Sony has announced an event for next week via its social accounts, teasing "the next R." The video and Instagram post share that the event will take place on May 13th at 9:30 EDT / 14:30 BST / 22:30 JST.

Sony isn't sharing anything beyond that there will be an event, and the date and time. Unlike many teasers, the posts don't feature a blurred-out or silhouetted camera or lens that we can try to glean details from. However, the mention of "the next R" certainly doesn't leave much up to the imagination, at least in terms of which lineup is likely to benefit from the upcoming event.

In an Instagram post a few days earlier, Sony unveiled a separate upcoming community event called Alpha in Residence, happening in New York City on May 14-15. Alpha in Residence is a two-day event that will feature photowalks, styled shooting sets in a historic mansion, gear rentals, panel discussions and more. It is free, though you do need to register for a ticket, which you can do on Sony's website.

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Elizabeth Line - London Nikon Z5 | Nikkor DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 16mm | F8 | 1/25 sec | ISO 125 Photo: Brian Ormerod

Brian Ormerod, who goes by the username ikon44, has a love of architecture of all types and periods across northern Europe. Over the decades, he has traveled extensively, meticulously planning trips to capture selected projects in Vienna, Barcelona, Prague, Paris, Istanbul and beyond. His work has evolved from casual holiday snapshots to carefully composed architectural studies at the School of Architecture in Nottingham, UK.

If you are interested in interior architecture that draws your attention to all the interesting angles, lighting conditions and other details, check out Brian's work below.

This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.

Have your photography featured on the DPReview homepage! Find out how.

Metro, Line 4 - Budapest Nikon Z5 | Nikkor DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 16mm | F8 | 1/25 sec | ISO 1800 Photo: Brian Ormerod

Meet Brian Ormerod (ikon44)

Home base: Milnthorpe, Cumbria, UK

Favorite camera and lens: Brian primarily uses a Nikon Z5 with a Nikkor DX 16–50mm f/3.5–6.3 VR lens for his walk-around photography. For special architectural projects, he keeps a Nikkor Z24–70 f/4 lens on hand. He values the Z5 for its manageable size and the 24MP resolution, which suits the level of detail he requires without adding unnecessary weight. His setup emphasizes practicality and comfort, allowing him to focus on composing images rather than being encumbered by heavy gear.

The Nikon Z5 is just the right size (a little lighter weight would be nice). 24MP is fine, it has the right level of controls and seems to suit my work.

What's in Brian's bag

• Primary cameras: Nikon Z5
• Lenses:
  • Nikkor DX 16–50mm f/3.5–6.3 VR (main walk-around lens)
  • Nikkor Z24–70mm f/4 (reserved for special architectural projects)
  • Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 (primarily used for family portraits)
• Support gear: Brian uses a generic L-plate to improve handling of the Z5, along with a wrist strap to keep the camera ready. He no longer uses a tripod, preferring to keep weight to a minimum and maintain flexibility while shooting. Batteries, SD cards and cleaning cloths round out his essential kit for a day of photography.
• Camera bags: LowePro Photo Active TLZ45 AW, which holds everything he needs to hand. The bag fits inside a lightweight, non-photographic backpack along with water, snacks and clothing for a full day out.

"I find the Nikon Z5 just the right size (a little lighter weight would be nice). 24MP is fine for me, it has the right level of controls and seems to suit how I work."

Brian's camera bag Photo: Brian Ormerod

My controversial camera choice

"This might raise a few eyebrows, but I’ve settled on a Nikon Z5 with a modest Nikkor DX 16–50mm lens for most of my photography. It’s a far cry from the heavier, higher-end gear I used when I was photographing architectural projects for clients in northern England and London. Over the years, I worked with everything from Nikon D600s and D750s to two Z5s with wide and standard zooms and even a Fujifilm XT2."

"Yes, my images are effectively 10MP from this DX lens setup, but that’s perfectly fine for me. It may seem like a compromise, but for me, the joy is in taking the shot itself. I still keep a Z24–70 f/4 for special projects, and I’ve dabbled in a Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 for family portraits – though it had a slight mounting fault that needed repair (which, of course, was just outside the warranty period)."

V&A Museum - London Nikon Z5 | Nikkor DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 16mm | F9 | 1/100 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Brian Ormerod

Civilizations are built on unique local architecture. What have you been impressed by?

"I’m most interested in the architecture of towns and cities across northern Europe. Since retirement, I have been traveling through parts of northern Europe, planning my trips carefully in advance to visit selected projects in Vienna, Budapest, Barcelona, Prague, Paris, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Athens, Bologna, Florence, Riola, Lisbon, Cordoba, and more, plus London, Glasgow, Oxford, Cambridge, Wells, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Durham, Worcester and many others. In fact, I just had a day in Durham and am due to go to Helsinki for 10 days at the end of May 2026 – if my airline can find aviation fuel."

I just had a day in Durham and am due to go to Helsinki for 10 days at the end of May 2026 – if my airline can find aviation fuel.

How has your camera gear evolved alongside your photography?

"Starting from basic holiday 'snaps,' I quickly had to learn, after joining the School of Architecture in Nottingham, how to photograph streetscapes, individual buildings, sites, and architectural models, to produce photos that could stand up to serious scrutiny and criticism. I also taught myself to develop and print in makeshift darkrooms."

"My early cameras, bought second-hand on a student grant, included an English Corfield 'Periflex' Gold Star 35mm, followed by a Yashica SLR with clip-on exposure meter (which I later regretted parting with for an Olympus Pen-F). I then tried Minolta, Samsung, and Pentax film cameras before finally settling on Nikon, culminating in my current Z5."

IMO Microsurgery Hospital - Barcelona Nikon Z5 | Nikkor DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 @16mm | F9 | 1/125 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Brian Ormerod

Of all your trips, which place would you recommend most to others?

"In May 2025, I went with an architect friend to Barcelona, which I found to be an architectural wonderland. We visited and photographed works by Antoni Gaudi, of course, but by pre-planning we were also able to visit a number of other projects including the IMO Eye Hospital by Josep Llinas, The University of Pompeu Fabra Library which is a spectacular arcaded masonry structure, the Santa Caterina Market, a neo-classical building refurbished by Enrique Miralles and the Fira de Belacaire flea market with spectacular fragmented mirrored canopy."

What Nikon Z5 camera modes work best for architectural shots?

"Very occasionally, I set my camera on a firm base (if I can find a suitable area) to shoot nighttime / dark shots using modes U1 and U2, with the second delayed shutter release."

"I have the user modes set up as follows:

• U1 – Serious architectural work (now much less often used) set to ISO 100, single point AF, single frame release.
• U2 – General architectural work set to Auto ISO 100-6400, single point AF, single frame release.
• U3 – Family portraits set to Auto ISO 100-6400, continuous AF, single frame release."

"All with matrix metering. I shoot almost exclusively hand-held now, and often in quite dark or very dark interiors, so I need auto-ISO set to max 6400."

Greek Orthodox Church - Vienna Nikon Z5 | Nikkor DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 16mm | F8 | 1/50 sec | ISO 900 Photo: Brian Ormerod

What can the community take away from your experiences?

"I'm still chasing that perfect shot! Keep pressing that shutter. Don't stop because you think it's becoming more difficult, just adapt yourself and your gear to what you can do."

Brian really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Brian, for being featured!

If you'd like to share your photography, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!

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 photos and story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

Image: Nikon

Nikon has announced it is developing a 120-300mm F2.8 zoom lens with a built-in 1.4x teleconverter.

The Nikkor Z 120-300mm F2.8 TC VR S will not only offer a longer alternative to a traditional 70-200mm F2.8 but, at the flick of a switch, will turn into a 168-420mm F4, extending its reach and its flexibility.

No further details have been revealed, other than reference to the needs of professional photographers which, along with the S series designation, is likely to give an indication of a fairly substantial price tag. The announcement has been accompanied by a pretty final-looking product rendering, so we doubt we'll have to wait long to find out more.

Nikon already has an 'S-Line' 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 variable aperture zoom, which has a list price of $3000, but we suspect a more meaningful reference point is the Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S, which was launched for $14,700.

Anyone who's used one of Nikon's recent lenses with the built-in TC is likely to be trying not to think too much about the reassuringly damped 'thunk' as the large thumb switch on the side of the barrel slots the teleconverter into place.

Camera images: Nikon and Canon

It's no secret that NASA is careful about the technology it uses on missions, including anything camera-related. After all, space is the epitome of an extreme environment, and it's important to perform thorough testing to ensure devices can function despite those challenges. A recently surfaced NASA presentation, highlighted by Digital Camera World, provides a glimpse at that process.

The 2022 presentation, titled "Handheld Camera (HHC) Initial Test Results," is available through NASA's Technical Reports Server and evaluates the performance of the Canon EOS R5, Nikon D6 and Nikon Z7II in a vacuum chamber that could also heat and cool the cameras. The presentation includes images of the testing procedures and details how the team performed the tests. It's worth noting that the team clarifies that the Nikon Z9 was not available during the thermal-vacuum testing period.

A slide from the presentation detailing parts of the testing procedure. Slide: Jonathan E Pryor, Marshall Space Flight Center

The headline result is that the Canon R5 and Nikon D6 both survived vacuum testing and operated across a temperature range of -30°C to +40°C (-22°F to +104°F), with NASA noting that the two cameras showed "similar operational characteristics" across that range. It's important to note, too, that these were unmodified, off-the-shelf versions of those cameras. It turns out stock cameras are tougher than you may have assumed.

Before testing, the cameras and supporting hardware were heated to 50°C (122°F) for 72 hours in a process known as a bakeout, which helps drive off volatile materials before equipment is placed in a vacuum chamber. The cameras were then placed inside a temperature-controlled enclosure within the chamber, while Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were used to control image and video capture.

The slide detailing the results of some of the testing. Slide: Jonathan E Pryor, Marshall Space Flight Center

The cameras were tested in both stills and video modes, though the D6 didn't undergo the same full set of video tests as the R5. In the hotter video tests, the R5 recorded until it overheated and shut itself down, then was given five-minute cool-down periods before testing continued. The researchers did not perform the second and third D6 video tests out of concern that it might lose connection in the same way as the Z7II (detailed below). Even so, NASA's results suggest both the R5 and D6 were usable in the chamber, with the caveat that the D6's video performance was not explored as extensively.

The Nikon Z7II, meanwhile, did not complete the same full temperature range. The presentation says it worked at ambient temperature, but under near-vacuum conditions, it lost connection after recording video and could not reconnect. The camera didn't outright fail, but a device used in space needs to be able to be reliably controlled, especially if there are plans for remote operation.

Details of the stills performances of the R5 and D6. Slide: Jonathan E Pryor, Marshall Space Flight Center

Another practical problem that the test highlights: remembering to turn Raw files on. The D6 was set up to capture both Raw and JPEG images, and the R5 was supposed to be the same. Unfortunately, the presentation calls out that the "setting was missed during setup process," so it only recorded JPEGs. Next time you discover after a shoot that your camera was set to JPEG only, just remind yourself that even NASA researchers do that.

In addition to camera testing, the deck also includes radiation testing of four CFexpress card brands: Lexar, SanDisk, ProGrade and Sony. SanDisk showed the best result in NASA's calculations, but the presentation strongly warns that the outcome depends on the exact test setup and amount of radiation used, and should not be treated as a buying recommendation. None of the cards completely failed; NASA says temporary radiation-related errors were resolved by power cycling the cards.

A slide from the 2024 presentation detailing camera modifications. Slide: Parker Weide

The 2022 presentation is especially interesting in light of NASA's later work on a dedicated lunar camera. In 2024, NASA published a paper on testing a modified commercial camera for lunar environments. It concludes that the camera and its thermal protection system continued to function under most simulated conditions, but highlights issues such as LCD screen ghosting and overheating in extreme environmental conditions. NASA has since said its Handheld Universal Lunar Camera, or HULC, is based on a modified Nikon Z9 with Nikkor lenses, a protective thermal blanket, modified electronics and a custom grip designed for astronauts wearing spacesuit gloves.

"The Photographer's Eye" (2007) photography book Image: John Szarkowski

For the latest Question of the week, we were curious to know what your favorite photography-related books and articles were. You took the idea a step further, not just listing titles but explaining how the works you read elevated your photography.

Some of your reasons were purely artistic, with many art-focused books suggested, while others were quite technical. Reading through your responses, it became clear that photography isn’t just about mastering a camera. Many of you shared personal stories of inspiration or creative struggles, showing that the right book or article can spark a change in vision as much as technique.

Check out the top book and article suggestions below, and then let us know in the comments what your favorite photography-related books and articles are.

Your book and article suggestions

"Mountain Light" (1987) book cover Image: Galen A. Rowell

Ruby Rod: When I was a kid, just getting started with photography, my mom brought home a book from a library or a garage sale, "The Fun of Photography" by Mario Scacheri. It's a bit corny and not as politically correct as it is today. The book gave practical advice on the basics of composition, darkroom work, and other aspects of the photo hobby at the time. I still use much of the advice today.

Don Sata: "The Photographer's Eye" by John Szarkowski. This is an old book that is as good as the day it was published. It clearly explains something that took me years to understand, that seems to be an ineffable mystery: what exactly is the language of photography, and how to use it?

Something I also love about this book is that it doesn't discuss any technical aspects of photography, which makes it timeless.

Gayle159626: Years ago, when I was in my 20s (I am now 66), I was gifted an interesting book called "A Day in the Life of Australia" by Rick Smolan. This book is the result of one of the most unusual projects in the history of photography. On March 6, 1981, a hundred of the world's greatest photojournalists were given the unique and challenging assignment of their careers – to capture an entire nation on film in a single day.

"Day in the Life of Australia" by Rick Smolan (1982) photograph collection Image: Arnaud de Wildenberg

On the pages of this unusual diary, you'll wake up with camel hunters in the Northern Territory, visit with prisoners inside an Adelaide jail, see Ayers Rock from outer space, travel through aboriginal missions in Arnhem Land and explore an entire community living underground at Coober Pedy.

The book features 367 stunning photographs chosen from the 96,000 shot on March 6, and includes six special photo-essays exploring a day in the life of unusual Australians. A Day in the Life of Australia is a slice of history – a moment frozen in time.

To communicate what you saw, you needed to translate the lost dimensions (depth, movement, and color) into your photograph.

Klaus dk: "Total Picture Control" by Andreas Feininger. His main message is that the photographer transforms a moving, three-dimensional world of color into a frozen, 2D (and, in the late 1950s, monochrome) picture. To communicate what you saw, you needed to translate the lost dimensions (depth, movement, and color) into your photograph.

With today's endless possibilities for manipulation, he looks like a purist, but he describes the techniques available for the creative photographer to get the message through.

paul13walnut5: As I progressed into video, the book "War Junkie" by Jon Steel really inspired me as well. Talk about calm under fire, until he wasn't... not to spoil the book. It was also a frank confessional at a time when it wasn't really all that cool to talk about mental health.

"The Photographer's Handbook" by John Hedgecoe (1982) handbook Image: Leondard Ford and John Hedgecoe

Gato Amarillo: Like most people of a certain age in the US, I grew up on Life magazine with photo reporting, some of it very tough reporting, from all over the world. I think the book that made me aware of photographers as individuals was Edward Weston's Daybooks. That got me thinking about the people behind the cameras and looking at the names under the photos.

John Crowe: "The Photographer's Handbook" by John Hedgecoe was my go-to reference that helped me develop my understanding of photographic techniques back in the 80s.

In the 1990's, the images in the magazine "Outdoor Photographer" drew me into 4x5 photography and gave me a perspective that I eventually applied to my own compositions.

Digital shifting and stitching became the cornerstone of my landscape and architectural photography, replacing my 4x5 film camera. I began experimenting with it in 2011 and was applying it regularly by 2013. I discovered the method online, but I don't remember where. It was probably at Photo.net, but it could have been here. It would be nice to know.

"Jungles" by Frans Lanting (2000) image portfolio Image: Frans Lanting

Ctesiphon: "Jungles" by Frans Lanting. Before reading it (do you say "read" for a book of photos?), I thought nature photography (be it macro, wildlife, or landscape) was about capturing nature in the sharpest, cleanest, most detailed, highest-definition images possible. This book completely changed that for me: it is a masterpiece of not-so-in-focus and grainy pictures that let transpire so much more emotion, mood and atmosphere because of it. You can feel the damp air and hear the birds and insects in these images.

It gave me a new appreciation of moody images (for lack of a better word), which I often try to recreate in areas beyond nature photography. And I don't care about noise in my pictures anymore.

Photographs are like gems: the real and the synthetic are often physically indistinguishable, but there is no question as to the ultimate value.

Astro Landscapes: Despite being decades old, I am still stunned by the current relevance and creative inspiration of Galen Rowell's "Mountain Light". As an adventure landscape and nightscape photographer, one quote of his has stayed with me for almost as long as I've been into photography:

"Photographs are like gems: the real and the synthetic are often physically indistinguishable, but there is no question as to the ultimate value. A photograph that depicts a moment of real life, whether that of a human activity or of the natural world, is of a higher order than the most perfect replication created by or for the camera with luck removed from the formula." - Galen Rowell, 1986

There were many other great book and article recommendations shared in the forums. You'll have no shortage of nostalgic photography-related content to watch.

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

Share your favorite photography-related shows and movies!

Nikon Z8 | Viltrox AF 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/60 sec | ISO 900 Photo: Mitchell Clark

Last month, Viltrox announced the AF 55mm F1.8 Evo, one of its first lenses to use an apochromatic design that's meant to reduce chromatic aberration. We've had the opportunity to test it out in a variety of scenarios, to see how it performs and, of course, to get samples for our readers to enjoy.

Impressions

Photo: Mitchell Clark

As we've come to expect from Viltrox's lenses, the 55mm F1.8 is quite well-built, feeling nice to use without being overly bulky or heavy. At 370g (13.1oz), it's roughly middle-of-the-pack when it comes to mid-range 50mm F1.8 lenses, and it's relatively easy to tote around town, or in a sling bag.

I enjoyed the fact that it had a physical, clicking aperture ring, rather than a command dial, like the one found on the higher-end Lab lens that I recently tested. While it has an "A" setting that allows the aperture to be controlled by the camera, it can't be locked into or out of it. And while I didn't find myself knocking it out of A mode too often, or accidentally changing my aperture setting, it did happen every so often. My coworker Abby also recently had this issue with another Viltrox lens.

The lens has most of the controls you'd want on a prime.

The lens also features an AF/MF switch and a programmable button, both of which are nice to have. The manual focus ring feels nice, but at least when paired with a Nikon Z8, it didn't quite give me the level of precision that I'd usually hope for. Likewise, the AF performance was just okay; the lens is quick and quiet, but, as we've experienced before with Viltrox lenses on Z-mount cameras, I just didn't quite get as many keepers as I'd expect to had I been using a Nikon lens.

One last odd quirk: the rear lens cap that came with the lens fits very loosely, as do the Nikon ones, and there were several cases where it came off in my bag. This didn't translate to the lens feeling loose on the camera at all, though; it never disconnected from the actual body when I was turning the aperture ring or otherwise manipulating it.

Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/2500 sec | ISO 64

With that said, the majority of my photos were still in focus, and I was quite pleased with the results. They're sharp corner-to-corner, even wide open, and Viltrox has delivered on its promise to seriously reduce chromatic aberration. I also found the bokeh to be quite pleasing. While it does a nice job rendering out of focus specular highlights, I was actually more impressed by how it rendered the background in portraits I shot at F1.8.

Something about the background rendering in this picture really makes me happy, and the vignetting is a feature, not a bug, in this instance. Nikon Z8 | Viltrox 55mm F1.8 Evo | F1.8 | 1/3200 sec | ISO 64

There are a few things to complain about with its performance. There's heavy vignetting at F1.8, which doesn't completely go away until around F4 (though it's much improved by F2.8). I also found myself wishing it could focus a bit closer than 0.43m (16.9"), though that distance isn't unusually far for 50mm F1.8 lenses.

Overall, I found myself really enjoying shooting with it, and loving the photos it produced. Sure, I could certainly find reasons to covet Viltrox's higher-end "Pro" 50mm F1.4 – it has a switch to declick the aperture, more robust weather sealing and linear focusing motors – but I don't think I'd actually need anything more. And that's a nice feeling to have about a lens that costs $370.

Viltrox AF 55mm F1.8 Evo 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.

All images were processed using our standard lens workflow in Capture One, with the manufacturer's distortion correction applied but no correction of vignetting.

Image: I'm Back

Crowd-funded startup I'm Back has developed a clever fix for one of the drawbacks that photographers have pointed out in their digital module for film cameras.

The I'm Back Roll, which is currently approaching $1M of backing on Kickstarter, is a self-contained APS-C sensor module designed to fit into the film bay of legacy 35mm film cameras.

One of the challenges this latest project hadn't overcome was the need to activate the sensor before the camera body's mechanical shutter could then define the exposure.

When the Kickstarter opened, the company showed renderings of a Bluetooth-connected trigger unit that you would have to attach to the camera body, initiating a digital exposure so that the sensor would be active when the mechanical shutter opened.

This (along with the sensor size smaller than the cameras were originally designed for), was one of the main areas of concern expressed by backers.

The company has designed a clever workaround: a shutter button that screws into the camera's shutter button.

In response, the company has designed a clever workaround: a shutter button that screws into the camera's shutter button.

The "Sync button" add-on is a small additional button that can screw into the cable release threads of cameras that have one. The company also suggests another version may be possible without the thread, presumably to be glued onto cameras without a threaded shutter button.

Find out more about the I'm Back Roll project

The renders of the button show a flat cable extending from the button but don't show what that cable would need to connect to. The company's development video suggests it will need to connect to the I'm Back Roll unit, to avoid the latency that a Bluetooth trigger is likely to have.

While we've repeatedly stressed the many challenges that stand in the way of creating a quasi-universal digital module for old film cameras - challenges that prevented the original Digital Film project, back when the aim was to perpetuate the use of film bodies as an alternative to switching to dedicated digital cameras - we've been impressed by I'm Back's persistence to make it possible to revive old film cameras for the fun of it. And, even if the implementation still looks like it may be a bit clunky, it's an undoubtedly clever idea.

The Sync button can be added as an option during checkout and existing backers can add one to their order for around $38 (it costs 20 Swiss Franks, with an additional 10 CHF for postage to the US).

Photo: Richard Butler

When the Fujifilm X half, a compact camera designed to provide a whimsical, nostalgic shooting experience rather than technical prowess, launched, it cost an eye-watering $849 in the US. Many commenters balked at that price, saying that they might have considered it as a fun toy, were it closer to $500.

Well, that time has come. The X half is currently on sale at multiple US retailers and on Fujifilm's own site, selling for $550, a substantial markdown compared to its launch price. But is that a sign that Fujifilm is so desperate to sell the cameras that it's willing to mark them down by around 35%?

Not quite. For the past few months, US stores have been selling the X half for $649, which is much closer to its price in countries like the UK or Japan. While some marked that as a sale price, others, like B&H and Fujifilm's official store, show it as a permanent reduction. And indeed, the camera hasn't sold for above that on Amazon since December 2025, according to price tracking site CamelCamelCamel.

Again, though, this isn't necessarily a sign of the camera's failure. When the X half launched in the summer of 2025, the environment around the US market was murky, as the country's arbitrary import tariffs sparked trade wars with several countries, including China, where the X half is made. While few companies ever actually confirmed their strategy, we wouldn't be surprised if many products launched during that time had some extra padding in their prices to avoid the companies having to later raise prices on newly-introduced models.

If the X half's price kept you from picking one up, your time may have come

Fast forward to the present day, and things have somewhat settled down, with the US Supreme Court ruling that those tariffs were introduced illegally. While that may not mean that the battle over tariffs is over, it does at least seem like Fujifilm is comfortable selling the X half for $200 less than when it was introduced, and even letting it go on sale to bring the price down further.

Of course, there were things people disliked about the X half beyond just the price, and those aspects haven't changed. The company has released a few software updates since we reviewed the camera, but none of them have fundamentally changed what the camera is. But if the X half's price was the main thing keeping you from picking one up, your time may have come.

Click here to read our review of the X half

Image: Tech Transfer HQ

CMOS sensors are now so ordinary that it's easy to forget how transformative they were. They're used in an ever-growing list of devices, from dedicated cameras, smartphones and webcams, to security systems, glasses and cars. A new video from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) looks at how the CMOS image sensor, once a space-imaging technology tied to NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), became one of the defining inventions of the digital age.

The short video traces the sensor's path from deep-space imaging work intended to photograph Saturn up close to everyday devices. It highlights the roles of engineers Eric Fossum, the inventor of the modern CMOS sensor and a longtime friend of DPReview, and Sabrina Kemeny. It walks through the idea of the "camera on a chip," with a useful visual for understanding how it works and how it differs from CCD technology.

Interestingly, even though the team had success right away, NASA wasn't interested at first. "We were trying to get them to adopt this technology that we thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and they just weren't that interested," said Kemeny in the video. That's because the scientists didn't know how it would handle the harsh conditions in space, and they needed a camera that they could be confident would perform when spending millions on a mission.

That led the team to seek out industry applications, which snowballed into what we now see today. "I had no idea how massively useful or ubiquitous it would be," said Fossum. Of course, the CMOS sensor did eventually make its way back to NASA, with the Perseverance rover on Mars using the technology to send back photos and videos from the distant planet.

The video is part of a series that highlights how research moves from the laboratory to daily life. It's a good example of how scientific research can find its way into everyday tools, including those used by photographers. After all, the same broad push to make cameras smaller, more efficient and more capable helped set the stage for the image-saturated world we live in now.

Photo: Kamil Budzynski

Since 2018, Polish photographer Kamil Budzynski has been placing homemade pinhole cameras throughout the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, leaving them in abandoned buildings, trees and other locations for months at a time. The resulting solargraphs are strange, quiet and even disorienting. Ghostly buildings and overgrown streets sit beneath bright arcs traced by the Sun, thanks to exposures that can stretch across seasons. Kosmo Foto recently published a fascinating interview with Budzynski about the long-running project.

Budzynski first visited the exclusion zone in the mid-2010s, but after several trips, he began looking for a process that could better match the feeling of the place. "After three trips to the Chornobyl exclusion zone, I began to feel that I couldn't do the place justice by walking around with a digital camera," he said. "Searching for inspiration in niche photographic processes, I came across solargraphy just as I was about to pack for another visit."

"I began to feel that I couldn't do the place justice by walking around with a digital camera"

For the unfamiliar, solargraphy is the process of capturing the Sun's path across the sky over long periods (days, weeks or even years) using pinhole cameras. Budzynski's cameras are often made from simple objects such as 35mm film canisters, drink cans and small tins, loaded with very low-sensitivity photographic paper and fitted with carefully made pinholes. He has installed more than 100 of them, though not all have survived because of Ukraine's harsh winters or Russia's invasion. After retrieving the exposed paper, Budzynski leaves the cameras behind to avoid bringing any radioactive particles out of the exclusion zone.

This photograph shows the metal shield built to contain the radioactive remnants of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Photo: Kamil Budzynski

The distinctive look of the images is not the result of radiation, despite their months-long stay in the exclusion zone. Budzynski told Kosmo Foto that "for nuclear radiation to affect photosensitive paper it would need to be far too dangerous to get near it," but added that the weather was a much bigger challenge. Moisture, freezing temperatures and months of exposure can all leave their mark on the final image.

What makes the project more than a visual curiosity is how well the process matches the subject. Budzynski is using a camera to record time passing through places many people still think of as frozen in 1986. That distinction feels especially relevant this year, as April 26 marked 40 years since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Pripyat was evacuated the day after the accident, and tens of thousands of people were ultimately removed from the surrounding area. Budzynski's images push against the familiar "ghost town" shorthand by showing that the zone is not static.

"I wanted to capture the passing of time in a literal sense"

"I wanted to capture the passing of time in a literal sense," Budzynski told Kosmo Foto. "Pripyat and the entire exclusion zone may be frozen in 1986 to us, but life there continues. Stray dogs and wild horses roam the empty streets, plants climb tall buildings, and the sun still rises every morning – whether we are there to see it or not. I hope I can convey how insignificant I feel when standing among the ruins to those looking at my photographs."

Photo: Kamil Budzynski

Russia's 2022 invasion altered Budzynski's solargraphy trips. He has returned to Ukraine since then on humanitarian trips, during which he was able to recover a few cameras. "Most cameras from this period did not survive, destroyed by Ukrainian forces searching for booby traps and other surprises left by the retreating Russian army," he said. "I had quite a lot of explaining and apologizing to do when our guards learned of my little innocent photography project. One particular camera left right near the power plant caused quite a stir."

Kosmo Foto's full interview goes much deeper into Budzynski's process, the locations he has photographed and the practical problems of hiding a pinhole camera in a place where both weather and history are working against you. It is worth reading in full, both for the mesmerizing images and for the way the project's technical limitations become part of the story rather than obstacles to it.

You can also see more of Budzynski's work at his website.

Photo: Erez Marom

In the previous article about photographing mammals in China, I told the story of photographing black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys in Yunnan – the first of two species of snub-nosed monkeys I had the opportunity to capture. I'll tell you about the second species in the next article, but before we get to that, I'd like to tell you about a couple of pit stops I made to shoot other kinds of mammals.

Photo: Erez Marom

The pit stop was mainly planned to make use of a day that would otherwise be dedicated to driving. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, a renowned 40,000-hectare biodiversity hotspot in Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province, was on my route and allowed me to spend more time shooting, even if it was a very short visit. Tangjiahe is recognized globally as a premier spot for wildlife viewing, and the landscapes on the way – and in the park – are breathtakingly beautiful.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a face only a mother could love: that of a very aggressive Tibetan macaque. The macaques are far from shy and are known to harass human visitors, meaning that one must approach them with caution. I got my fair share of aggressive grinning behavior and decided to retreat before getting into an actual fight with a monkey and ruining the rest of the trip.

I found it hard to make out this look by the Tibetan Macaque. One second, it was quiet; the next, it gave me the feeling that I was asking for trouble. In any case, I loved how colorful its face was. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM | ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F4 Photo: Erez Marom

Tangjiahe is home to a wide selection of mammal species. While not all of them are that exciting, I found a lot of pleasure in viewing and shooting things I don't usually take an interest in, specifically ungulates. I found a few muntjac (barking deer) gently grazing the mountain slopes.

Reeves's Muntjacs are roughly the size of a medium dog, featuring distinct facial markings, long canine tusks in males, and a tendency to be solitary, nocturnal herbivores. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 1600 | 1/250 sec | F7.1 Photo: Erez Marom

A more visually-interesting animal was the Sichuan takin - a large, muscular mountain ungulate native to the eastern Himalayas and the mountainous forests of southwestern China, especially in Sichuan province. It has a distinctive appearance – often described as a cross between a goat and an ox – with a heavy body, thick coat, and a prominent, arched nose that helps warm cold mountain air before it reaches the lungs. Both males and females have strong, curved horns, and their dense fur, along with oily skin secretions, helps them withstand cold, wet alpine environments.

Takins have such distinct and interesting builds and features. I love the elongated face and short horns; it gives them a bit of a mythological appearance. Do you agree? Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 Photo: Erez Marom

Sichuan takins live in herds that move seasonally, climbing to higher elevations in summer to graze on grasses, bamboo, and leaves, and descending to lower, forested areas in winter, which is the reason I could shoot them with relative ease. They are well adapted to steep, rugged terrain and can navigate cliffs with surprising agility despite their bulk. The species faces pressures from habitat loss and historical hunting, but it is protected in China, with populations found in reserves, such as Tangjiahe, that also shelter the giant panda, making conservation efforts for both species interconnected.

I tried to get a shot of a takin crossing the stream, but at the last second it backed off. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/800 sec | F7.1 Photo: Erez Marom

Another location I'd like to talk about is Wawu Mountain (Wawushan), a striking flat-topped massif in Sichuan Province, rising like a vast natural plateau above surrounding valleys. Known for its sheer cliffs, dense temperate forests, and frequent cloud cover, it creates a dramatic, almost otherworldly landscape. Wawu's table mountain topography supports a rich mosaic of ecosystems, making it an important biodiversity hotspot.

A relatively rare shot of two red pandas cuddling together. This is almost exclusively possible during the mating season. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 Photo: Erez Marom

Among its most charismatic inhabitants is the red panda, a shy, tree-dwelling mammal that thrives in Wawu Mountain’s cool, bamboo-rich forests. These elusive animals spend much of their time in the canopy, feeding on bamboo leaves, as well as fruits, insects, and small vertebrates. Wawu Mountain’s protected status and relatively intact habitat make it one of the better places to support completely wild red panda populations, and sightings are practically guaranteed if you spend 2-3 full days. The same ecosystem also shelters other notable species, linking Wawu’s conservation importance to the broader network of Sichuan reserves that protect iconic wildlife, such as the giant panda.

A red panda munching on bamboo leaves. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/400 sec | F7.1

On the last morning, we even got some snow to accentuate the red pandas' beautiful red coloring. Wawu Mountain, China Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM + RF 1.4X | ISO 3200 | 1/200 sec | F9 Photos: Erez Marom

In the next, and last article in this series, I will share the story of how I managed to capture my most desired species of snub-nosed monkey, even though the universe tried to make it as difficult as it could.

Photo: Erez Marom

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveler. 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 China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and other locations.

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

The Kodak DCS was launched 35 years ago this month, in May 1991, but its roots go back a little further. Photo: Marc Aubry

Despite Eastman Kodak making tentative steps back into the consumer photo film market, and its name still being applied to the front of countless licensees' compact cameras, there's still a widely-held sense of 'What if?' surrounding the Kodak name.

Not only did the company dominate the film industry, it also did more than its share of founding photography's digital age.

It was a Kodak engineer, Steve Sasson, who in 1975 produced the world's first digital camera as we recognize them today: a self-contained, comparatively hand-holdable device that captured images with a CCD sensor. Though, perhaps thankfully, the Compact Cassette tape it used didn't last long as a storage medium.

Likewise it was a Kodak engineer, Bryce Bayer, who invented his eponymous, and now near ubiquitous color filter pattern, patented the same year.

So perhaps it's not a surprise that it was Kodak that, 35 years ago this month, launched the first commercial digital SLR.

The Kodak DCS (Digital Camera System) built on both these existing inventions, combining a 1.3MP CCD sensor with a Bayer color filter array. It was designed as a digital back that could be mounted onto an unmodified Nikon F3 film camera body, with the add-on unit including a motor drive to cock the camera's shutter between shots.

Where it all started (for camera buyers) Photo: Marc Aubry

The sensor was an in-house Kodak chip, the KAF1300, a 21 x 16.6mm sensor, roughly comparable in size to the 1.6x crop sensors in Canon's later APS-C digital camera. It delivered 1280 x 1024 px images, with both mono and color versions being offered.

A cable then connected the camera to a shoulder-slung 'Digital Storage Unit,' which contained a 20 megabyte hard drive, lead acid camcorder battery and the ability to add options such as a JPEG compression processing board. This allowed the camera to capture up to 156 uncompressed images or around 600 compressed photos.

If you're wondering why we're describing it as the first "commercial" DSLR, it's because the DCS was developed from a series of earlier, often government/military-funded digital camera projects. Kodak's earliest DSLRs were created by its Federal Systems Division (FSD), which developed a camera based on a Canon F-1 body and a 1MP CCD sensor, as early as 1988.

The company's Professional Photography Division developed a prototype somewhat closer to the DCS in 1990, based on a Nikon F3 body and that, intruigingly, led to FSD making the Hawkeye II, one version of which used a 5 megabyte memory card and lithium ion batteries, making it more directly comparable to a modern digital camera in many ways.

However, this more portable camera only had capacity for four full-res images, hence the decision to persevere with the external storage unit's development for the DCS.

Photo: Marc Aubry

Kodak continued to develop the camera, with the later DCS 200 (whose introduction prompted a journalist to coin the 'DCS 100' name, by which the original camera is now widely known), leading to a series of DCS cameras culminating in the Nikon and Sigma-bodied 14MP DCS Pro SLR models in 2004.

The DCS's lead engineer, Jim McGarvey, said the prominence of Nikon in the US photojournalism market led to the decision to built the original DCS around an F3, but both F-mount and EF-mount versions of later DCS models were produced, with varying levels of input and support from Nikon and Canon. It would be another eight years before Nikon introduced the first Japan-designed DSLR, the recognizably modern Nikon D1.

McGarvey's own website is host to a fascinating details and insights into the Kodak DCS and the cameras that came both before and after it.

With thanks to Marc Aubry for the photos from his camera collection. You can see more of his images on his Flickr page

Shanghai, China – Bund downtown river view. 70 image 360-degree panorama. Sony a7R IV | 35mm GM | F1.4 | 1/125 sec | ISO 1600 Photo: Kevin Zhang

Kevin Zhang, known as fatplanediaries in the wider community, began photographing at a young age under his father's influence, a dedicated Leica street photographer. What started as a focus on street photography evolved over time, especially after a chance moment in Shanghai, when he experimented with panoramas using only a prime lens. Since then, his work has developed into a distinctive blend of candid street scenes and highly detailed panoramic images, each discipline informing the other.

"I was far from a prodigy; it took a million photos until I considered myself to be halfway decent. I still have a long way to go, always looking at my own photography as an ever-developing thing. The style changes all the time as I try to demolish what I did previously."

This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.

Have your photography featured on the DPReview homepage! Find out how.

Love, the Neighbors – performance rehearsal photo Sony a7R IV | F1.4 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1600 Photo: Kevin Zhang

Meet Kevin Zhang (fatplanediaries)

Home base: New York, USA, but also Shanghai, China

Favorite camera and lens: Kevin’s go-to setup centers around the Sony a7R IV, a high-resolution full-frame camera known for its exceptional detail and well-suited to his panoramic work. He pairs it with Sony’s G Master lenses, particularly the 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II and 35mm f/1.4 GM, which provide the sharpness and consistency he prioritizes. This setup supports both his fast-paced street shooting and the precision required for high-resolution stitched panoramas.

What's in Kevin's bag

• Primary cameras: Sony a7R IV in a small rig cage
• Lenses:
  • Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM (soulless but sharp)
  • Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (still a bit soulless, but f1.2 has personality)
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (much better than gen 1)
  • Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II (probably my favorite lens of all time ever)
• Support gear: Kevin hates tripods and viewfinders, relying instead on a SmallRig cage for grip on his Sony a7R IV and custom lens-head holding techniques to shoot 20-frame panoramas in 10 seconds handheld – even against glass at observation decks or amid NYC street dance battles. He carries 4 Viltrox FZ100 USB-C batteries, dual Peak Design Captures (one for camera, one for E-mount lens kit), and a backpack-mounted DJI Osmo 360 with remote for video content.
• Camera bags: Kevin uses the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V2, which has endured alongside his a7R IV through some rather tough conditions.
  
  "I'm rather nostalgic for when Peak Design felt cutting-edge. The bag I have comes with side-access via two captures for a camera and an E-mount lens kit."

Kevin's camera bag Photo: Kevin Zhang

Accessories can make or break a field trip. What does your bag have?

"DJI Osmo 360 with a jerry-rigged way of attaching it to my backpack as a 360 camera antenna (because my generation of people are encouraged to make video content about their photography to be successful), plus the remote for it."

"2 Peak design captures on my backpack, one for my camera and one for the Peak Design e-mount lens kit, so I can change lenses easily."

"I also carry a variety of tools, snacks, personal hygiene items, etc. This includes my trusty Macbook Pro with case on (often need to check my panos in the middle of a shoot). Some other miscellaneous supplies and trinkets of mine:

• Shokz Openrun Pro 2 (great way of listening to maps, navigation directions, while still listening to the world, plus I always listen to music while shooting)
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 (weather, humidity level, sunset time, compass, etc. Very essential to my use case)
• Technics az100 (just a tws I like and keep with me when I want to shut out the world, plus it can connect to my MacBook and my two phones at the same time)
• USB4 Zikedrive with 4TB SN850x (to backup the MacBook)
• Nampons and some Band-Aids (in case of nosebleeds or injuries)

"And to top it off, I carry two phones – an iPhone (for the Apple Watch I love and as a backup camera), and a Samsung (what I actually enjoy using)."

Battle 101, 3v3 NYC dance battle event. 4 image panorama. Sony a7R IV | 24-70mm GM | F2.8 | 1/200 sec | ISO 4000 Photo: Kevin Zhang

What got you started, and how long have you been a photographer?

"My dad became a Leica enthusiast shortly after I got into middle school, and it's been downhill from there, lol. He became a really good street photographer, so I followed in his footsteps and essentially focused on street photography for the next decade or so. I only stopped for a few years when I went to film school to focus on film."

"A few months after I graduated, I was stuck with a prime lens while at a very scenic landscape view in Shanghai, so I just winged it and gave panoramas a shot. Ever since then, my focus has been on panoramas and street photography. It's a truly odd combination, but I like to say they complement each other and, in a weird way, my film career. So I keep doing photography even if I don't get enough gigs in this field as I'd like."

"I've been doing photography since age 10, I think? The launch day Sony a7R IV I currently own has been with me for more than a quarter of my life, which feels crazy to say, as my memory of that camera launching is still very fresh."

The Jam Showcase Volume 9. Full audience 8-image panorama. Sony a7R IV | 35mm GM | F1.4 | 1/250 sec | ISO 3200 Photo: Kevin Zhang

What's different about street scenes?

"I like to shoot candid street subjects, but I'm often pretty shy about approaching people to get the right shot. The best alternative is to get hired for events instead; everyone's vying to have you shoot them in those kinds of situations. I've had a lot of good practice at my friends' parties before getting to events as a photographer."

"On the panorama end, I like detail – lots and lots of detail. Ever since the Pureview 808 launched, my dream kind of photo has been the one where you can zoom in nearly infinitely and see a very complex world. That's been the ethos of my panoramas. They tickle that itch really well. I zoom into my own 750mp PTGui stitches all the time."

How has your photography evolved over the years?

"I've always loved reading Roger Cicala's articles, absorbing DXOMark data, and of course, content on DPReview. All the technical deep dives and teardowns that teach you technical stuff, YouTube will never teach you about. That's always helped me out a lot I think, just being nerdy about stuff, and having a good theoretical foundation so that you never need to second guess yourself when you're out and about shooting."

"I really miss Barney Britton from the 2009 era. His Chris Burkard a6000 video was what got me hooked into DPReview in the first place."

New York City skyline from Staten Island Ferry. 12-image panorama. Sony a7R IV | Tamron 70-180mm G2 | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 160 Photo: Kevin Zhang

What unique street environments have you discovered?

"Probably the most unique environment I've shot at is the New York City street dance events. There's one called Battle 101, and at the end of the year, they host a massive battle with hundreds of spectators. In that sort of situation, the subjects you're shooting are also the background. If you shoot your handheld panos fast enough, you can also do them for people. Really. Not a lot of others have tried it but me."

What can the community take away from your experiences?

"Be humble and be open to drastically altering your approach. Be happy to teach other people and learn from others. Both G.A.S. and the Dunning-Kruger effect are way too commonplace in photography. And please don't be a snob."

Kevin really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Kevin, for being featured!

If you'd like to share your photography, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!

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 photos and story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

Image: LK Samyang

LK Samyang's AF 14-24mm F2.8 is officially available for L-mount. The company previewed the lens at CP+ earlier this year, following the ultra-wide zoom's E-mount debut last year as LK Samyang's first co-branded lens with German optics specialist Schneider-Kreuznach.

The L-mount version of the AF 14-24mm keeps the same optical design and features of the E-mount model. It comprises 15 elements in 11 groups, with three aspherical lenses, five high-refractive elements, and three ED elements. It can focus as close as 0.18m, features a customizable control button and MF/AF switch, and promises fast and quiet autofocus driven by a linear stepping motor.

Like the E-mount version, it accepts front filters (77mm), making it the only L-mount 14-24mm F2.8 lens to do so. The Sigma and Leica equivalents use rear sheet filters due to the bulbous front elements. It's also noticeably more compact and lightweight than the other 14-24mm F2.8 lenses. It weighs just 441 g (15.5 oz) and is 87mm (3.4") long. For comparison, the Sigma take on the lens weighs 795 g (28 oz) and measures 131 mm (5.16") long.

We saw a preview of the lens at CP+ this year. It is quite compact compared to other lenses in its class. Photo: Mitchell Clark

LK Samyang joined the L-Mount Alliance in 2023, but so far, its only L-mount release has been the AF 35-150mm F2-2.8. At CP+ this year, a representative told us that the company is looking to expand its mount offerings, though it isn't clear if that means more L-mount lenses specifically or additional mounts beyond that.

The company also teased an AF 60-180mm F2.8 FE at CP+, which will form a nice trio with its AF 24-60mm F2.8 and AF 14-24mm F2.8 offerings. Hopefully, both the standard zoom and the upcoming telephoto zoom lenses also make their way to L-mount sooner rather than later.

The LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 lens is available for purchase today. The company didn't provide pricing information, but the E-mount version costs $1200.

LK Samyang AF 14-24mm F2.8 specifications

Image: Westend61 / Westend61 via Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to answer the Question of the week

Between delivering commercial work for clients and feeding the ever-voracious YouTube algorithm, Joshua Martin spends more time than most with a camera in his hands. Until recently, that camera was his trusty Fujifilm X-H2S.

But after upgrading to the GFX system for his commercial work, Martin realized it was time to part ways with the X-H2S in favor of a more compact camera that could meet his needs for both still photography and video.

In the third episode of ISO: Upgrades on a Budget, our series produced in partnership with MPB, Martin sets out to find a new daily driver.

Image: DPReview

After diving into our camera comparison tool, Martin narrowed his search to three contenders:

• Fujifilm X-M5
• Fujifilm X-E5
• Fujifilm X-S20

Martin then rented all three cameras to stage a three-way test before purchasing it from MPB, the leading platform for buying, selling, and trading camera equipment.

No spoilers here, so you'll have to watch the video above to find out which camera he chose. And let us know in the comments: which camera would you have picked?

If you have gear collecting dust on a shelf or you're simply looking for something new-to-you, head over to MPB to upgrade your kit today.

Buy, Sell, or Trade with MPB

Photo: WideluxX

Jeff Bridges and his SilverBridges team have been hard at work reviving his beloved panoramic, panning-lens film camera, the Widelux. Last month, they shared a video of Bridges and his wife unboxing two prototypes (which was pure joy), and now, they have announced that the WideluxX is officially available for pre-order.

The SilverBridges team is developing the WideluxX from the ground up, with manufacturing and hand-assembly taking place in Germany. The website states that this initial run of pre-orders is limited to 350 cameras. In case the camera alone isn't special enough as-is, each camera will also be personalized with two or three letters, which you can enter when ordering.

With pre-orders now open, SilverBridges has also shared more details about the camera itself. It features a 26mm lens with an aperture range of F2.8 to F11, and it produces 24×58mm images, with approximately 21 images per 36-image roll of 35mm film. It offers only three shutter speeds: 1/15, 1/125 and 1/250 sec. Focus is fixed from 1.5m (5 ft) to infinity, and the camera weighs 880g (1.9 lb).

The first pre-orders are expected to ship six to eight months after orders open, and the entire production run is expected to be completed in a year. For added peace of mind, the website also states that pre-order customers will receive a full refund if their camera isn't shipped within 12 months.

As you may have guessed from the above details, the price is steep. If you want one of the first WideluxX cameras, it will cost you $4400. Don't wait if you are interested, though. At the time of writing, there were only 244 remaining.

The limited-edition covers feature designs meant to stand out rather than blend in. Image: DJI

DJI has announced the successor to its popular Mic Mini, but the Mic Mini 2 is a subtle iteration rather than a substantial upgrade. The most prominent changes are colorful magnetic covers for the transmitters, new bundles for mobile and solo creators and a lower price.

Most wireless microphones aim to be discreet, and as a result, they tend to stick to black or white colorways. DJI is bucking that trend, however. The Mic Mini 2 transmitters are compatible with optional magnetic covers, which let users better match colorful outfits or intentionally add a pop of color. Each cover still features a large white DJI logo, though.

DJI is offering a separate kit of solid colors for those who want something other than white or black. Image: DJI

The Mic Mini 2 comes with black and translucent white covers; if you want the colorful options, you'll need to pick them up separately. A kit of eight solid colors, including teal, green, two blues, yellow, orange, purple and pink, costs £19.00. DJI is also offering a set of four limited-edition covers featuring colorful, painterly designs meant to "capture different stages of life" that were created by illustrator Victo Ngai. The special edition kit costs £35.00 for four covers.

Beyond the cosmetic changes, DJI added three voice tone presets. Users can choose from regular, rich and bright presets to tailor the sound to their recording environment. Otherwise, like the original Mic Mini, the Mic Mini 2 offers 24-bit audio, two-level noise cancellation and a transmission range up to 400m. It does not include internal recording, but DJI teased that a new version, called the Mic Mini 2S, will be released later this year with that feature.

A new bundle option includes the mobile receiver and only one transmitter. Image: DJI

While the Mic Mini 2’s core specs are similar to those of its predecessor, DJI is offering additional bundles. One includes the standard receiver with a 3.5mm mic output for cameras, along with two transmitters and the charging case. The other includes all of the same items, except it features DJI's more compact mobile receiver with a USB-C port for easier connection to smartphones. Users who want the mobile receiver can choose between one- and two-transmitter kits, allowing solo creators to save some money.

Another big plus with this launch: the price. The Mic Mini 2 bundle with camera receiver costs £89, which is a substantial price cut from the £169 launch price of the original Mic Mini in 2024. The bundle with mobile receiver and two transmitters costs £69, while the solo mobile creator kit costs £49. As with other recent DJI releases, the Mic Mini 2 is not available in the US. It is, however, available elsewhere as of today.

Sample gallery

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Nikon has announced the ZR, a video-focused camera with Red co-branding. It features the same 24.5MP 'partially Stacked' sensor as the Z6III and inherits many capabilities from the more stills-oriented camera, but gains a new Raw video codec, video-focused UI and internal 32-bit float audio recording – a first in the industry.

Key Specs:

• 24.5MP full-frame 'partially Stacked' CMOS sensor
• Nikon Z-mount
• 7.5EV IBIS
• Up to 6K 60p
• R3D (NE) Raw video codec
• 4" 3.07M dot (1280 x 800px) 1000 nit display
• CFexpress Type B / microSD
• Autofocus subject detection for people, animals, vehicles and planes
• Internal 32-bit float
• No mechanical shutter

The ZR retails for $2199 – $500 cheaper than the Z6III, and has been available since October 2025.

Index:

• What's new
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Video capabilities
• Video image quality
• In use: photography
• Conclusion
• Specifications
• Press Release

What's New

Familiar sensor, new body

While the ZR's heart may be the same as the Z6III, less the mechanical shutter, it's not immediately obvious by looking at it. The camera has a boxy, EVF-less design with a minimal grip, making it easy to mount on a gimbal without having to worry about clearance.

On the back is a massive 4" 3.07M dot display. It's in a video-friendly 16:10 aspect ratio, with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. It has a peak brightness of 1000 nits. Nikon says it supports the P3 color gamut, giving you a more accurate preview of what your colors will look like, when working beyond the limits of sRGB.

On the back of the display are the Nikon and Red logos. The ZR is the first camera since Nikon's acquisition of Red to come with both companies' branding (unless you count the Z-mount Raptor's body cap).

R3D (NE) Codec

The ZR includes a new Raw video codec called R3D (NE), alongside Nikon's N-Raw format and ProRes Raw. While it's not exactly the same as the Redcode Raw that Red's cinema cameras shoot, it is made to be cut together with it and uses the same Log curve and color gamut.

Importantly, this means you can use the Look Up Tables, or LUTs, that already exist for Red cameras, making it much easier to cut footage from the ZR and Red's cinema cameras together.

When shooting in R3D (NE), the ZR can capture 6K and DCI 4K at up to 60p, and UHD 4K at up to 120p. These same options are available for N-Raw, though the red-flavored Raw doesn't have any compression settings like the ones available for N-Raw. We'll touch on the differences between the ZR's Raw formats later on in this review, but have covered them in more depth in a separate article.

Cine EI

R3D Raw also comes with a different approach to gain. Instead of applying it in-camera based on your ISO setting, the camera will lock it to either its low (ISO 800) or high (ISO 6400) gain step. If you adjust your ISO, the camera will note it as a metadata tag and adjust its metering to capture a different balance of highlights and shadows, but it won't change the amount of gain added to the footage. This approach is comparable to the Cine EI (exposure index) mode Sony includes on its video-focused cameras, and gives you more control over your video's lightness ("ISO") in post. By contrast, N-Raw is shot with variable gain, just like photo mode, so you can't adjust this after the fact.

Alongside R3D (NE), the ZR supports the two other Raw formats the Z6III could shoot: Nikon's own N-Raw codec, as well as Apple's ProRes Raw. Though, as has been the case in Nikon's previous cameras, the widely-supported ProRes Raw option isn't available at the camera's fastest resolutions and frame rates.

Internal 32-bit float recording

The ZR is the first mirrorless camera to include fully-internal 32-bit float recording for audio. If you're unfamiliar, 32-bit float encodes audio in an entirely different fashion than traditional 16 or 24-bit encoding, allowing it to record a much wider range of values. Typically it's combined with dual gain amplifiers to ensure both quiet and loud sounds can be captured.

The benefit is that you don't need to finely adjust gain and worry about clipping (other than the point at which your mic itself is overwhelmed). While we've seen other cameras, such as the Panasonic GH7, that support 32-bit float recording with an external XLR adapter, the ZR can do it without one, obviating the need for a costly accessory.

What's more, it can be used to record audio from the camera's internal microphone – using OZO directional technology from Nokia – as well as from the 3.5mm microphone jack, meaning you can use it all the time.

Digital hotshoe

While the ZR has a traditional 3.5mm microphone input, it also includes a digital hotshoe with support for audio. Nikon sells a compact microphone that uses it, and Tascam offers an XLR adapter.

Currently, it's unclear what abilities other third party companies have to create accessories for it. For example, some DJI wireless microphone receiver packs can plug directly into the digital hotshoes on Sony's cameras, making it so you don't have to connect them with a 3.5mm cable. Whether they'll make something comparable for Nikon's system remains to be seen.

How it compares

You only need to look at the ZR to recognize that it's a competitor to Sony's FX range of cameras for film makers. Its lack of viewfinder will draw immediate comparison with the FX3 and APS-C/Super35 FX30 models, but the price is more in line with the FX2. However, the Nikon has a sensor much better suited to video than the FX2, which uses the rather slow to read-out chip from the a7 IV.

Despite the apparent similarities (high res 60p Raw capture), it's not quite a like-for-like competitor to Canon's C50, which launched on the same day. That is an unstabilized, actively-cooled camera, rather than a hand-held model. The provision of capabilities such as a timecode socket, desqueeze preview modes for working with anamorphic lenses and the option of bolt-on mount adapters suggests a focus on industry use, rather than beginners and owner-operator outfits.

The Nikon ZR looks essentially like one of Sony's small FX models but without their active cooling. And, in the same way that the FX2 and FX3 share much of their hardware with the more photo-focused a7 IV and a7S III bodies, respectively, the ZR is essentially a video-ized Z6III. So, while you lose the viewfinder, photo-friendly body shape and mechanical shutter, you gain more Raw video options, a hotshoe with digital inputs and 32-bit float audio. Despite this, Nikon has brought the ZR in at a price significantly below that of the Z6III.

But, more significant is that it undercuts the price of the FX2, which isn't built around an especially video-adept sensor, and at nearly half the $4100 asking price of the FX3, which has comparable rolling shutter, but captures native 4K, rather than the Nikon's 6K. In most regards, the ZR looks like a bargain.

Body and handling

The ZR is a relatively compact body, immediately bringing to mind the original Sony FX3, but without the prevalence of 1/4-20 mounting points, and without the finned exhaust ports, as the ZR does not feature active cooling.

It's just as much a Z6III shorn of its viewfinder as anything else, and has a similarly solid-feeling build. It uses the same fibre-reinforced plastic that Nikon has been using for some years, which gives a good sense of solidity without adding excessive weight. This is likely to be a benefit if you choose to mount it on a gimbal.

Ports

The ZR has most of the ports you'd expect from a video camera: USB-C, running at 3.2 speeds and 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks. The one surprise is the presence of micro, rather than full-size, HDMI. It does make sense given the camera's smaller form-factor, but those planning to routinely plug in monitors or external recorders to this camera will likely wish for a more robust connector.

Its storage mediums are also unconventional. While its CFexpress Type B slot is exactly what you'd expect on a high-end video camera, the secondary UHS-I microSD card slot isn't. It's not fast enough to support most of the formats that the camera can, so you can't use it to back up your recordings, nor can it be used to record proxies (though if you're shooting in R3D (NE) or N-Raw, proxy files will be recorded to the main card). Most people, then, will likely just use it for transferring settings and LUTs, or perhaps for shooting stills.

Battery

The Nikon ZR uses the same EN-EL15c battery as the Z6III. It's a 16Wh battery which powers the Z6III to a respectable 390 shots per charge when shooting photos and 100mins of "actual" video shooting, according to CIPA's standardized tests.

Nikon hasn't provided the rated values for the ZR, but they're pretty comparable: good, but not exceptionally so.

Video capabilities

As you might expect, Nikon is putting most emphasis on the ZR's Raw capabilities, but for many people, good 10-bit Log footage offers a less data-intensive workflow with plenty of editing flexibility (there's a much smaller difference in editing flexibility between 10-bit Log and 12-bit linear Raw than between JPEGs and Raw stills).

Encoded options

The ZR offers plenty of gamma-encoded video options, in a choice of All-I ProRes 422, 10- or 8-bit 4:2:0 H.265 or 8-bit, 4:2:0 H.264 MP4s.

As is often the case, the most data-intensive options aren't available in ProRes. And, like the Z6III, the ZR needs to crop in to an APS-C / Super35 region to shoot 4K/120 or 100.

Raw options

Even if they're not necessarily the easiest options to capture or work with, the ZR's Raw video modes are likely to be the most eye-catching.

The camera can capture either the Red-derived R3D NE Raw or the existing Nikon N-Raw at up to 6K/60. It has to drop to 30p to utilize the more widely-supported ProRes RAW codec.

It's worth noting the different ways the R3D and N-Raw modes handle ISO. Currently, most software doesn't support lens corrections for R3D NE, though the format itself does, and they can be added using Red's RedCine-X Pro transcoding software.

Shutter angle

The ZR is the first Nikon camera to let you set exposure in terms of shutter angle, out-of-the-box (it was added to the Z8 and Z6III in firmware, post-launch). This is especially valuable on a camera that can shoot 60 and 50 fps footage as readily as it can 30, 25 or 24p, as it means you can switch frame rates and have the exposure time respond accordingly, avoiding the risk of forgetting, and shooting footage with too high or low a shutter speed, after you switch.

Video image quality

As with the Z6III, the ZR's compressed footage is very detailed in both 4K and 5.4K. However, Nikon has clearly changed how it processes this footage, and it appears to be applying less, or more subtle, sharpening than the Z6III.

Compared to hybrid stills/video cameras, the ZR has similar levels of detail to the similar-pixel-count Panasonic S1II, as well as to the Canon EOS R6 III's oversampled 4K mode. However, the Canon's 7K open gate footage provides much more detail than the ZR's 5.4K capture, though it will take up more storage and has to be edited before delivery. The highest-resolution footage you can get from the ZR offers more detail than the Sony a7 V's oversampled 4K footage, though some of that is almost certainly aliasing. That's also the case if you compare the cameras' 4K output, with the ZR's having more aliasing, thus not necessarily representing the scene better. It's also worth noting that the ZR comes in at a substantially lower price point than those cameras (though with a corresponding decrease in stills capabilities).

While bumping up to 60p doesn't come with a cost to field of view or detail, if you want to shoot in 120p, the camera will have to crop down to a smaller APS-C region of the sensor. This results in less detail being captured, as is expected given the extra noise coming from using a smaller region of the sensor, and the higher shutter speeds required for shooting at higher frame rates, though it's the same amount as captured by the APS-C 24p mode.

The ZR shares a video IQ quirk with several of Nikon's other cameras, in that, for around the first second of an H.265 recording, the bitrate is substantially lower, resulting in noticeably softer and blockier footage. While it's certainly a ding against a hybrid camera, having to leave a second of lead time on each of your shots is borderline unacceptable for a video-focused camera.

Three flavors of Raw

The Nikon ZR supports internal Raw recording to three different formats: N-Raw, ProRes Raw, and R3D NE, a format currently unique to it. They all have the common caveats associated with Raw recording – using it will require post-processing (often using specific editing software), and the difference between Raw and Log isn't anything like as great as the difference between Raw and JPEG for stills – but for those that need it, it's available.

As you'd expect, the ZR's three flavors of Raw capture comparable amounts of detail at their 6K settings, though their default LUTs offer fairly different foundations to build your own grade on. Despite the similar image quality each version of Raw offers, there are substantial differences between what it's like to shoot them. You can read our in-depth comparison below.

N-Raw or R3D NE: how to choose

Log isn't just log

The ZR's N-Log mode for H.265 does more than just record in a different gamma; it also has a big impact on the amount of apparent detail in the footage compared to the camera's default H.265 color mode. Even with the LUT applied to roughly match color and lightness, the footage is substantially softer. When shooting in N-Log, the camera doesn't appear to apply any of the "Picture Control" adjustments, including sharpening, which may account for some of the visual differences; rather than doing it in-camera, it seems like Nikon is assuming that those shooting Log will want control over sharpening in post.

Despite sharing a sensor, Log footage recorded in H.265 from the ZR clearly has more noise reduction in the shadows than footage shot on the Z6III with the same settings. This noise reduction isn't applied to Raw footage, but for those who would prefer smaller file sizes will have to give up some control over how sharp the footage is straight out of camera. Given the controversy around the Z6III's relatively noisy and sometimes flickering shadows when recording Log, it's not surprising that Nikon has made some changes.

In use: a photographer's perspective

By Mitchell Clark

The Nikon ZR produces the same level of image quality as the Z6III. But the shooting experience is a world apart. Nikon ZR | Nikkor Z 24-120 F4 S | 90mm | F5.6 | 1/160 sec | ISO 200 Photo: Mitchell Clark

As with other video-focused cameras, there will be photographers who ignore the ZR's Red branding to focus purely on the sensor and the boxy shape, reminiscent of a rangefinder. If that's you, we implore you: do not buy this camera.

Of course, it can take stills, and it even has a switch on the top to go between its photo and video modes. But its lack of a mechanical shutter essentially rules out flash photography (it can only sync at 1/60 sec), and means you may have to deal with banding when shooting under artificial lighting. And while I'd welcome a rear display this large and bright on a hybrid camera, I still found myself missing an EVF when shooting pictures with the ZR.

While I, like many of you, would love it if Nikon (or anyone, for that matter) released a camera roughly this shape and size aimed at photographers, the ZR isn't it. It's a video camera that can shoot the occasional still when needed, and should be treated as such.

Conclusion

By Mitchell Clark

As the Nikon ZR is a video camera, we thought it best to present the majority of our conclusion as a video, primarily shot using the ZR and with lots of sample footage.

To briefly summarize: on the vlogging to production workhorse spectrum, the ZR sits far closer to the Sony ZV-E1 and Panasonic S9 at the vlogging side of things, rather than on the S1H and FX3 side. But for those who are looking for that kind of camera, which will likely be the majority of shooters, it's remarkably capable at that job.

The ZR has a few first-gen quibbles, which isn't necessarily a surprise. As it stands, it feels like Nikon was able to incorporate some of Red's expertise as it finished up the ZR, rather than building it from the ground up with that knowledge. What's there is quite good, but it'd be interesting to see what a version of this camera would look like if that production-focused perspective were available earlier in the process.

Nikon also seems to already be taking some of the user feedback to heart. At the time of writing, the company is promising a firmware update to the ZR that will:

• Allow users to record using the more sophisticated Log3G10 in H.265, instead of being stuck with N-Log
• Bring "general quality improvements" to H.265
• Let you use focus peaking and view assist concurrently when shooting in R3D NE
• Add a further compressed version of R3D NE, as is available when shooting N-Log (a big help in the time of skyrocketing storage costs)

If all of that comes to fruition, the ZR will be further refined as everyday vlogging/video camera. And while it may not be the best pick if your intent is a multi-operator, budgeted production, its very competitive price certainly makes that easier to accept. This capability, combine with a price that makes the camera punch a fair bit above its weight, earn it our Gold award.

Scoring

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

Compared to its peers

Compared with Nikon's own Z6III, the ZR is the obvious choice for video-first shooters, thanks to its larger, brighter display with video-focused menu, 32-bit internal float, and the option of using the more sophisticated R3D NE format. By default, the ZR sharpens its footage less, which we find to provide a better starting point for editing, though it also has more aggressive noise reduction, which is especially noticeable when shooting H.265 in Log. That means you lose a touch of detail in the shadows, but we'd consider it a fair trade-off (and one that could be fixed with a firmware update). For anyone intending to regularly shoot stills, though, the Z6III will be a much better option.

Looking at the Panasonic S9, its lack of internal Raw, rock-solid IBIS and ability to burn LUTs into your footage signal its role as a more beginner vlogging camera focused on providing ready-to-output footage. If you do want to edit, though, it also provides open-gate shooting, a feature the ZR lacks. While the S9 is a relatively capable video camera, especially given its price, the ZR is more well-rounded with its faster sensor with better rolling shutter rates and full-width 4K/60, 32-bit float audio and large screen. We also prefer its autofocus and controls, and the fact that it has a headphone jack for monitoring.

While we haven't tested the Sony FX2, we are familiar with its sensor, which has much slower readout speeds and requires a crop to an APS-C region to do 4K/60, which the ZR does not. Unless you have a very specific need for a production-focused camera, the ZR is a much better choice, thanks to its faster sensor, 32-bit float audio, choice of Raw and Log workflows, and larger screen. The FX2 will likely have cleaner footage in the deep shadows, and has a mechanical shutter and EVF for stills, but those qualities can also be had in cameras much better suited to both stills and video than it.

Logos: Adobe

Adobe has rolled out a handful of updates to Photoshop and Lightroom aimed at smoothing out common editing bottlenecks. The latest additions include tools for composite photos, organizing complex files, finding images with natural-language search and managing work from large shoots.

In Lightroom, Adobe is delivering on some features it showed off at its Adobe Max conference in October of last year. One is the improved search functionality, which allows users to search with natural language, much as they may be accustomed to in cloud-based photo management tools from the likes of Apple and Google. It was previously available in Lightroom for the Web, but is now available in the desktop version as well.

The AI Filters in the Assisted Culling tool allow users to quickly sort out images that are in focus. Image: Adobe

Another Max-previewed feature that is now fully available is Assisted Culling, which makes it easier to sort through large quantities of images. The tool is an AI-powered filter that allows users to quickly narrow down images by sorting out those that are properly exposed and in focus. It gives users control over how picky they want to be, and still lets them select or reject images that the system would have done the opposite.

Speaking of speed, Adobe says that interactive slider performance will be five times faster in this update. It's also added support for all Sony a7 V formats, since it previously didn't support the new compressed Raw format Sony introduced with that camera. Lastly, there are new film-inspired presets for those interested in editing to create a more retro look.

The Rotate Object tool is found in the Contextual Task Bar, making it faster to access transformation tools. Screenshot from Adobe's demo of the feature.

In Photoshop, Adobe has made its Rotate Object tool widely available, following the feature's public beta release in March. Rotate Object makes it much easier to refine composite images, saving users from the traditional multi-step process of adjusting an object's position with separate Transform tools. It essentially turns a 2D object into a rotatable 3D image, allowing users to adjust its angle and perspective in real time to make it fit more naturally into a scene.

Adobe also added a Layer Cleanup tool to Photoshop, which can streamline and declutter files by renaming layers and automatically removing empty ones. Plus, Firefly Boards are now integrated with Photoshop, making it easier for creatives to move from concept phases to final execution.

All of the new features are available in Photoshop and Lightroom as of today.