F2.8's optical formula includes 15 elements in 13 groups, with two aspheric elements, one low-dispersion aspheric element, one low-dispersion element and an extra low-dispersion element.

Autofocus is handled by Tamron's "VXD" voice coil motors, and the company says that at 35mm, it can focus as close as 0.22m (8.7"), and 0.65m (25.6") at the long end. The lens has a customizable button and can accept 67mm filters: the same size used by Tamron's "G2 trinity" zooms. It has a fluorine coating on the front element to protect from oils and water, and is moisture-resistant.

Tamron says the lens will be available on March 26th, and will retail for $899 for the E-mount version and $929 for the Z-mount version. It's a relatively aggressive price for this kind of lens, so we're looking forward to getting our hands on it to see what it can do.

Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 Di III VXD specifications:

Elsa's gear list for the Olympics includes four Canon R1 bodies with a wide selection of lenses and additional accessories. Image: Elsa Garrison

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games have been underway for over a week now, and Getty Images photographer Elsa Garrison has been logging long hours on the ice to capture the action. We previously spoke with Elsa about her experiences as a sports photographer and the first woman staff photographer at Getty Images. Now she's sharing some behind-the-scenes looks at the gear she has on hand and how she's approaching photographing these Winter Games.

Elsa is currently in Milan to capture the ice events such as women's and men's ice hockey, all of the various figure skating competitions, speed skating and short track speed skating. "As a Minnesotan, I am most familiar with covering ice hockey," Elsa revealed. "It was one of the first sports I learned to cover when I began my sport photographic journey at age 15, so this sport feels like home to me." She also loves short track speed skating because it is so fast and chaotic.

"For the Opening Ceremony, I [was] one of two Getty Images photographers on the field of play to capture event-level images"

Elsa also had the opportunity to be at the Opening Ceremony, a first for her. "For the Opening Ceremony, I [was] one of two Getty Images photographers on the field of play to capture event-level images of athletes and performances," she said. "I have never worked an opening from the field of play before, and I am very excited for this opportunity to capture this aspect of the games."

As you likely expect (and can see in the image at the top of the article), the gear needed for such an event is extensive. Elsa's kit includes four Canon R1s, one R3, and nine lenses, such as the Canon RF 10-20mm F4 L IS STM, RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM, RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM and RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM. She also has a 1.4x teleconverter on hand for extra reach when needed, plus two battery chargers for the cameras (see a full list of her gear at the end of the article).

Elsa's setup also includes the ability to take images remotely. She uses a Magic Arm with a clamp and a mini tripod to hold the cameras, and two Pocket Wizard Remote Camera triggers with cables for triggering. She also needs to get images back to Getty Images quickly, so her kit also includes a larger router for the tech team.

Elsa made sure to pack clothes to keep her warm during the Winter Olympics. Image: Elsa Garrison

Beyond the camera gear, there are also considerations for the cold weather. However, that's not phasing Elsa. "I grew up in Northern Minnesota, and I am very familiar with cold weather," she explained. "The joke with Minnesotans and cold weather is that if we hear someone complain about the cold, we chime in with, 'Cold? This isn’t cold!' and then we bring up the blizzard of 1991 or some other arctic blast."

"The trick is to layer and also keep your spare camera batteries in a warm pocket"

While most of the events she has been covering are indoors, the Opening Ceremony was held outdoors, so she focused on appropriate winter gear for working outside for a long period. "The trick is to layer and also keep your spare camera batteries in a warm pocket," she said. "The cold drains the camera batteries quickly, so it takes a little bit of planning and extra equipment to get through a cold-weather assignment."

Although the 2026 Olympics are beginning to wind down, there's still plenty of excitement left. "There is so much to be excited about when covering an Olympic Games," she added. "Every day is a new adventure and I get to document these Olympians as they make sport history. Sure the days are long and grueling at times, but the competition and the performances are easy to get wrapped up in and you forget that you maybe haven’t slept much!"

Elsa's Milan Cortina 2026 gear list:

Cameras:

• 4 Canon EOS R1 camera bodies (two will be brought from the United States, and two will be borrowed from Canon in Milan)
• 1 Canon EOS R3 camera body

Lenses:

• RF 10-20mm F4 L IS STM
• RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM
• RF 28-70mm F2 L USM
• RF 50mm F1.4 L VCM
• RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
• RF 85mm F1.2 L USM
• RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM
• RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM
• RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM

Additional gear:

• 1.4x teleconverter
• 2 battery chargers for cameras
• 2 Pocket Wizard Remote Camera Triggers with cables
• 1 large router for our tech team
• 1 magic arm and super clamp for remote camera
• 1 mini tripod for a remote camera

Winter clothing:

• Getty Images team winter shell and lining jacket in black
• Black fleece base layer pant
• Black outer snow pants
• Black base layer shirt
• Black Sorel waterproof boots
• Over boot snow traction cleat/cramp on
• Wool socks of varying thicknesses
• Black Getty Images-branded hat, plain black hat, teal hat that I knitted for the occasion
• Various gloves and mittens (fingerless mitts, tight-fitting gloves and a pair of mitten/lone finger gloves that a friend of mine hand-knit for me – the left hand is a regular mitten, and the right hand has a one finger is for the shutter button on a camera, and the rest is a mitten shape. It is a design idea I am testing out. The hand holding the camera almost looks like a lobster claw!)

Kodak DCS army 1991-2001 Photo: Maoby

For last week's Question of the Week, the conversation shifted from camera disasters to something most are far more proud to display: the cameras you’ve chosen to keep. We noticed many of you stuck with the same brand or even era of camera, but many more had a surprisingly wide array of brands, lens types and some interesting nostalgic objects. Each collection felt less like a lineup of gear and more like a historic timeline of your unique photographic life.

Read on and view the wide array of cameras collected over the years by our readers.

Your impressive camera collections

Just one part of my collection. Photo: vigi

icexe: The Nikkormat FTn was my very first "real" camera, bought during my college days back in the late 80s-early 90s. This thing is bullet-proof, surviving being tossed around in my backpack on various road and camping trips, punk rock concerts in seedy little nightclubs, drinks being spilled on it, and mud being splattered all over it. One time, it was stolen from my apartment in a break-in, but I later found it on the ground behind the apartment; the thieves probably dropped it in their hurry to flee with my stereo and TV. I never once took it in for a CLA, yet as far as I can tell, it still works perfectly fine for a nearly 60-year-old camera.

xpatUSA2: For the pocket: Panasonic DMC-LX1. For Foveon shots: Sigma SD10 house-brick. For my shaky hands: Panasonic DC-G9 (IBS plus lens Power IS). For IR: Modified Panasonic DMC-G1. Apart from proprietary, a good few M42-mount lenses: Asahi Lens Co, Helios, Jena Zeiss.

Ken Sky: I've owned cameras since I was 8 and I'm 87. I'll only show the cameras in my office showcase. Right now, I alternate between a Sony A6000 and A7R4 with multiple lenses. Ironically, photos for this week's discussion were taken with my iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Not counting the broken ones… Photo: Krummj

ZorSy: My cameras are in full cases (even Ikonta has its leather holster with the strap). Everyone has a story behind them; they were not flea market finds and had been taking family photos for decades. Oh, and a drawer full of digital compacts, bridge cams like Fuji S602, S9500 and DSLRs, which are all counted as disposables.

Swerky: I finally decided to move entirely to APS-C when I acquired my trusty G1X Mark III and DXO with its great denoising engine. But I wasn’t able to sell those Voigtlander lenses, since a 20mm on a crop sensor wouldn’t be of much use as a 32mm. Since I was kinda reluctant to sell those because I liked their qualities, I bought and RP and adapted them to it. Then I finally added an R100 with which I used a very good EF-S 55-250 IS STM.

Michaelgc: I've had a lot of cameras over the years, but the only one I kept was this Nikon FTn. I was an Army combat photographer in Vietnam and took this one into Cambodia in the spring of 1970.

I was an Army combat photographer in Vietnam and took this one into Cambodia in 1970. Photo: Michaelgc

thielges: I have dozens of cameras, and the whole collection weighs over 50kg. I bought most of them at the San Jose and Capitol flea markets in California for rather low prices. The pre-WWII cameras are usually exquisite examples of mechanical design. Like Swiss clockwork. The post-WWII cameras gradually devolved into cheap plastic junk by the time they became obsolete at the dawn of the home video camera era.

sx-70: My GAS had originally started with my obsession for cheap film cameras I would see in opportunity shops (thrift shops), and then made its way into digital. By far my favourite of the film cameras I own is the Nikon S2. I have taken it out for some shooting recently, and if anything, it has pointed out many flaws in my photography, especially when it comes to how heavily reliant I can be on modern tech that makes life easy.

RaleighTiger99: I've acquired a few cameras. Some I once shot with, some were used to shoot photos/movies of me as a child, and some were given to me by friends. They all have a story, and most are in working order. They reside in different areas of my house, but the largest collection lives over the bar. I often ask folks if they can spot the only two digital cameras on display.

Can you find the only two digital cameras in this collection? Photo: RaleighTiger99

webcastedude: A Sony A7Cr and Fujifilm X-E5 comprise my camera collection – one full frame and one APS-C. Lenses, however, are my weakness. I have a collection of Helios (vintage Russian) lenses and others of similar age. Compared to new, modern lenses, vintage lenses are cheap, and they offer a wide variety of optical features. Go on, try one on eBay. They are like candy; you can't have just one.

RetCapt: In 1984, Nikon introduced their Nikonos 5. It seemed ideal for the often-hazardous environments in which I found myself. I am not a diver (that is where the great whites dwell, and I have seen what they can do to a human body). I bought the three above-water lenses, 28mm, 35mm and 80mm, and I was set. There are some eccentricities to using this camera, but nothing an experienced film photographer couldn't handle.

Alan Sh: My collection – all Fuji apart from a Canon 300 film camera. The photo collection in my forum post is 5 cameras, 21 lenses, 4 flashguns, plus a host of accessories and tripods. It doesn't include all my bags, most of which are up in the loft.

So many other stories we couldn't fit in this article are shared in the forums. Here is a photo gallery of most of the collections shared:

Thanks to everyone who took the time to write up an account of your camera collections.

Keep watch for the next Question of the week every other Wednesday to participate in this series. New questions are posted here on the homepage and in the forums. We can't wait to read and share your stories!

Pit your camera collection against the many others in the community!

Image: Google

Google has announced the Pixel 10a, the latest entry in the tech giant's smartphone lineup. The last iteration of the entry-level phone marked a move away from the Pixel's iconic camera bar, and now Google is taking things a step further with a camera array that's completely flush with the rest of the phone's back. Aside from the redesign, the 10a will be very familiar, as it shares most specs and features with the previous generation.

The smoothed-out design will be a big benefit to those who don't like using a case. The phone will now sit flat on surfaces; gone are the days of rocking when you set it down. And it won't get caught when you take it in or out of your pockets.

Image: Google

While Google flattened the camera array, the phone's body didn't get any thicker than the 9a. There also hasn't been a camera downgrade. Like the previous model, the 10a features a 48MP main camera with a Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor and a 13MP ultra wide camera with a Type 1/3.1 (5.0 x 3.7mm) sensor. When asked how they achieved this, Google simply said that the team has the best engineers and wouldn't provide any additional details.

The other changes in the latest budget offering are rather small. It gains some features found on the 10-series of phones, especially AI-related ones. That includes Auto Best Take, which uses Google AI to automatically merge group photos to get the best take for everyone, and Camera Coach, which uses Gemini models to help users with composition and framing. The 10a also now offers Satellite SOS, which aims to connect the phone to emergency services even if you're out of Wi-Fi or mobile network range.

The color options are similar to last year's 9a, though with slightly more vibrance in the blue (called Lavender) and red (Berry) models. Image: Google

The 10a promises a slight durability boost with a Corning Gorilla Glass 7i cover glass, and Google says the Actua display is 11% brighter than the 9a. Battery life in Extreme Battery Saver mode gets a bump from 100 to 120 hours, while normal mode remains at a promised 30 hours. Like the 9a, the Pixel 10a uses the Tensor G4 chipset, which Google says was kept to keep the phone's price down. It retains the IP68 rating as well.

The Pixel 10a is available starting March 5 for $500, the same price as the previous generation. It comes in Obsidian (black) and Fog (white), along with Lavender (blue) and Berry (red), which are slightly more vibrant variations of the 9a's colors.

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.

Apply to be featured in
'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.

Apply to be featured in
'What's in your bag?'