Photo: Dale Baskin

Recently, Panasonic released firmware V2 for the Panasonic S9, which lets you use the camera with the latest version of the Lumix Lab app. That makes it a pretty exciting update, as Lumix Lab V3 adds a ton of new features, like the ability to edit Raws, download images via a wired connection, edit your custom color modes with the app and more. However, if you're trying to update your camera, you'll want to do so using a computer, rather than the app.

Panasonic posted a notice to its site saying it's "identified an issue with the DC-S9 version 2.0 firmware update released on June 9, 2026," specifically when updating via Lumix Lab. According to the warning, the ability to update using the app should be turned off, but if for some reason it still lets you do it, you should probably cancel the operation.

While there are several people who say they successfully updated their camera with Lumix Lab, there are also a few reports on social media from people experiencing major issues after doing so, with their cameras rendered essentially unusable.

Panasonic says you can still update the camera's firmware by using a computer to download the file, then copying it onto a memory card. It also says it's working to fix the issue so people will be able to update their camera's firmware with Lumix Lab in the future.

Photo: Mykim Dang

DJI has been teasing a new version of its gimbal vlogging camera, the Osmo Pocket 4P, with two cameras for a while now, and we've finally been able to go hands-on with one. DJI invited our Director of Video and Social, Mykim Dang, to an event in Toronto where she was able to use it and take some photos of it.

While DJI has said that members of the press are allowed to share images of the camera, the actual technical details about its sensors, lenses, and operation are embargoed for a later date. Stay tuned, as we'll be going in-depth on the additional 3x camera and how the package as a whole competes with a modern high-end smartphone as soon as we're able. For now, enjoy some product shots, then check out our coverage of the original Osmo Pocket 4.

Magliano, Tuscany, Italy "Same night as the church star trail, before leaving, I tried this photo, and then at home I discovered the amazing details of the external Milky Way visible in the roof hole, sometimes you get nice photos when you least expect them!" Sony a7R IV | Viltrox 16mm F1.8 FE | F1.8 | 13 sec | ISO 6400 Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

Combining a love of hiking with a passion for photography, community member Giacomo Farabegoli ventures into the outdoors to capture landscapes at all times of day. His photos reflect a real passion for landscape and astrophotography, a perfect fit for our Nature Photography Day Question of the week, which we just published.

"I got started by finding my mom's old Nikon F601 in a cabinet at home. After a couple of film rolls, used to figure out various combinations of aperture and shutter speed, I decided to go full analog by buying an Olympus OM-1 (the '70s version, not the digital). After some years, I finally went digital with a Nikon D5000. At first, I was all for street photography since I was living in Milan. Then, in 2021, I moved to Trentino-Alto Adige, surrounded by mountains, and there I fell in love with Nature photography. I found the need to change systems and bought a used Sony a7R IV."

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.

Catinaccio range, Val di Fassa, Italy "It was in November, and I spent several hours hiking to this spot. I pitched the tent and waited. I've done the Milky Way shot with the tent blending three exposures (foreground, tent and sky), and two different sessions for the star trails (one with the tent and one only mountains). I stayed up till 3 am and didn't sleep because of the freezing night at 2600 meters!" Sony a7R IV | Viltrox 16mm F1.8 FE | F1.8 | 6 sec | ISO 3200 Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

Meet Giacomo Farabegoli

Home base: Val di Fiemme, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Favorite gear: "I think the Osprey Camera Chest Rig is my favorite item since it's really comfortable during long hikes, and I can have my camera ready quite fast, but at the same time well protected. The rig conveniently connects directly to just about any backpack's shoulder straps."

"While I was living in the city, I tended to focus more on portraits and street photography, but since I moved closer to nature, I started to do landscape photography. This resulted in a change of gear as well. I didn't need any more flashes or fast 85mm lenses, so I shifted more to wide-angle fast primes and lightweight zooms for day hikes. An expensive shift, but completely worth it."

What's in Giacomo's bag

Giacomo's camera bag Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

Primary cameras: Sony a7R IV (primary), Sony a7C II (secondary)

• Lenses:
  • Sony 14mm F1.8 GM
  • Sony 24-105mm F4 G OSS
  • Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II
  • Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro
  • Viltrox 85mm F1.4
• Support gear: "My new kit is built around landscape and astrophotography, with the need for it to be portable for hiking. I have a Heipi 3-in-1 carbon tripod that provides a sturdy support system for long treks. An intervalometer (auto-shutter trigger) is always packed for star trail photography, along with spare batteries for extended nights in the field. For more detailed deep-sky work, a star tracker is included (usually). A particularly useful addition is a tent string tensioner, which can be used to secure and stabilize the tripod against rocks during windy conditions. I'm not going to lose my equipment to a cliff face fall..."
• Camera bags: "I use different packs depending on the length and purpose of the trip. A Manfrotto Pro Light Backloader is reserved for paid shoots and travel, thanks to its gear capacity and airline-friendly dimensions. For hiking, I tend to an Osprey Talon 26L for day trips, a Millet Ubic 35L for overnight photography outings, and an Osprey Atmos AG 50L for multi-day adventures."

"I should note that camera gear is protected inside these packs using a Lowepro GearUp Box or, when minimizing weight is a priority, a Spinn Design Wrapper. For quick access on the trail, take a Peak Design Capture Clip or an Osprey Camera Chest Rig, as these keep the camera readily available."

Corno Nero, Oclini, Alto Adige, Italy "I was trying to shoot a comet that night and while I was waiting I got this beautiful sunset with the low moon (it was a Supermoon the day after), I went back hiking during the night in the snow because I didn't want to pitch the tent in the cold." Sony a7R IV | Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II | F2.8 | 1/320 sec | ISO 320 Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

How has your photography changed since you started?

"While I was living in the city, I focused more on portraits and street photography, but since I moved near nature, I have only been doing landscapes or nature-focused photography. This resulted in a change of gear as well. I didn't need any more flashes or fast 85mm lenses, so I shifted more to wide-angle fast primes and lightweight zooms for day hikes."

"I shoot usually in mountain scapes, away from people and urban areas. I often find myself surrounded by snow during winter shootings, freezing in the cold, but with a lot of clear skies to keep my attention on while I also try to keep warm."

How do you adapt your setup to different situations?

"In 2025, I went for a long hike in the Dolomites near where I live. I've done some pretty extreme climbs of 85 kilometers with 6000 meters of elevation gain in 5 days with a 20kg backpack full of camping and photography gear."

"Depending on what type of hike I'm doing, for a day hike I bring only my camera with the 24-105mm and a spare battery. On multi-day hikes, I bring more batteries and a couple of lenses (usually 24-105mm and 14mm). If it is a night shooting for star trails and Milky Way, I go with two camera bodies and even three lenses, depending on the subject (like the 70-200mm if I want to do moon or deep sky), an intervalometer and a star tracker."

Magliano, Tuscany, Italy "An abandoned church in Tuscany, saw the spot from the road and went the same night to try this photo, I was lucky to get a perfect, clear sky." Sony a7R IVA | Viltrox 16mm F1.8 FE | F8 | 61 sec | ISO 2000 Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

When capturing that perfect shot, what techniques come to mind?

"I like to go explore before actually going shooting, if possible. I don't bring the camera; I just go there and start exploring the surrounding area to find the perfect spot for the tripod and the tent. If I can't explore beforehand, like on a vacation trip, I use different apps, Photopills and ThePhotographerEphemeris, to virtually explore the area and find potential spots before I arrive. Once I have the spot in mind, it's then all in the hands of Mother Nature to give me the ideal conditions to shoot a perfect photo."

How can print photographers learn from digital photographers?

"As I'm organizing workshops, I often see that a lot of people starting digital photography lack those little details that I learned when I was shooting analog. Using the camera in Manual mode to achieve the desired exposure, rather than relying entirely on Auto mode. A good exercise is to turn off the camera's image preview and check what you have done when you go back home."

"A good exercise is to turn off the camera's image preview and check what you have done when you go back home."

"Another piece of advice is that every setup depends on what you want to shoot. I do landscapes and prints, so I need high image quality and a lot of megapixels. A street photographer, though, needs to focus more on portability, as a sports photographer does on a faster camera."

"And last but not least, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to start. My first camera was 120€ with two lenses (unheard of these days, I know), start low and then improve your gear only when you've improved your technique!"

Karersee, Alto Adige, Italy "Sunset over Karersee Lake, waited 3 hours for the perfect light." Nikon D800E | Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM Art | F13 | 1/15 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Giacomo Farabegoli

Giacomo really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Giacomo, 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?'

Apple says its new Raw processor offers much better denoising, even when dealing with images from cameras that have "non-traditional sensor patterns." Image: Apple

Apple had some splashy announcements at its Worldwide Developer Conference keynotes regarding AI and the future of its software, but, as is often the case, some of the most interesting developments were saved for later in the week, in the developer sessions. Case in point: Apple has apparently reworked the pipeline for processing Raw images that powers not just its own apps like Photos and Pixelmator Pro, but also third-party ones that choose to integrate Apple's tech.

In a video titled "WWDC26: Enhance RAW image processing with Core Image," the company not only walks through the changes it's making, but also provides a pretty good summary of how Raw data gets turned into a visible image through demosaicing, denoising, applying white balance and other adjustments, and more. But the meat of the video is the discussion around the 9th iteration of its Raw processor, which it characteristically calls its "biggest update yet."

The company says it's building machine-learning powered denoising straight into the demosaicing step, leading to sharper images in most situations, and dramatic improvements to rendering very noisy photos. That'll be especially important when, say, trying to process photos shot with the relatively small sensors found in the latest iPhones, though Raw 9 supports more than just Apple's cameras. The company says it can deal with Raw files from "hundreds" of cameras from "all major professional camera vendors," and promises that more will be added as time goes on.

AI-powered denoising has become a major part of photo editing these days. Major photo editing software like Photoshop and DxO are gaining built-in support for it, and even standalone denoising apps like Topaz Labs are getting some buzz. It's no surprise that Apple is building the tech into its own Raw processor, though it's interesting that it essentially seems to be baking it in, without offering a ton of control over how it's applied (though apps will still be able to offer sliders for luma noise reduction).

Raw 9 will be included on new operating systems like iOS, iPadOS and macOS 27

As for where Raw 9 will show up, you'll likely start seeing output from it in Apple's apps first, once its new operating systems like iOS 27 and macOS 27 "Golden Gate" are released this fall. It's used not only in editing apps like Photos, but to allow you to view Raw images in the file browser, and in Preview.

Third-party developers will also be able to use it in their apps when dealing with Raw files, though it apparently won't be the default, potentially thanks to the increased processing requirements versus Raw 8. And while we wouldn't expect companies like Adobe to ditch their custom-made Raw convertors for it anytime soon, many indie photo editing apps on Apple's platforms will likely use it, gaining better Raw output without requiring much extra work on the developers' part.

As a heavy user of Apple Photos – I have over 20,000 Raw images stored in it going back to 2012 – I'm excited for this change. As Apple points out, part of the beauty of shooting Raw is that you can breathe new life into old photos by reprocessing them, and I'll be very interested to see if I notice the difference in my strolls down memory lane.

Image: Insta360

The DJI Osmo Pocket has been the default choice for gimbal camera shooters for years, but Insta360 is now making a direct play for that market. The Luna Ultra is the company's first gimbal camera, and it features Leica branding, 8K video and a dedicated telephoto lens.

The launch appears to have been pulled forward after a creator purchased the camera from B&H before its official release date – while it was still under embargo – after retailer listings went live ahead of schedule.

The Luna Ultra features a dual-camera system, competing against the Osmo Pocket 4's single camera. That said, DJI is gearing up to launch its own version with two cameras, so this won't be an edge for long. The main camera uses a Type 1 (128 mm²) CMOS sensor with a 20mm equivalent focal length and F1.8 aperture. The dedicated telephoto camera provides a 60mm equivalent focal length and uses a smaller, Type 1/1.3 (69 mm²) sensor and F2.0 aperture. Beyond those two focal lengths, Insta360 says it offers 6x lossless and 12x hybrid zoom.

Insta360 sells various accessories for the Luna Ultra. Image: Insta360

The camera records 8K/30p videos with Dolby Vision and 10-bit I-Log for greater flexibility while editing. The 8K resolution could appeal to those after extra quality, as the Osmo Pocket 4 tops out at 4K, albeit at 240 fps. The Luna Ultra also offers a 'PureVideo Mode,' which Insta360 says reduces noise and improves brightness for low light shooting up to 4K/60p.

On the stills side, the camera can capture up to 37MP, though that's in Insta360's "UltraPhoto" mode. Insta360 doesn't specify what this mode is, but we suspect it's a computational multi-frame capture mode. Standard photos max out at 9MP. It also offers 200MP panoramic shots.

Stabilization comes from a 3-axis gimbal combined with electronic image stabilization, promising smooth footage even while moving. It also uses Insta360's Deep Track 5.0 for subject tracking, which includes various specific tracking features, such as modes for groups, zooming, auto framing and more.

The touchscreen is detachable and able to function as a remote for the camera gimbal. Image: Insta360

The Luna Ultra features a detachable 2-inch OLED touchscreen, which Insta360 says is an industry first. The touchscreen can then function as a remote that works up to 20m (65') away. It certainly adds some convenience for solo creators. The company also offers a separate POV Head Tracker that can automatically move the camera based on your head movements.

Insta360 says the camera gimbal is co-engineered with Leica, and it features Leica-branded Summicron lenses. It also brings Leica's color profiles to the tiny camera gimbal, including Leica Natural, Leica Vivid and Leica Chrome. The company says that it's compatible with professional color workflows, including ACES (Academy Color Encoding System). It also features built-in time code for syncing multiple devices and a QR code system for sharing color settings between devices.

Image: Insta360

The camera includes 47GB of internal storage and is compatible with microSD cards up to 1TB. Insta360 promises four hours of battery life.

Beyond some camera benefits over the Osmo Pocket 4, the Luna Ultra has one other key lead over DJI's camera gimbal in the US market: it's available. New DJI products have not been officially available in the US since the FCC blocked the company from receiving equipment authorization in December 2025.

The Luna Ultra starts at $770 and comes in white or black. For comparison, the Osmo Pocket 4 launched at £445 (roughly $596) in the UK, though DJI has not set a US price. A close competitor, the dual-lens Pocket 4 Pro, is also expected, and although we don't know the official price yet, Chinese retail listings suggest it will sit in a similar range to the Luna Ultra.

Buy now

Image: Insta360

The DJI Osmo Pocket has been the default choice for gimbal camera shooters for years, but Insta360 is now making a direct play for that market. The Luna Ultra is the company's first gimbal camera, and it features Leica branding, 8K video and a dedicated telephoto lens.

The launch appears to have been pulled forward after a creator purchased the camera from B&H before its official release date – while it was still under embargo – after retailer listings went live ahead of schedule.

The Luna Ultra features a dual-lens system, competing against the Osmo Pocket's single lens. That said, DJI is gearing up to launch its own two-lens camera gimbal, so this won't be an edge for long. The main camera uses a Type 1 CMOS sensor with a 20mm equivalent focal length and F1.8 aperture. The dedicated telephoto camera provides a 60mm equivalent focal length and uses a smaller, Type 1/1.3 sensor and F2.0 aperture. Beyond those two focal lengths, Insta360 says it offers 6x lossless and 12x hybrid zoom.

Insta360 sells various accessories for the Luna Ultra. Image: Insta360

The camera records 8K/30p videos with Dolby Vision and 10-bit I-Log for greater flexibility while editing. The 8K resolution could appeal to those after extra quality, as the Osmo Pocket 4 tops out at 4K, albeit at 240 fps. The Luna Ultra also offers a 'PureVideo Mode,' which Insta360 says reduces noise and improves brightness for low light shooting up to 4K/60p.

On the stills side, the camera can capture up to 37MP, though that's in Insta360's "UltraPhoto" mode. Insta360 doesn't specify what this mode is, but we suspect it's a computational multi-frame capture mode. Standard photos max out at 9MP. It also offers 200MP panoramic shots.

Stabilization comes from a 3-axis gimbal combined with electronic image stabilization, promising smooth footage even while moving. It also uses Insta360's Deep Track 5.0 for subject tracking, which includes various specific tracking features, such as modes for groups, zooming, auto framing and more.

The touchscreen is detachable and able to function as a remote for the camera gimbal. Image: Insta360

The Luna Ultra features a detachable 2-inch OLED touchscreen, which Insta360 says is an industry first. The touchscreen can then function as a remote that works up to 20m (65') away. It certainly adds some convenience for solo creators. The company also offers a separate POV Head Tracker that can automatically move the camera based on your head movements.

Insta360 says the camera gimbal is co-engineered with Leica, and it features Leica-branded Summicron lenses. It also brings Leica's color profiles to the tiny camera gimbal, including Leica Natural, Leica Vivid and Leica Chrome. The company says that it's compatible with professional color workflows, including ACES (Academy Color Encoding System). It also features built-in time code for syncing multiple devices and a QR code system for sharing color settings between devices.

Image: Insta360

The camera includes 47GB of internal storage and is compatible with microSD cards up to 1TB. Insta360 promises four hours of battery life.

Beyond some camera benefits over the Osmo Pocket 4, the Luna Ultra has one other key lead over DJI's camera gimbal in the US market: it's available. New DJI products have not been officially available in the US since the FCC blocked the company from receiving equipment authorization in December 2025.

The Luna Ultra starts at $770 and comes in white or black. For comparison, the Osmo Pocket 4 launched at £445 (roughly $596) in the UK, though DJI has not set a US price. A close competitor, the dual-lens Pocket 4 Pro, is also expected, and although we don't know the official price yet, Chinese retail listings suggest it will sit in a similar range to the Luna Ultra.

Buy now

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

Image: Laowa

When Laowa released its 180mm F4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO lens last year, it offered autofocus, but not at macro distances. For those extra close subjects, manual focus was required. Now, Laowa is fixing that limitation with a firmware update.

Laowa's 180mm macro lens supports a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m (11.8"), but its autofocus only engaged from 1.5m (4' 11") and beyond. That's a pretty good gap between how close you can focus and how close autofocus works. Because of that, subjects at macro distance would require manual focus, which may not be ideal for some photographers and situations.

A small note on Laowa's product page says that new firmware is available, "enabling autofocus for macro photography," so that limitation is now gone, potentially making it easier for photographers to get in focus images. The firmware update also unlocks macro focus bracketing, which is a useful tool for macro photographers. Interestingly, the page still warns that "auto-focus is only available for subjects from 1.5m to infinity," though we suspect this applies only to the old firmware version.

The firmware update is now available for download for Canon EF-, Nikon Z-, and Sony E-mount versions of the lens. The RF and L-mount versions of the lens are manual focus only, so this update does not affect them.

Thanks to DPReview reader Stig Nygaard for the tip.

Apple Photos is getting two new AI-powered features, along with updates to the existing "Clean Up" tool. Image: Apple

Apple has announced iOS 27, the latest version of its mobile operating system, which focuses more on stability and refinement rather than loading up with new features. However, it shared a few additions, including one that raised a few eyebrows at DPReview: generative AI-powered photo editing.

The first change is an update to the "Clean Up" tool, which lets you remove unwanted elements in your image. Apple says the new version will provide "better quality and more realistic infill," even in complex scenes. The company is also adding an "Extend" tool, letting you effectively do a negative crop and use AI to add a simulacrum of what was outside the frame of your original image. Apple pitches it as a way to give your subject a bit more space, or to level an image without changing the composition.

When using Spatial Reframing, the blurry areas indicate where the photos app will have to use generative Extend.

While both features likely sound familiar to anyone who's spent any time in modern Photoshop, the company's last feature, "Spatial Reframing" is a bit more advanced. It uses AI to essentially change perspective, letting you virtually move the camera around to reframe a subject, and having AI fill in the background needed to sell the effect.

While the "Spatial" branding makes it seem like it uses the depth data that powers other features like virtual bokeh, that doesn't seem to be the case. Apple says you'll even be able to reframe older images, and ones taken using other cameras.

Apple says any images made using these features will include "a hidden SynthID watermark" to mark them as having been edited with AI. The company also says that some AI features, like image generation, will have "daily usage limits" because they rely on server-side processing. It's currently unclear what those limits are, exactly which features they'll apply to, or how much they'll be extended if you pay for the company's iCloud+ plans.

In many ways, this is Apple playing catch-up with other phone makers, as companies like Google and Samsung have introduced slews of AI-powered features*, like the ability to add the photographer into a group photo, combine several photos into a single image where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera, and resize/move elements of an image and clean up the background. But it's also interesting that there's one line Apple isn't crossing in the Photos app: giving you a tool to add generated imagery into your pictures, something both Google and Samsung let you do.

When it was introducing the features, Apple said it had a "deep respect for the craft of photography," and that it wanted to give photographers AI tools that "enhance their images in ways that respect the original moment."

This isn't a new take from Apple – in 2024, it said photos should be things that "really, actually happened" – but it's also not a hardline one. It's hard to ignore that, literally less than two minutes earlier in the presentation, there was a demo of using Apple's Image Playground app to add an AI-generated cake into someone's hands to create a birthday party invite. So while that functionality may not exist in the Photos app, it's clear Apple isn't taking a fundamental stance against using generative AI to completely alter an image and the context around it.

If there has to be a dedicated Siri mode in the camera app, surely it shouldn't come before actual photographic options like portrait and panorama mode. Image: Apple

Aside from the editing tools, it doesn't seem like Apple's making too many changes to the photography experience, which isn't necessarily a surprise given it completely redesigned the camera app last year. It's adding a new Siri mode to the camera, which may be annoying for those who already find the interface cluttered, though we'll have to wait for the beta versions to be released to know for sure whether it can be removed as an option.

It's also possible we haven't seen everything new with iOS 27 yet. Apple will occasionally hold back announcing new features tied to hardware, so it's possible that there'll be further changes if, say, the company announces a new form-factor phone later this year (whatever that may be).

* Arguably, one of Google's most useful AI features is a virtual "Coach" that suggests how to improve your image as you're taking it; who needs Spatial Reframing when your phone was smart enough to tell you how to frame it in the first place?

Photo: Viltrox

Viltrox has announced two new APS-C entries to its "Evo" line of lenses, a 75mm (113mm equiv.) F1.8 and a 90mm (135mm equiv.) F2.2, available for Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Sony E mounts.

The 75mm uses 11 elements in 9 groups, with two high-refractive index elements and two extra-low dispersion elements. The 90mm has the same mix of special glass, but with 10 elements in 8 groups. Both can focus as close as 0.74m (29"), and use stepper motors for autofocus.

They can also be fitted with 58mm filters and have aperture rings. The Sony E and Nikon Z versions have the ability to click and de-click that ring, as well as a function button, both of which are absent on the version for Fujifilm.

A bit unusually, the version of the lens for Fujifilm has fewer physical controls and switches than the Z and E-mount versions. Image: Viltrox

The E mount version of the 75mm F1.8 weighs 335g (11.8oz) and is 76mm (3") long. The 90mm is the same length, but weighs 320g (11.3oz). The Z and X mount versions are slightly different weights and lengths, but are effectively the same size. They have rubber seals on their lens mounts to protect against moisture and dust, and have a water resistant coating on their front elements.

The AF 75mm F1.8 Evo costs $329, while the AF 90mm F2.2 costs $369. They are available today.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 Evo

Viltrox AF 90mm F2.2 Evo

This isn't the type of photo that usually wins a photo contest. Unless it's Icelandair's contest to find the world's worst photographer. Photo: Blance Mortemard

Back in March, we shared news of one of the more intriguing photography contests we'd come across in some time: Icelandair's hunt for the most terrible photographer it could find. The premise was that Iceland is so breathtaking that even the world's worst photographer couldn't help but come home with beautiful photos.

The campaign was clever. It was also, apparently, far more successful than the airline expected. Icelandair says it received 127,642 entries from 178 countries, all vying for the title of "World's Worst Photographer." That's a lot of terrible photographers. It is, in fact, almost as many bad photographers as there are people in the city of Reykjavík.

This must have been one of the most arduous photo contests to referee in history, with judges spending more than 2,000 hours screening pictures that were, by all accounts, terrible before narrowing the field to 13 finalists. The irony of the number 13 – historically associated with bad luck – is not lost on us.

The winning photographer (and we use the word 'winning' loosely) was Blanche Mortemard from Paris, France, who claimed victory in what the airline termed "a highly competitive selection process," and impressed the judges "with her admirable lack of skills and knowledge of basic photography."

High praise. But maybe the kind you'd want to think twice about before putting it on your LinkedIn page.

"Blanche Mortemard... impressed the judges 'with her admirable lack of skills and knowledge of basic photography.'"

Speaking about the ineptitude that secured her victory over what was, evidently, a deep and competitive field, Blanche said, "For years, friends and family have asked why my photos always look disappointing. I'm thrilled to finally have an answer: I was training for this role." She added that this was "probably the only photography competition I ever stood a chance of winning."

As long as we're clear that winning means losing. Or, in this case, that losing at photography, for years, means winning a 10-day trip to Iceland, along with getting paid $50,000 to do something you're terrible at.

So perhaps winning does mean winning. It's honestly hard to keep track.

Whether being declared the worst photographer from a pool of 127,000 self-identified bad photographers is something you want covered by the world's press is questionable, but now that the genie is out of the bottle, Blanche might as well own it.

The story isn't over, of course. Blanche will hit the road for Iceland this summer to put her terrible photography skills to the ultimate test: to see whether she can manage to take a bad photo in a country that we can all agree is pretty magical. We'll make sure to report back to let you know how that works out.

Stills from videos: Abby Ferguson

Being in my line of work means that I'm exposed to all sorts of products and companies. Because of that, it's not often that I'm truly surprised by something. Recently, though, I had the opportunity to visit Supersense in Vienna, Austria, and I was left surprised and, frankly, delighted by a company doing something rather special.

I first heard of Supersense a few years ago through the An Impossible Project documentary. Supersense describes itself as an "all analog palace manufactory," focusing on analog products for each of the senses (hence the name). Indeed, if you're someone who loves old technology, Supersense is a dream come true. Chris Holmquist, the Production Manager at One Instant (a part of Supersense), graciously offered to show me around the entire space and share more about what makes Supersense tick.

Found in a historic, Venetian-style building in Vienna, the Supersense space is filled to the brim with analog processes of all types: a print shop with printing presses and die-cutters (touch), vinyl cutting tools (hearing), a restaurant (taste and smell) and One Instant, the makers of the world's only peel-apart packfilm (sight). The space also houses one of just seven 20x24 cameras in existence – a Wisner-based large format giant capable of producing the world's largest instant photographs.

As a photographer who loves anything film-related, I was especially keen to learn more about One Instant. The project was born out of Supersense's founder, Florian 'Doc' Kaps' love of photography and his mission to bring back instant film (which previously led to the revival of Polaroid).

Each piece of Type 100 film takes 20 minutes to assemble, at minimum.

One Instant is a tiny team making peel-apart instant film by hand. None of the process is automated at this point, and so every single step is handled by the team. If you think that sounds painstakingly slow and tedious, you're not wrong. Each piece of Type 100 film takes 20 minutes to assemble, at minimum. And that's only if all of the components are perfectly lined up and ready to go, which is rarely the case, so realistically, it takes much longer.

The handmade process naturally means the film is expensive: a pack of three Type 100 sheets costs $60, and a single sheet of 8x10 film will run you $66. Those are all pre-assembled options, but One Instant also offers DIY kits to offer a somewhat more affordable option, saving users just over $6 per sheet of film. These kits let photographers handle the final assembly process, minus the darkroom-reliant steps, thus keeping costs down.

At this point, One Instant is still using legacy Polaroid materials, including negatives, paper, and the pods that contain the chemistry. The goal is to gradually move away from that, so they aren't relying on old-stock materials, thus making the peel-apart film more future-proof. Given the success of Polaroid film's revival, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the One Instant project.

You can learn even more about the process and the DIY packfilm specifically in the video below.

Most photographers strive to find a camera system that fits easily into a small bag when traveling. But the people behind the 20x24 Project are traveling the world with a camera so big that it doesn't fit in a plane. The above video from the group is a fantastic introduction to the project, along with the camera's wild history.

The video very briefly walks through the general story of Polaroid and instant photography, but the main focus, of course, is the behemoth of a camera. It touches on the camera's surprising origins, its unlikely rise to fame among some of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, and how it ended up back in action after years in storage. It's also an exciting look at what's to come from the camera.

The video at the top of the article was the project's introduction, but it is well underway now, and the team has since released several episodes featuring the artists they have worked with so far. You can check out one of those below and see all their videos on the 20x24 Project channel on YouTube.

Updated June 3, 2026

By the time you're spending over $3,000, you're looking at getting one of the best cameras around. You should expect it to deliver exceedingly detailed images and capture high-end video, all without having to compromise much on speed for when the action picks up.

For most applications, a camera around $3000 will be more than enough, but if you and your photography need the very highest image quality or some specialist capability, the cameras in this guide are among the best we've yet seen. There are a handful of dedicated sports/photojournalism cameras or luxury models above the $6000 upper limit we've set ourselves, but these are usually such singular offerings that we're assuming you don't need our help in choosing if you're seriously considering them.

At this level, there aren't really any bad picks, so if you have any investment at all in the lens system of one company, this should probably be the deciding factor for you. But we'll highlight the particular strengths we found in each camera, just in case you are planning to switch systems.

Our recommendations:

• Best high-end camera: Canon EOS R5 II
• Another great option: Nikon Z8
• High-spec high res: Sony a7R VI
• The compact option: Sony a7CR
• IQ above all else: Fujifilm GFX 100S II

Best high-end camera: Canon EOS R5 II

45MP Stacked CMOS sensor | Eye-controlled AF subject selection | Up to 30fps continuous shooting

The EOS R5 II is one of the most all-around capable cameras we've tested. Photo: Richard Butler

Read our EOS R5 II Review

See the EOS R5 II Studio Scene

Should I still buy the EOS R5?

Short answer: yes. It lacks some of the newer camera's features like eye-controlled subject selection, action priority modes and AI noise reduction, but if those don't matter to you – or aren't worth the $400 MSRP premium of the EOS R5 II – the EOS R5 is still plenty capable in 2026.

Another great option: Nikon Z8

46MP Stacked CMOS sensor | 20fps Raw, 30fps full-size JPEG shooting | 8K/60 and 4K/120 video

The Nikon Z8 delivers just about everything: speed, AF, video and, most importantly of all, image quality. Photo: Richard Butler

The Nikon Z8 is a fast-shooting stills and video-capable mirrorless camera with a 46MP Stacked CMOS sensor. It's an extremely strong competitor compared to the EOS R5 II, but Canon's action sports settings and eye control push it over the edge.

If those things don’t matter much to you, you can pretty much base your decision on whether you prefer Nikon or Canon’s lens lineup. They’re broadly similar, and both brands tightly control which options third-party manufacturers can offer.

Read our Nikon Z8 review

See the Nikon Z8 studio scene

A cheaper option?

At $3300, the Panasonic Lumix S1RII retails for substantially less than the Z8 and EOS R5 II while offering similar resolution, speed and video features. But while we found it to be a quite capable camera, its autofocus UI and performance are a fair bit behind what Canon and Nikon offer, to the point where we'd recommend paying the extra if you think you'll be frequently shooting moving subjects. If you mostly shoot still subjects and/or videos, though, it may well be worth considering for the savings.

High-spec high res: Sony a7R VI

66MP Stacked CMOS sensor | >30fps with e-shutter, 10fps mech | >4K/120p video

Photo: Mitchell Clark

It's a camera that focuses mainly on image quality – something it does better than any other full-frame options – but with a sensor fast enough to stretch to shooting action, wildlife and video if needed. Sony has also been less restrictive with what lenses can be made for its mount, meaning you have plenty of options.

Read our Sony a7R VI review

See the Sony a7R VI studio scene

Should I still buy a Sony a7R V?

The Sony a7R V isn't as fast, but, unlike the a7R IV before it, has Sony's latest menu system. If you're only planning on shooting landscapes or other slow-moving subjects, and aren't that interested in video, it may be worth going with the older model and rolling the savings into a nice lens or two.

The compact option: Sony a7CR

61MP BSI CMOS sensor | 4K/60p video with 10-bit color | Dedicated ‘AI’ processor for AF system

You can't do much to shrink the lenses, but the a7CR is both the smallest and least expensive camera here. Photo: Richard Butler

The Sony a7CR is a compact, full-frame camera with a 61MP BSI CMOS sensor. Despite its small size, it packs in most of the features found in Sony’s larger bodies while still delivering stunning detail, without sacrificing much performance.

Read our in-depth Sony a7CR review

IQ above all else: Fujifilm GFX 100S II

102MP BSI medium format sensor | In-body image stabilization | 5.76M dot viewfinder

Photo: Mitchell Clark

The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is a 100MP medium format mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with built-in image stabilization.

This camera is perhaps the most specialized pick on this list: it's not especially fast or versatile but in terms of image quality, it essentially offers the best levels of detail we've ever seen. It's a true step up over even the best of its full-frame rivals (some of which comes from its lenses - the GF primes often being particularly good).

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.

"Another trail hike, another opportunity to photograph my knife and kuksa. This is a Bark River Knives Puukko in CPM-3V steel, and the kuksa is the one I made from cherry burl. The checkered item on the left is the fire steel rod with a handle I made with multiple wood types: maple, black walnut, and padauk." Nikon Z8 | NIKKOR Z 24-120mm F4 S | F4 | 1/320 sec | ISO 320 Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

Alberto Tanikawa specializes in creative still-life photography, with a particular focus on knives and whisky bottles. Much of his work is created in carefully controlled nighttime setups, where he uses RGB lighting, grids and diffusers to craft dramatic scenes and unique color combinations. The images he shared for this article highlight his passion for lighting and detail-oriented product photography.

"I've been a visual guy since childhood, getting started with a film point and shoot in the 80s-90s, then starting a career as a wedding photographer in the early 2000s, and eventually moving to the service side of photography in 2014. I may not shoot professionally anymore, but I think I enjoy my photography even more now that I shoot for myself, not for clients."

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.

"This is a custom Spyderco Paramilitary 2 (PM2) pocket knife, lit by three Kelvin RGBACL lights. The deep amber light helped bring out the texture of the knife's shredded carbon scale, while a dark cyan light helped create a sharp line/plane for the knife to stand on. A “bluerple” light overhead helped fill in some of the contours on the dark top area." Nikon Z8 | NIKKOR Z 50mm F1.2 S | F5.6 | 1/60 sec | ISO 800 Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

Meet Alberto Tanikawa

Home base: United States

Favorite camera and lens: "I had been shooting forever with my Nikon D3, but yearned for higher res AND fast frame rates. When rumors of the Z8 began circulating, I started saving for the day it would be released. It's a very capable hybrid camera."

"I would say today's mirrorless autofocus is so good that I can now get so many more keepers when shooting fast lenses than I ever could in my DSLR days. But I've become more selective of what I keep, sometimes to a detriment. Lens flares, for example, were something I always avoided like the plague, but recently I saw that they could add interest to my photos."

What's in Alberto's bag

Alberto's camera bag Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

Primary cameras: Nikon Z8

• Lenses:
  • Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S
  • Nikkor Z 24-120mm F4 S
  • Nikkor Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena
• Support gear: Alberto's kit varies depending on the shoot. For still life and light painting work, he relies on Kelvin Play RGBACL lights, using grids and diffusers to precisely control lighting and create a wide range of color effects. For video projects, he rigs out his Nikon Z8 and carries an external monitor, sound recorder, microphones, cables and a V-mount battery. When light painting, he uses PocketWizard III radio triggers along with multiple Kelvin RGBACL lights, valuing their dependability and range.
• Camera bags: Alberto typically carries either a Think Tank Photo DarkLight 20L or a Retrospective 30 V2. The DarkLight 20L is his choice for hikes and travel because it remains compact while carrying plenty of gear and fits under an airplane seat. The Retrospective 30 V2 serves as his everyday shoulder bag, offering space for camera equipment and essentials like a water bottle, plus additional lens storage.

"Steel and caffeine. A deep blue light overhead set to its lowest setting helps give the knife blade the tint I desired. The knife is a Bark River Knives JX6 II in Magnacut steel. Two opposing 5600K lights with diffusers (top left and bottom right) help light the coffee beans and shine a light on the rest of the knife materials." Nikon Z8 | NIKKOR Z 50mm F1.2 S | F5.6 | 1/100 sec | ISO 12800 Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

What caught your eye with knives and whiskey bottles as a main theme?

How do you adapt your setup to different situations?

"If I'm hiking for a while, or am limited in some way on what I can bring, I carry my Z8, Z 24-120 F4 S, and an extension tube for closeups. If shooting video, however, I bring my Z8 in a rig, and the accessories (external monitor, sound recorder, mics, cables, lenses and V-mount battery) in my backpack. For light painting, I use my old Pocket Wizards IIIs along with multiple Kelvin RGBACL lights. Radio triggers are great for their bulletproof dependability and range, by the way."

"Shot of my Bark River Knives JX6 II out on a trail. I found a tree stump, stuck the knife there and started shooting. This was shot on my Nikon Z8 and Z 24-120 F4 S. I noticed a ladybug crawling on the knife, so I kept shooting. I composited five images to give the impression of multiple ladybugs, when in fact it's the same one." Nikon Z8 | NIKKOR Z 24-120mm F4 S @ 120mm | F4 | 1/400 sec | ISO 200 Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

When capturing that perfect shot, what techniques come to mind?

"If shooting a still subject, take the time to fix any undesirable reflections, hairs, dust, etc, during the shoot. Thinking 'I'll just fix it in post' might sound easy in this age of AI editing, but I would rather fix things right there and then. Besides, I don't want to subcontract my thinking or creativity to AI – hopefully that keeps my brain active and sane for longer."

How should other photographers capture the best light possible?

"Don't be afraid to experiment, but do it safely, and think things through. There are apps like PhotoPills, which help photographers figure out location and time to shoot that perfect Manhattanhenge, for example, and other apps that help locate astronomical events. There are so many sources of knowledge around the web, DPReview being a prominent one."

"Don't be afraid to experiment, but do it safely, and think things through."

"Kuksas and hazmat whiskey. Kuksa is the Finnish word for wooden cup, and I carved these two by hand out of cherry burl and apple wood (left to right). The board, the kuksas, and the bottle were also among my creations (in black walnut). I used all of my Kelvin RGBACL lights and one small camping light to get this look in my darkened living room." Nikon Z8 | NIKKOR Z 50mm F1.2 S | F1.8 | 1/50 sec | ISO 3200 Photo: Alberto Tanikawa

"One thing I did while learning the ropes of wedding photography was to look at magazine photos and try to figure out how they were lit. This served as a great exercise and also helped me curate the lighting styles I found most pleasing. I've used this knowledge to apply to my current photography of still life subjects."

Alberto really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Alberto, 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?'

The Rialto 65 sensor block will mount on Sony's Venice 2 camera, which currently offers modules based around 50MP and 24MP full-frame fully-stacked sensors. Image: Sony

Sony has announced the Rialto 65: a large format sensor module for its Venice 2 cinema camera. The "Rialto" will be built around a 53.75 x 35.83mm sensor, making it comparable in size to the 53.4 x 40mm (essentially 645) sensors its semiconductor division makes for the likes of the Phase One IQ4.

More to the point, it's very close in size to the dimensions of the Arri Alexa 65, a rental-only cinema camera used in very high-end Hollywood productions. That has a 54.12 x 25.58mm sensor. The Rialto sensor uses a taller 3:2 aspect ratio than the Arri camera.

Sony UK says the module will be able to shoot 9.6K open-gate footage, which would imply a resolution of around 61MP, which isn't an obvious multiple of any common output formats, perhaps suggesting it could be used for applications other than just video. There's no word on technology, but it's probably safe to say it won't be the relatively slow readout designs used by Phase One and Fujifilm's smaller-sensor GFX Eterna cameras.

Sony says the sensor "block" will be available in the first half of 2027, with it being on show at the Cine Gear Expo show in Los Angeles later this week.

At present, the Venice 2 is available with stacked 35 x 24mm sensors that closely match the spec of the a1 II and a9 II photo cameras.

What is 65mm?

The Arri 65 uses a ∼54 x 26mm sensor which, like the Rialto 65, mimics the size of a vertically-fed strip of "65mm" film. Image: Arri

As if we weren't having enough fun judging digital cameras by the dimensions of film formats over on the stills side of things, Sony is careful to point out that "65mm" refers to "a class of imaging area derived from the 65mm film format," rather than actually being a dimension of the sensor size (a footnote the camera industry might consider applying to its inch-type sensor size nomenclature).

As with "35mm" film, 65mm can be used in a variety of ways. Both Arri and Sony are mimicking the 5-perf vertical usage when they refer to 65mm. Illustration: based on images by Mliu92 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

As with "35mm" film, the 65mm format is named after the full width of the film, including the sprockets. And, as with 35mm, which can be used vertically, using four perf(erations) to give the "Super 35" movie format, that's roughly the same size as APS-C, or horizontally, using eight sprocket holes per frame to give the 36 x 24mm format we call full-frame, 65mm can be used in a number of ways.

The most common are 5-perf vertical, giving a roughly 52.6 x 23mm widescreen frame, or the vast 15-perf horizontal IMAX format that Christopher Nolan seems determined to maintain, single-handedly. This is a vast 70.4 x 52.6mm. If you know anything at all about the exponential costs of making larger sensors, you'll understand why Sony is mimicking the former.

Why Rialto?

While, for Brits at least, the world 'Rialto' may evoke crumbling former cinemas in faded seaside towns, the name actually derives from Venice's historical theatre district. And this sensor block fits into the Venice 2 camera. Clever, eh?

Sony hasn't given details of price but we'd assume it's as close to the cost of one of Venice's islands as the price of your current camera.

What are your favorite weather conditions for photography?

Photo: Collage of entries for this week's Question of the week article

Last week, we asked you what your favorite weather events are for taking photographs. From stormy seas to picturesque forest hillsides, a wide range was depicted. Initially, when we said "weather events", all we thought we might get were tornadoes, floods and other disaster scenes. You surprised us with a truly wide palette to appreciate.

View the above slideshow to check out the 15 selected memorable photographs. Many more could not be included, so check them out in the forums. We'd love to see you contribute your own weather experiences, too.

Share your favorite weather events!

Shrouded city skyline

Photo: AshleyMC

"Any weather condition that is not life-threatening. :)"

Share your favorite weather events!

Shrouded Swiss mountains

Photo: 99tollap

"I live in the Swiss mountains, and for me, changeable cloud cover, revealing hidden mountain features, with occasional isolated bursts of sunlight, is the best."

Share your favorite weather events!

Frosted window

Photo: Maoby

"The days of extreme cold and seeing the frost on the windows from the warmth of inside, with a good coffee."

Share your favorite weather events!

Low clouded valley

Nikon Z f | Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8 @ 26mm | F11 | 1/200 sec | ISO 100

Photo: AWG_Pics

"Any weather is workable, but skies with interesting clouds are fun!"

Share your favorite weather events!

Romantic forest mountain view

Sony ILCE-7M3 | Nikkor DX 24mm f/3.5 @ 24mm | F10 | 1/160 sec | ISO 100

Photo: Jefenator

"Call me a romantic drama addict; I'm all about that blend of sunlight and clouds."

Share your favorite weather events!

Firey town sunset

Photo: GinoSVK

"Sunset just after major rain, as surprising as it is bountiful."

Share your favorite weather events!

Ocean dock view sunrise

Canon EOS R8 | 600mm | F11 | 1/1600 sec | ISO 1600

Photo: kodakrome

"Depends on what I'm shooting. For birds, I like a clear day. For general scenery, partly cloudy is my friend."

Share your favorite weather events!

A snowy good time

Panasonic DMC-G3 | 45mm | F5 | 10/1600 sec | ISO 160

Photo: richj20

"Fog and snow. Unfortunately, where I live in So. California, those are rare conditions."

Share your favorite weather events!

Dramatic lightning event

Canon EOS 5D Mark II |24mm | F13 | 8/1 sec | ISO 100

Photo: Zeee

"Mostly fog and mist. Dark skies with frost. Sometimes lightning."

Share your favorite weather events!

Frosty mountain snow town

Pentax K-1 | 37mm | F8 | 25/1 sec | ISO 250

Photo: KPM2

"It doesn't happen often here where I live, but at that special night the moonlight was beautiful. And in long exposures, clouds sometimes blur very subtly."

Share your favorite weather events!

Huge tornado approaching

Apple iPhone 16 | 2.22...mm | F2.2 | 1/99 sec | ISO 160

Photo: Howard V

"This forming tornado missed us by about three miles while we were on vacation at a rodeo in South Dakota."

Share your favorite weather events!

Summer tropical getaway

Panasonic DMC-GX8 | 20mm | F4 | 10/10000 sec | ISO 200

Photo: tranceliner

"Several have mentioned a dislike for cloudless, blue skies. I agree - for the most part. However, a cloudless sky can help emphasize the scene being photographed."

Share your favorite weather events!

Deep blue morning

Panasonic DC-G9 | 8mm | F2.8 | 2/5 sec | ISO 200

Photo: GrayCard

"I really like very early mornings, regardless of the season, sometimes right after a storm, when the light is at its most gentle. Blue Hour at Meadowlark Gardens."

Share your favorite weather events!

Stormy seaside

Photo: tranceliner

"Very often depends on the mood. I love strong gale winds, especially if I am heading towards the Grand Harbor, Malta."

Share your favorite weather events!

Dramatic cloud-covered sunset

Canon EOS R6 | RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM @200mm | F4 | 1/500 sec | ISO 100

Photo: tommo_k

"Generally speaking, I like dramatic skies, either the colors or cloud shapes, to have some interest in the skies. As many in this thread, I love dramatic mountain landscapes enriched by clouds. Mountains and sunsets are a great combo, too."

Share your favorite weather events!

Photo: Dale Baskin

The original Camp Snap camera was a surprise hit, a minimalist camera that succeeded largely because of what it lacked. Originally marketed as a low-cost, screen-free camera for kids to take to summer camp, where devices with screens are sometimes banned, it found a second audience among adults drawn to its no-frills, toy camera simplicity.

The Camp Snap 2 is built around the same basic hardware, but has a slimmer design that takes cues from classic rangefinder aesthetics, and includes several small but meaningful improvements. It's a likable little camera, though with a sensor much smaller than a typical point-and-shoot, image quality isn't the reason to buy one.

Key features

• 8MP, Type 1/3.2 image sensor (15.7mm²)
• 26mm (equivalent) F2 lens
• Dual-tone LED flash (6500K cool / 3000K warm)
• 6 present 'Filters' for different photo looks, changeable in-camera
• Screw-lockable door to access memory card and date/time settings
• 30.5mm filter thread
• Tripod socket
• 4GB microSD card included
• USB-C port

The Camp Snap 2 is available in nine colors, including translucent options, and costs $70. It can be ordered directly from Camp Snap.

The case for a dedicated summer camp camera

Before diving into the camera, it's worth some context, particularly for those outside North America. Summer camp is a big tradition in the US and Canada, with kids spending anywhere from a few days to a few weeks at outdoor camps. For many kids, it's the highlight of the summer.

I have some personal perspective here: not only did I attend summer camp as a child, but I ran one for several years. Back then, if kids brought cameras, they used film and waited until they got home to see the results.

The Camp Snap 2 camera is designed for kids to take to summer camps with a screen-free policy, but it has found a second audience as a fun toy camera. Camp Snap 2 camera | F2 | 1/1700 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Dale Baskin

Today, many camps prohibit devices with screens, including smartphones and most digital cameras. They want to keep kids engaged with each other and the outdoors rather than staring at screens or messaging friends at home. That's the scenario the Camp Snap was designed for.

What's new

If you're familiar with the original Camp Snap, here's what's changed.

The most important addition is a dedicated on/off switch. On the original, the shutter button doubled as the power switch, which was awkward and potentially confusing. The Camp Snap 2 also gains an automatic sleep mode, so a forgotten power-off won't drain the battery.

The back of the Camp Snap 2 camera is as simple as it gets. An on/off/flash switch (upper left), a tunnel-style viewfinder, a tiny LCD frame counter, and a button to change the filter style of the images (center right). There's also a speaker that emits shutter sounds when the shutter button is pressed. Photo: Dale Baskin

Filter presets (color modes) can now be changed in-camera. The original required a computer connection to change modes, and if you wanted to change it, you had to reconnect to the computer. The Camp Snap 2 offers six: Standard, Vintage 1, Vintage 2, Vintage 3, Analog, and Black & White, cycled through using a button to the right of the frame counter. Holding it for 10 seconds locks it, useful if you'd rather your kids not fiddle with the settings.

Like the original, the Camp Snap 2 has a small screw securing the card slot door, and the new model adds a conventional slide-lock so you can remove the screw if you prefer.

Also new: a 30.5mm filter thread and a tripod socket. I don't anticipate many people will use this camera with screw-on filters, but Camp Snap has strongly hinted that it plans to release some. The tripod socket is of limited utility without a self-timer or a way to remotely trigger the shutter.

In use

The Camp Snap 2 is exceptionally easy to use because there's so little to control. It's the closest thing to a 'plastic fantastic' disposable camera you'll find in the digital world. The only controls are the shutter button, the power switch (which also activates the flash), and the filter button. A tiny LCD on the back displays the shot count and the active filter.

"It's the closest thing to a 'plastic fantastic' disposable camera you'll find in the digital world."

Since there's no LCD screen for composing shots, you frame photos through a simple tunnel-style viewfinder. It's not fancy, but it works, which is all it needs to do.

The camera includes a 4GB microSD card, which Camp Snap says should hold around 2,000 photos. That's plenty for a week at camp, and you can always use a larger card if needed.

The bottom of the Camp Snap 2 houses the USB-C port, tripod socket, and a screw-locked door covering the memory card slot and date/time controls. The screw discourages kids from opening it, but can be removed if you'd prefer Photo: Dale Baskin

The card lives behind a panel that screws shut, and that's very much by design. From personal experience running a summer camp, I can tell you that kids are remarkably good at losing things. Placing a screw on that door is a meaningful deterrent between a curious kid and the only copy of their photos.

Of course, there's no guarantee they won't lose the entire camera (because: kids), but if they do, it was only $70 to start with.

Camp Snap 2 camera | F2 | 1/2500sec | ISO 100 Photo: Dale Baskin

The flash is an LED type, similar to a smartphone flash, which can produce that same washed-out look. Auto flash mode is gone this time around, which is a minor loss. That said, given the limitations of the LED unit, leaving it off unless it's absolutely needed is probably the right approach anyway.

The camera runs on an internal battery charged via USB-C, which is one less thing for kids to lose. Camp Snap rates it at around 500 shots, which seems reasonable in my experience.

Image quality

It's important to set appropriate expectations for image quality. It's an inexpensive camera that's designed mostly for kids to capture memories, with the idea that it's potentially disposable should disaster happen.

Don't expect the same level of image quality that you would get from a modern smartphone or even a retro point-and-shoot camera, though. The camera's imaging sensor is tiny. In fact, it's smaller than the ones used in most smartphone cameras, and it doesn't benefit from any of the computational photography techniques those devices use to improve image quality.

It's worth illustrating this with some real-world examples. In the table below, you can compare the Camp Snap 2's sensor and lens to other cameras that have lenses with similar focal length, including the Kodak C1, the Olympus Tough TG-5, a rugged camera introduced in 2017, and the iPhone 13, a several-year-old smartphone.

In general, the more light a camera gets, the better the image quality, and the numbers on the last line tell a clear story: the Camp Snap 2's sensor captures roughly half the light of the TG-5 and less than a third of what the iPhone 13 captures – and that's before the iPhone's computational wizardry kicks in. The Kodak C1's BSI sensor gives it a slight edge over the Camp Snap 2 despite their similar size, along with a flip-up LCD screen, for just $50 more.

Of course, what none of those cameras can provide is the simplicity and screen-free experience of the Camp Snap 2, and if a screen-free camera is what you need, or simply the experience you're after, it stands out.

The Camp Snap 2 is prone to clipping bright highlights, like clouds. Camp Snap 2 camera | F2 | 1/1150sec | ISO 100 Photo: Dale Baskin

In most cases, the Camp Snap 2 does a good job of getting exposure correct, but it struggles with strongly back-lit scenes, and while the white balance is generally on target, photos can occasionally exhibit a slight color cast.

The most visible artifacts you're likely to encounter are clipped highlights on bright objects or JPEG compression artifacts, which are obvious if you pixel peep images at magnification.

Verdict

The Camp Snap 2 is a good camera to send to camp with your kids, particularly if there's a no-screens rule. It's incredibly easy to use and lets kids capture memories that last a lifetime. Older kids, or those with some photography experience under their belt, might find it too simplistic and would be better served by something with a bit more control.

However, it has a fun factor, and if you're buying it for your child to take to summer camp – or even for yourself to have some fun – it's up to the task. When I look back at photos I took at summer camp as a kid with a film camera, the image quality leaves a lot to be desired. But adult me doesn't care one bit about that. The purpose of those photos was never to be fine art. It was to capture memories of something that mattered, and they do exactly that. The Camp Snap 2 can do the same.

Winners of the 2026 World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

The winners of this year's World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi have been announced, celebrating food storytelling across the world. The winners of the 27 categories were unveiled by chef and food writer Gennaro Contaldo at the Mall Galleries in London this evening.

"These Awards highlight the power of photography to tell food stories from around the world," says Dave Samuels, Brand Director of Tenderstem Bimi Broccolini and headline sponsor of the Awards. "The remarkable images remind us of the essential role food plays in communities across the globe - through growing, harvesting, cooking, eating, celebrating and surviving. Whatever changes the world goes through, food remains central to our lives."

This year's edition of the contest saw nearly 9000 entries from over 50 countries. The judging panel was chaired by David Loftus, a legendary food photographer, and included Claire Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation; Tom Athron, CEO, Fortnum & Mason; Rein Skullerud, Senior Photographer & Photo Editor, World Food Program; Jamie Oliver, Chef, Restaurateur; and Olia Hercules, Food Campaigner, Activist, Author and Chef.

An exhibition of all 203 finalists will be on view at the Mall Galleries, London, from June 3 to June 7. We've included a selection of the category winners below, but you can see all of the 2026 finalists and category winners on the contest website.

Overall Winner and Fortnum & Mason Food at the Table

Title: A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-era Sanatorium

Photo credit: Jo Kearney / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: British

Description: The Khoja Obi Garm sanatorium (health hotel), Tajikistan, is a brutalist concrete monstrosity built on hot radon gas-infused springs in the mountains. During Soviet times, communist workers were given two weeks annual holiday here. Today, its low price - $28 per day including full board and treatments - attracts ordinary Tajiks plus tourists from the neighboring 'Stans' and the odd backpacker. Treatments include hot pools and steam rooms, wax wraps and tanning barrels, plus hearty, healthy meals.

Instagram: @jokearneyphotography

Cream of the Crop

Title: Ine Fishing Village, Kyoto, Japan

Photo credit: Albert González / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Spanish

Description: Squids drying in the sun using the traditional Japanese technique of Himono in the fishing village of Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

Technical details: Canon EOS 6D | EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM | 89mm | F6.3 | 1/3200 sec | ISO 125

Instagram: @leckerstudio

Cake Award

Title: A Mid-Century Man and His Cake

Photo credit: Claudia Anton / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Australian

Description: This image creates a cinematic mid-century mood with high contrast, warm tones and textures. The cake is the centerpiece with symmetrical lines and buttercream swirls glowing in the firelight. The scene is filled with hidden vintage surprises, family heirlooms and trinkets. A nod to the era and a moment in time.

Instagram: @thesugarologist

Bring Home the Harvest

Title: Early Morning Catch, Hooghly River

Photo credit: Marco Rutten / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Dutch

Description: At sunrise beneath Howrah Bridge, a small crew hauls in their nets on the Hooghly River. River fish remain everyday food and income here: catches from boats like this are sold in nearby markets and prepared that very morning in Bengali kitchens. A quiet, collective harvest beneath the city’s busiest crossing.

Technical details: Canon EOS 6D Mark II | EF 24-105mm F4L IS II USM | 35mm | F7.1 | 1/80 sec |ISO 100

Instagram: @marcophotoworld

Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer

Title: Twin Bridesmaids Enjoy Canapés, Devon, UK

Photo credit: Emma Stoner / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: British

Description: May 2025. Twin bridesmaids enjoy canapés of 'Proper Crisps' at Jess & Tom's wedding. They are pictured in the gardens at The Grain Store in Devon, UK.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM | 35mm | F3.5 | 1/1000 sec | ISO 500

Instagram: @emmastonerphotos

Food Influencer

Title: Noodles

Photo credit: Maja Lewicz / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Polish

Description: Dark, moody noodles with texture that you can almost feel. Mysterious, bold and irresistible.

Technical details: Canon EOS 6D Mark II | EF 50mm F1.8 STM | F10 | 0.3 sec | ISO 100

Instagram: @veggie_intervention

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year - Overall Winner (and People)

Title: In the Depths of the Deposit

Photo credit: Juan Miguel Ortuño Martinez / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Spanish

Description: During the cleaning of the underground tanks, Pedro goes down and cleans the walls and floor of the remains of the previous wine with pressurized water. Once clean, his partner lowers a small bucket with a sponge inside to collect the remains that are left in the lower corner.

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 | EF 24mm F1.4L II USM | F1.6 | 1/125 sec | ISO 6400

Instagram: @ortunojuanmiguel

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year - Places

Title: The Hidden Vineyard, Pokolbin NSW, Australia

Photo credit: Chris Elfes / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Description: This vineyard is just beside a main road, but you can't see it unless you stop. It is sort of hidden. This image was taken while Mount Pleasant Wines picked their Semillon grapes. I stopped to shoot the ground action, but the drone gave me a great perspective, and nature did its best to help me.

Technical details: DJI Air 2S | 22mm equiv. | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | ISO 200

Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year - Produce

Title: In the Eye of the Kvevri

Photo credit: Luke Carver / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: British

Description: Point-of-view shot from inside a traditional kvevri during the 2025 grape harvest in Georgia.

Technical details: Canon EOS 6D | EF 16-35mm F2.8L II USM | 16mm | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | ISO 12,800

Instagram: @lukecarverphoto

The James Beard Foundation Photography Award

Title: At the Register

Photo credit: Daniel D Kwak / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: American

Description: A moment of respite from the line at Hadja Marley, an authentic Senegalese eatery in Brooklyn. This portrait captures the daily rhythm of life on Fulton Street, focusing on the steady presence of the staff and the traditional West African flavors that bring the local community together. A study of neighborhood service.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | 24-70mm F2.8 | 51mm | F3.2 | 1/500 sec | ISO 3200

Instagram: @foodcre8ive, @dkcre8ive

Hotel Art Group Food Stylist Award

Title: Raw Pairing No.2

Photo credit: Styling: Sarah Ghijselinck | Photo: Sandra Declercq / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Belgian

Description: Instead of presenting a finished dish, this image focuses on the ingredients behind the pairing. Salt, fat and vegetal bitterness are arranged in balance, illustrating how wine pairing originates in the interaction of fundamental flavors rather than the final recipe.

Technical details: Canon EOS R | EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM | F20 | 1/125 sec | ISO 100

Instagram: @sarahghijselinck.foodstyling

Food in the Field

Title: Dusty Journey

Photo credit: Serkan Dogus / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Description: Every morning, hundreds of sheep arrive in the village from the high pastures of Mount Nemrut for milking. After the milking is completed, at sunset, the sheep set out once again toward Mount Nemrut, and their dusty journey begins.

Technical details: Sony a7R III | FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS | 164mm | F8 | 1/400 sec | ISO 100

Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers

Title: Granny's Welcoming Gift of Love

Photo credit: Kellie Carter / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: American

Description: This home affirms the true meaning of family. Where home is sustained by generosity, where love is expressed through making, sharing and showing up again and again. Where Granny's smile, fresh-baked cookies and a cold glass of milk can make even the bleakest of days bright again.

World of Drinks

Title: Campari Barmen, Milan

Photo credit: Marie-Louise Moutafchieva / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Canadian/Bulgarian

Description: I happened by chance to turn my attention to the local bar on the corner of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Camparino. The expression of the barman and the waiter dressed in white tuxedos instantly created a story I had to capture. It was one of those moments where I found myself in the right place at the right time.

Technical details: Sony a7 III | FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS | 70mm | F6.3 |1/160 sec | ISO 320

Instagram: @marielouphotography

Food for the Family supported by The Felix Project

Title: The Final Touch

Photo credit: Michela Balboni and Federico Borella / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Italian

Description: Little Asilbek touching the hot bread, straight out of the family tandoor. In Samarkand (Uzbekistan), the 'non' is unlike any other: round, dense, with a thick, chewy crust, and always marked in its center with black sesame seeds.

Technical details: Leica SL2-S | Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. | 35mm | F5 | 1/320 sec | ISO 800

Instagram: @_michelabalboni_

Jamie Oliver Youth Prize 13 - 17

Title: Chhath Puja Offerings

Photo credit: Indigo Larmour / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Irish

Description: During Chhath Puja, food offerings are held by devotees, who stand in bodies of water as they pray to the sun god, Surya. This Puja is predominantly performed by women, and is always vibrant and colorful, particularly when observed in a rural setting, such as this in West Bengal, India.

Technical details: Nikon D600 | AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm F4G ED VR | 24mm | F4 | 1/640 sec | ISO 250

Instagram: @i_larmour

Politics of Food

Title: Irebero Miller

Photo credit: Glenn Vanderbeke / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Description: Portrait of a female miller after processing grains into cornmeal. At Vocational Training Center Irebero, single women are trained as millers.

Technical details: Canon EOS 600D | Tokina atx-i 11-16mm F2.8 | 11mm | F3.2 | 1/40 sec | ISO 400

M&S Food Rising Star

Title: The Making of Granola Bars

Photo credit: Sarah-Vanessa Schneider / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Swiss

Description: This image captures the process of making granola bars, highlighting the warm afternoon light spilling across a rustic setting dominated by browns and blues. The human element grounds the quiet mood of the scene. Sometimes a story isn't told in the finished dish, but in the act of making it.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | EF 85mm F1.2L II USM | F3.5 | 1/10 sec | ISO 100

Instagram: @velvetandvinegar

unearthed Food for Sale

Title: Cabbage Market. Mohastangor, Bogura, Bangladesh

Photo credit: Kazi Mohammad Golam Quddus / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Description: In Mahasthangarh, Bogra, a large vegetable market comes alive each morning. Farmers bring in their freshly harvested cabbages, usually transported by rickshaw vans, and gather for the daily cabbage market. Traders buy the produce here and supply it to Dhaka and other major cities.

Technical details: Hasselblad L2D-20c | 24mm F2.8 | F5.6 | 1/80 sec | ISO 400

Production Paradise Previously Published

Title: Poaching

Photo credit: Erik Lafontaine / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Belgian

Description: A poached mackerel emerging from a deep, shadowed broth. Controlled lighting sculpts texture and surface tension. The image plays with darkness and stillness, turning humble preparation into a study of depth, contrast and restrained drama.

Technical details: Fujifilm GFX 100S II | GF 55mm F1.7 R WR | F4 | 1/125 sec | ISO 100

Instagram: @helloeriklafontaine

RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year

Title: Red Cocktail

Photo credit: Lara Zeh / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: German

Description: A sophisticated, monochromatic study of heat and elegance. This deep crimson composition uses a precise spotlight to highlight the glass’s silhouette and create depth. Featuring a hand-crafted chili-sugar rim, the image focuses on geometric symmetry and rich textures, translating the cocktail’s spicy character into a bold, artistic statement.

Technical details: Canon EOS R6 Mark III | RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM | 70mm | F18 | 1/250 sec | ISO 640

Instagram: @_larazeh_

The Philip Harben Award for Food in Action

Title: Proven Recipe

Photo credit: Lehóczki Balázs / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Hungarian

Description: I had planned this image for six to seven years, but kept postponing it, feeling unworthy of capturing them. Now, because of their age, I couldn’t wait. Grandma went to the hairdresser, Grandpa shaved, and I filled their kitchen with studio gear. When she saw the photograph, my grandmother called me an artist.

Technical details: Fujifilm GFX 100 | GF 45mm F2.8 R WR | F4.5 | 1/125 sec | ISO 640

Instagram: @lehoczkistudio

World Food Program Food for Life

Title: The Open Air Hotel

Photo credit: Mithail Afrige Chowdhury / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Description: An open-air restaurant owner serves food to her customers. She sells at a low price so that daily laborers who work at the Gabtoli coal station can afford it. The photograph was taken in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Technical details: iPhone 12 Pro Max | 26mm equiv. | F1.6 | 1/120 sec | ISO 50

Instagram: @mithail_afrige

Street Food

Title: Kyoto Street Vendor

Photo credit: Kara Baird / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Australian

Description: Shot in Kyoto, Japan in September 2025, this image was taken in a split second as I moved through the packed, sweaty crowd at Nishiki Market. With barely any space to stop, I raised the camera and captured a brief, unfiltered moment of the energy and intensity of the market at its busiest.

Instagram: @karabairdphotography

The Bimi Prize

Title: Candied Pear

Photo credit: Anne Mason-Hoerter / World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Bimi

Nationality: Canadian

Description: I wanted to create a unique image of candied fruit, and I have always been fascinated by the transparency of colors revealed through the process. I began by slicing a pear very thinly and boiling the slices in a mixture of sugar and water. Once the slices became transparent, I laid them out to dry on paper. The image was created using sugar water and a pear slice placed on a glass sheet, along with coloured plastic in front of a table lamp. I photographed the setup multiple times from different angles, and finally, I used Photoshop to combine the various images.

Instagram: @annehoerter

Image: GoPro

GoPro is coming off of what may be one of its most exciting product announcements in years, but its most recent communication to investors and regulators could cast a shadow over the launch. In it, the company says that new market forces "raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern," citing "unprecedented increases and volatility in memory costs" that have seen price increases of up to 115%.

There's a fair amount of nuance and complexity to the situation, most of which is pretty deep in the financial weeds. The upshot is that the company's management is taking several steps to try and avoid defaulting on loans, including exploring a sale or merger, investigating "opportunities within the defense and aerospace sector," selling "certain non-critical assets" and negotiating with lenders. It also says that it's "reducing operating expenses through disciplined cost management," citing its recently announced layoff of 23% of its workforce.

Despite this, GoPro says that some of its plans "are dependent upon factors outside" its control, and that there are no assurances it'll be able to continue as a going concern. If it can't, the company says it "may be required to significantly reduce, restructure,
cease operations, or seek protection under the Federal bankruptcy laws," though it points out that it hasn't started on any specific bankruptcy plans.

In the document, GoPro says it "expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative operating cash flows" due to lower-than-expected sale throughout the first few months of 2026. Hopefully, the company can find a way to turn things around soon, though if memory pricing is a major factor, it may be a while before things really improve.