Venus Optics will announce the world's widest Laowa probe full-frame zoom lenses at the NAB show next week. Two different versions will be introduced: 15-24mm T8 and 15-35mm T12 with 3 different interchangeable barrels: Direct View, 35-Degree View & Periscope View (previously reported here). Additional information:
The new lenses offer the longest zoom range ever of 2.3x with the longest tube length in its class for enhanced framing and creative freedom.
The default lens mount option is ARRI PL mount with optional interchangeable mounts available for Sony E, Canon EF, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and Leica L-mount.
A new lens manufacturer from China called Songraw will soon announce a 50mm f/1.2 full-frame AF lens for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount priced at around $860:
GCCA Concrete in Life 2024/25 photography competition winners
Photo contests typically have some sort of central theme or guiding topic, but that isn't often centered around a building material. The Concrete in Life contest, however, does just that. Run by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the contest aims to highlight concrete's beauty and essentiality worldwide. The winners of the sixth annual running of the contest have been announced, having been selected from more than 20,000 entries.
"The stunning images highlight concrete’s positive impact on our lives right across the planet," said Thomas Guillot, GCCA Chief Executive who helped to judge this year’s competition. "Whether it’s the vital infrastructure such as bridges, railways and roads that we travel along or the homes, offices and schools we inhabit, concrete is a truly versatile material. Our competition gives anyone with a smartphone as well as professional photographers, the chance to show just how essential concrete is to our lives, as well as how beautiful it can be."
The contest is open to any type of camera, from smartphones to professional equipment. The contest awards an overall winner with a prize of $10,000. There are also four category winners – Urban Design and Use, Concrete Infrastructure, Concrete in Daily Life and Beauty and Design – with one winner per category winning $2,500. Finally, a People's Choice award winner receives $5,000.
Concrete in Life Photo of the Year 2024/25: Henrik Hagerup
Photographer: Henrik Hagerup
Image title: Venice Beach Skating
Image location: Venice Beach, Los Angeles, USA
Description: A magical morning where the skaters work their magic on the concrete rink with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, the picture illustrates the professional skater and the little boy who dreams big dreams.
Statement: I am truly honored, overjoyed, and deeply humbled that you have chosen my image as the Overall Winner of the Concrete in Life 2024/25 Competition.
I captured my picture at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, a vibrant destination where people from all over the world come to enjoy the sun, the ocean and not least, the iconic skate park, this vibrant space is a magnet for creativity, where something exciting is always unfolding. When in L.A. I often spend hours here, camera in hand, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to emerge.
From the very start, I noticed a young boy who I instinctively knew could become an essential part of my story. Through this image, I aimed to illustrate how concrete shapes the lives of those who play, dream, and push the limits of possibility. The experienced skater, who has mastered the smooth surface through dedication and skill, stands as an inspiration to the child, whose hopes and ambitions are just beginning to take form.
My image is a tribute to the way concrete, when embraced by creativity and passion, fosters connection, dreams, and boundless potential not just in skate parks, but in communities across the world.
Urban Design and Use winner: Anvar Sadath TA
Photographer: Anvar Sadath TA
Image title: Urban Flow
Image location: Dubai, UAE
Description: The iconic Burj Khalifa rises above the futuristic skyline, framed by surrounding architectural marvels and concrete curves, all mirrored in the shimmering waters of the city.
Statement: I am honored to be the winner of the Concrete in Life 2025 competition in the Urban Concrete category! My winning photograph captures the dynamic relationship between concrete structures and the vibrant cityscape, reflecting how concrete shapes our urban experiences.
This recognition reinforces my passion for storytelling through photography, and I hope my image inspires others to find beauty in the everyday structures that define our cities. My heartfelt thanks to the GCCA for this incredible honor. I also extend my sincere gratitude to the judges and the entire GCCA team for supporting photographers and celebrating visual storytelling.
Concrete Infrastructure winner: Wentao Guo
Photographer: Wentao Guo
Image title: Structure as Aesthetics
Image location: Washington D.C. USA
Description: In Harry Weese’s Washington subway station, concrete transcends time and function: its light and shadow align precisely with the motion of countless trains passing through; its rectangular division aesthetically resonates with the sense of security and austerity of the mass transportation station in the United States’ capital city.
Statement: I took this photo at one of the Washington DC subway stations designed by Harry Weese. I was captivated by the moment when the transience of transportation runs into the permanence of concrete. Its obscurity becomes its greatest presence: its functionality, its aesthetic and its enduringness. Concrete is such an essential part of our lives and it constructs so many characters of our built environment. I am very honored to be a winner of the Concrete in Life 2425 competition, having a valuable opportunity to reveal the essence of concrete in our built environment through my lens.”
Concrete in Daily Life winner: Wellington Kuswanto
Photographer: Wellington Kuswanto
Image title: Daily Life in Bedok Jetty
Image location: Bedok Jetty, Singapore
Description: Bedok Jetty serves as an urban public space in Singapore, offering people a serene retreat for fishing, sport & leisure activities, and scenic waterfront view. Urban public space like this is vital for fostering community engagement, social interaction, and a sense of belonging among people.
Statement: I’m truly thrilled that the judges selected my photo as the winner in the daily life category.
Bedok Jetty holds a special place for me, as I cycle and hang out there every weekend. It inspired me to submit the image of this particular place for the competition, as it showcases a public space made of concrete structure that is actively used by many people engaging in various activities as part of their daily lives
Beauty and Design winner: Artemio Layno
Photographer: Artemio Layno
Image title: Broken Building
Image location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Description: Valley is a residential and office tower on the Zuidas in Amsterdam. The three towers are respectively 100 metres (north), 66 metres (west) and 76 metres (south) high. The 75,000-square-metre building, which was recently declared the world’s best new skyscraper by the Emporis Awards, stands out in Amsterdam. The construction of Valley took four years, with the first residents and entrepreneurs moving into the building at the end of 2021.
Statement: I am really happy and grateful that my photo is chosen to be a winner of the Concrete in Life 2425 competition. I took the photo at Amsterdam, Netherlands and I was amazed how creative and modern the design of the building is, it looks like it was cut-out and separated in the middle of the main structure, the design is created by a large number of terraces. Concrete is not just used as a necessity in creating structures but it can also be used to showcase artistic works that are amazingly beautiful.
People's Choice winner: Mohamed Rafi
Photographer: Mohamed Rafi
Image title: Fluttering Through Life
Image location: Pondicherry, India
Description: When I saw this wall near Pondicherry Beach, I waited for someone to enter the frame. I captured a few casual shots, then this elderly woman walked in. Dressed in a floral outfit with a black shawl, she moved with quiet grace. I clicked my shutter as much as possible, not wanting to miss the moment. For me, it was a powerful intersection of reality and art, symbolizing unseen strength and the beauty of everyday life.
Statement: I am truly honoured to win the People’s Vote Category of the Concrete in Life 2024/25 competition. This photograph, taken in Pondicherry India, captures an everyday moment transformed by art: an elderly woman walking past a mural, unknowingly aligning with its butterfly wings painted in a wall. To me, it symbolizes resilience, unseen beauty, and how our surroundings shape us in ways we don’t always realise. Street photography is about finding meaning in fleeting moments, and I’m thrilled that this image resonated with so many people.
Shortlist: Febina Nabeel
Photographer: Febina Nabeel
Category: Beauty and Design
Title: Where Nature and Architecture come together!
Image location: Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Description: Abrahamic Family House combines the three Houses of Worship - Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque, St.Francis Church and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue.
The olive tree representing peace and friendship.
Shortlist: Edwin Loyola
Photographer: Edwin Loyola
Category: Beauty and Design
Title: The Oculus
Image location: New York City, USA
Description: The World Trade Center’s Oculus, designed by the visionary Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, is a triumphant transportation hub that embodies the unbreakable spirit of New York City. Situated in the heart of Manhattan, the Oculus serves as a vibrant gateway to the city, seamlessly connecting millions of people to 12 NYC Transit subway lines, while also offering an unparalleled shopping and dining experience.
Shortlist: Jason Balaba
Photographer: Jason Balaba
Category: Beauty and Design
Title: Futuristic Ithra Library
Image location: Dhahran, Saudia Arabia
Description: The futuristic design of Ithra Library is inspired by natural, organic shapes, and the building as a whole feels like it is in constant transformation, symbolizing progress and cultural growth.
Shortlist: Ee Long Tan
Photographer: Ee Long Tan
Category: Concrete in Daily Life
Title: Colorful Stairs
Image location: Batu Caves,Selangor, Malaysia
Description: The most striking thing in the photo is the bright colors of the stairs,red,orange,yellow,green,blue,and purple,with distinct layers,as if a rainbow fell from the sky. These colors not only make the stairs more beautiful,but also give it deeper cultural and religious significance.
Shortlist:
Photographer: Ricardo Funari
Category: Concrete in Daily Life
Title: Maracanã
Image location: Outside Maracanã stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Description: My eyes were attracted by the curious and funny shadow of the boy playing with his soccer ball projected by the mid-afternoon sun on the concrete floor surrounded by palm trees at Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Shortlist: Shibasish Saha
Photographer: Shibasish Saha
Category: Concrete in Daily Life
Title: Drying incense sticks
Image location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Description: Quang Phu Cau Incense Village is a picturesque place where vibrant red incense sticks are laid out under the golden sun, creating a surreal scene. The air is filled with a calming aroma as friendly artisans dye and dry the incense with skilled, rhythmic movements. The village buzzes with quiet activity, children's laughter, and the warmth of a timeless Vietnamese tradition. It's a beautiful, unforgettable experience.
Shortlist: Ian Payne
Photographer: Ian Payne
Category: Concrete Infrastructure
Title: Hyperboloid
Image location: Slough, UK
Description: A beautiful summer's day with the temperature around 30°C, I did what any sensible person would do, walk around an industrial estate to photograph newly painted concrete cooling towers. The heat shimmered off the tarmac, but the towers stood out, sharp and clean against the sky. Worth the sweat? Absolutely.
Shortlist: Serdar Aydin
Photographer: Serdar Aydin
Category: Concrete Infrastructure
Title: Varyant
Image location: Izmir, Turkey
Description: In İzmir, Türkiye, buses navigate a winding road called Varyant. This uniquely shaped route, made of concrete and asphalt, might be an uncomfortable ride for passengers, but from above, it offers a stunning view.
Shortlist: Anna Kropf
Photographer: Anna Kropf
Category: Urban Concrete
Title: Arch_ES_Valencia
Image location: Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (2000) – an interactive museum of science that resembles the skeleton of a whale.
Description: The City of Arts and Sciences (Valencian: Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, Spanish: Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias)[a] is a cultural and architectural complex in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is the most important modern tourist destination in the city of Valencia and one of the 12 Treasures of Spain.
Shortlist: Jacob Surland
Photographer: Jacob Surland
Category: Urban Concrete
Title: Door to the Unknown
Image location: Aalborg, Denmark
Description: I shot this photo in February 2024. It is of a side door to the old power plant Nordkraft (North Power). It is now a recreational and cultural center including a cinema and concert hall. When I was a child, it was the new Power Plant and it was a Monument of the city and the first thing you would see, when driving towards Aalborg. It was a sign that told you, that you were soon home.
On a recent trip to Japan, I found myself in one of those situations universally dreaded by travelers: showing up for an international flight with a pocketful of unspent local currency and nowhere to spend it except a duty-free shop. I was swimming in a Scrooge McDuckian sea of unused Yen.
The idea of bringing home yet another Toblerone bar, that triangular brick of duty-free despair, was soul crushing. I desperately searched for something – anything – else to needlessly throw my money at.
Then I saw the Hello Kitty Toy Camera, a small rangefinder-shaped camera complete with an optical viewfinder and removable memory card. You can find these toy cameras all over Japan at stores like Bic Camera, but I never considered buying one until I was in a use-it-or-lose-it cash scenario.
Watch our hands-on review of the Hello Kitty toy camera.
Given the choice of drowning my sorrows in yet another Toblerone bar, snagging a box of Tokyo Bananas or dropping a pocketful of Yen on the Hello Kitty camera, my duty to DPReview came first. Which is why, dear readers, I'm going to tell you about yet another camera you never knew you didn't want.
Key specifications
1.3MP Type 1/10 CMOS sensor (approximately 1.28 x 0.96mm)
3.2mm F2.8 fixed-focus lens
Optical viewfinder
ISO 100 (fixed)
Single Micro SDHC card slot
Video capture (720x480/30p)
Fake buttons and controls
Pink Hello Kitty styling
How it compares
It's hard to find cameras that are directly comparable to the Hello Kitty Toy Camera, so we decided the best course of action would be to compare it to another rangefinder-style camera: the Fujifilm X100VI.
As the table below illustrates, we can make the Hello Kitty camera appear competitive with the more expensive X100VI by picking just the right specs to compare.
Hello Kitty Toy Camera
Fujifilm X100VI
MSRP
$45
$1599
Sensor size (crop factor)
1.25mm² * (27x)
369mm² (1.53x)
Resolution
1.3MP
40MP
Max aperture
F2.8
F2
Viewfinder
Optical
Optical
Hello Kitty-themed art
Yes
No
Trendy color options
Yes
No
Fake buttons to look more professional
Yes
No
Memory card type
Micro SDHC
UHS-I SD
Number of existential mid-life crises induced in the average camera reviewer during testing
3
0
Weight
18g
521g
On paper, both cameras earn superlatives in some areas. While the Fujifilm wins on key specs like sensor size and resolution, it's hard to ignore the price tag and uber-light weight of the Hello Kitty camera. Along with the fact that the Hello Kitty camera can fit in a real pants pocket, not the ambiguous 'jacket pocket' reviewers always talk about.
The number of existential mid-life crises induced in a camera reviewer is a spec that's often overlooked in reviews. The Hello Kitty camera definitely wins here. As long as we're clear that by 'wins', we mean 'loses'.
Body and handling
Photo: Dale Baskin
The Hello Kitty camera is a rangefinder-shaped camera with silver-colored top and bottom plates and an optical viewfinder. I call it a 'rangefinder-shaped' camera because it's not actually a rangefinder. But, then again, neither is the Fujifilm X100VI.
You won't use the viewfinder. It's either so bad that it makes you dizzy, or it's a window into 4-dimensional space the human brain isn't wired to comprehend. Either way, it will drive you to madness.
The optical viewfinder is a nice touch, but trying to use it will drive you to madness.
Photo: Dale Baskin
The camera includes two functional controls along with two other controls that are just for show. The On/Off button on the top plate doubles as the shutter button, and the Mode button adjacent to it lets you switch the camera between photo, video and audio recording modes.
The other controls are fake, fooling absolutely no one.
The 3.2mm F2.8 lens, which I'm pretty sure is made of a chunk of polished candy, has ridged edges that beg to be rotated. But trying that would be a mistake as it would break the camera. You just have to embrace it for what it is.
Here's a picture of the Hello Kitty camera that better illustrates its size. Yep, it's that small. Also, that lever on the front is fake.
Photo: Dale Baskin
Taking photos is best accomplished with a 'spray and pray' approach. You point, shoot and hope. I say 'hope' because the camera doesn't actually take a photo of what's in front of you but something off to one side. It's like having an integrated AI that guesses what you're trying to photograph, then fails spectacularly every time.
Image quality
No DPReview camera review would be complete without our studio test scene.
A quick glance at the studio scene doesn't reveal anything except digital despair. The camera captures light, but it's notably short on fine detail. Or any detail. The sensor's dynamic range can best be described as 'on' or 'off'.
I have to come clean. I didn't take this photo in our studio because I couldn't justify the time it would have taken to do so. Instead, I used a life-sized print of the studio scene I keep at home, captured using a $45,000, 150MP Phase One camera. Don't worry; you won't be able to tell the difference in the images from the Hello Kitty camera.
For that matter, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the real studio scene and an impressionist painting of it.
The photos from the Hello Kitty camera are so bad as to border on some kind of avant-garde art.
Photo: Dale Baskin
The one redeeming quality I can see in the images is that they're so bad as to border on some kind of avant-garde art. They have a certain je ne sais quoi, if the 'quoi' is 'blurry, pixelated and eye watering.'
Video
This clip shows the video capabilities of the Hello Kitty camera, which captures 720x480 resolution at 30fps. And yes, of course it's a cat video.
It's incredible that this camera even shoots video, capturing 720x480 resolution, which I'm pretty sure is the same resolution my not-inexpensive Panasonic DVX100 video camera captured about 20 years ago. Though the Panasonic had the advantage of being a 3-CCD system. And having a lens that could fully resolve an image of an avocado.
If your idea of quality video is watching a bootleg copy of the movie ET your parents recorded on network television in 1984, you'll be delighted with the results.
Conclusion
With my journalistic integrity now hanging by a thread – or a pink piece of yarn – I have to find some way to wrap up this review. My professional reputation is in the hands of an animated cat, and I'm strangely OK with that.
Photo: Dale Baskin
I'm not sure if this camera is a toy or a subtle form of psychological warfare aimed at photographers. I've temporarily convinced myself it was a sound purchase, knowing a crushing pink wave of buyer's remorse will eventually hit me like a pixelated tsunami; after all, this is one of the worst photography products I've ever used.
And yet, I have a weird affinity for it.
My six-year-old niece loves using the Hello Kitty camera. So does my cat. But instead of taking photos, he mostly just wants to kill it. I don't know if he has some kind of Hello Kitty issue he's working through or if it's just because cats are basically little killing machines who happen to be cute.
But it does make me wonder if it might actually be possible to put a price on happiness: $45 (plus the cost of therapy).
Sample Gallery
Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Nikon has scheduled events for April 2-3, but as usual, it is still not certain whether this is the official camera announcement or the internal presentation to the press and the influencers. If the official Z5II announcement doesn’t happen this week, it will most likely be next week.
Topaz Labsreleased Photo AI version 3.6.0 with support for "Super Focus v2", which can refocus blurry photos 500% faster. Here are the details:
Super Focus v2: A second-generation of Super Focus and now our most powerful sharpening and focus recovery model EVER. Powered by the same architecture as Recovery v2, this model is 500% faster than before.
Super Focus is MEGA FAST in the Cloud: It’s true! This model is even FASTER in the cloud than some of our standard sharpening and upscaling models. This means the credit cost is super low in comparison to before. If you can’t run Super Focus v2 on your machine - no worries, because you’re gonna love this in the cloud.
Color Correction, Highlights, and Shadows with Adjust Lighting v2: Our second generation AI color and lighting filter is incredible, and now you can pick whether you want color correction on or off when applying the model to your images. You can also adjust highlights and shadows to boot.
More Improvements are also packed into this release, including a much-requested Zoom to Fit preference, new image formats and extensions (fancy JPG or JPEG? TIF or TIFF? no problem), and of course many other fixes and optimizations under the hood as well.
As Women's History Month comes to a close, it's a fitting time to celebrate the incredible contributions of women in photography. Despite gains, women still face significant underrepresentation and inequality in the photography industry. A study by Women Photograph found that in 2023, only 21.5% of front-page images in major newspapers were taken by women. Euro News reported in 2022 that only 15% of professional photographers worldwide are women, even though roughly three-quarters of photography students are women.
We've rounded up some outstanding women photographers worth following on Instagram (and beyond). There are, however, countless more, so feel free to share your favorite women photographers in the comments as well.
Lynsey Addario is a renowned photojournalist whose work has been published in prominent publications like The New York Times, National Geographic, and Time. She documents conflicts, humanitarian crises and women's issues around the Middle East and Africa, highlighting the human elements of war and crisis. She wrote a New York Times Bestselling memoir in 2025 and has received numerous awards, including a MacArthur fellowship and two Emmy nominations. She was also part of the New York Times team to win a Pulitzer prize for overseas reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan and holds three Honorary Doctorate Degrees.
Patience Zalanga is a freelance photographer from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Her work is documentary in style, and, for the past six years, primarily focuses on capturing social movements across the United States. Zalanga's images have been featured in Time, The New York Times, NPR, Buzzfeed News and more.
Luisa Dörr is a Brazilian photographer known for her powerful portraiture and storytelling, which often focuses on themes of femininity, cultural identity and resilience. She has been widely published in outlets such as Time, National Geographic and The New York Times. Additionally, she has received international recognition for her Firsts project with Time magazine, where she photographed 46 trailblazing women and has received numerous awards, including a World Press Photo Award for her series on Falleras.
Cassy Athena is a Los Angeles, California-based photographer renowned for her sports photography, specifically with the NBA. She has captured candid and personal moments of some of the NBA's biggest stars, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. Her work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Slam Magazine and Billboard, and she is also a Getty Images contributor. Athena has also collaborated with brands like Nike, Under Armour and Jordan Brand.
Kim Powell is an architectural photographer based in Greece. She, along with her partner, Thomas, captures a variety of projects, working with architects, interior designers and home builders. Her imagery is clean and fresh, highlighting the unique characteristics of each space.
Tawni Bannister is a photographer and director based in Los Angeles and New York. She works across various genres, including commercial, editorial and fashion. Her photographs blend elements of fine art and documentary photography, embracing color and texture to showcase personality. Bannister's images have been featured in publications like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and The New York Times, and she has worked with Allbirds, Allure, Athleta, Climique, J.Crew, Samsung and more.
Jamie Beck is an American photographer, visual artist and author who is currently living and working in Provence, France. She is known for her romantic and expressive style, drawing inspiration from classical art and nature. Her floral still-life images and self-portraits are reminiscent of classical paintings, with rich texture and dramatic light. Beck's photographs have been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, Fobes, Travel + Leisure and more. She, along with her husband, Kevin Burg, created the Cinemagraph, a hybrid of photography and video.
Emily Maye is a photographer and film director known for her narrative-driven approach to capturing athletes. Her images show the humanity behind the athletes' discipline, focusing on intimate, behind-the-scenes moments rather than traditional action shots. She has photographed Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, Jayson Tatum, Steve Nash and more and has collaborated with Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Rapha, The North Face, Gatorade and Puma.
Cig Harvey is a fine art photographer, writer and educator. Her imagery is deeply personal and evocative, exploring themes of nature, family, belonging and the passage of time. She is known for her rich use of color and natural light, capturing the magic in the mundane with a dreamlike quality. Harvey has exhibited her work internationally and received numerous awards.
Alison Arena is a professional photographer and founder of Ignite Media, a full-service agency. Much of her work is centered around motorsports, creating photographs and videos for clients such as Mazda, Red Bull, Ferrari NA and Wired. She travels around the country to capture IMSA events, the Spec Miata Series, the 24 Hours of Daytona and more.
Emily Howe is a Brooklyn-based photographer and award-winning creative. Her photographs span multiple genres, including portraiture, travel and street photography, all with a focus on storytelling. Her work has been featured in Time, NY Mag, Refinery29, Google and Netflix.
Jasmine Quiñones is a Texas-based filmmaker and director. She crafts commercial and narrative film projects with a gritty, documentary-based style. Quiñones often combines sports and urban lifestyle into her projects and has worked with various clients, including Fujifilm, Nike, Ladder and more.
Mykim Dang is a media producer and full stack creator who works across mediums. She is currently the Director of Video and Voices here at Gear Patrol and DPReview, crafting much of the video content that you see on the site and our social media channels. Beyond her video work, she also takes spectacular photos with an eye for storytelling.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
Image: TTArtisan
TTArtisan is no stranger to making L-mount lenses, but those have always been manual focus options. That's no longer the case, though, as the budget third-party lens maker has released an autofocus lens for L-mount cameras. TTArtisan originally released the AF 75mm F2 prime lens in September 2024 for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount.
The L-mount version of the AF 75mm F2 weighs 329g (11.6oz), which is slightly less than the Z-mount model. Aside from the weight difference, the L-mount version shares the same specifications as the other mounts. It uses a stepper motor for autofocus, which TTArtisan says is fast, quiet and accurate. The lens supports eye, animal and vehicle AF detection as well, and it can focus as close as 0.75m (2.5').
Image: TTArtisan
The lens features ten elements in seven groups, including one extra-low dispersion (ED) element and four high index elements, promising to reduce chromatic aberration and improve overall image quality. It has nine diaphragm blades and an aperture range of F2 to F16.
TTArtisan's AF 75mm F2 offers a clicked aperture ring, with no option to de-click it for silent operation. It uses all-metal construction for better durability, and a USB-C port allows for firmware updates.
The TTArtisan AF 75mm F2 lens is available for purchase today for $178.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
Photo: Mitchell Clark
We've been using the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII in a range of circumstances, shooting galleries, covering trade shows and photographing weddings, in addition to our standard tests. We take a look at how it works, what it does well and where it worries us.
Autofocus operation
The Panasonic S1RII features a revised version of the phase-detection AF system introduced with the S5II cameras. It can detect and track more subjects than the S5II supported at launch, and Panasonic promises it's both quicker to find focus and more tenacious in terms of tracking.
The interface will be familiar to anyone who's used a Panasonic in the past ten-or-so years: pressing the AF Area button on the back of the camera brings up a row of seven icons representing the different AF areas the camera offers. Pressing upwards on the four-way controller or joystick then lets you choose whether the camera should look for a recognized subject near your chosen AF area. Pressing the 'DISP' button lets you select which subjects the camera looks for.
There's a twist, though: the S1RII can either be set to use its focus tracking system or it can be set to track a recognized subject but, unlike most modern cameras, these are separate functions. The upshot is that if you want to focus on a non-recognized subject for one shot, or the camera fails to find the subject it's supposed to recognize, you'll need to disengage the subject tracking: the S1RII will not fall back to its generic tracking system.
This is disappointing as the S5II has now gained the ability to detect all the same subjects as the S1RII, but its subject recognition is built on top of the generic tracking system, so the camera will fall back to tracking AF, making it more flexible.
AF interface
The interface generally does a good job of managing multiple subjects without overwhelming you with information. In most AF area modes, it'll only draw a box over the recognized subject nearest your selected area. If you move the point over another subject in the scene, it'll instantly snap the box to that subject instead. It's responsive enough that it doesn't feel like you're missing out by not having all the recognized subjects highlighted.
When the S1RII finds faces, it can do a good job of sticking with them. In this scenario, it was able to track someone who started out walking straight-on towards the camera but who ended up at an angle to it without losing track of them or jumping to the person next to them.
Photo: Mitchell Clark
If you prefer, you can use the 'full area' tracking mode. In this mode, the camera highlights all the recognized subjects, letting you select which one you want to focus on using the joystick or touchscreen. The boxes do jiggle quite a bit, though, and can sometimes flicker on and off, which isn't the most confidence-inspiring user experience and means a tap of the joystick doesn't always select the subject you wanted.
Autofocus performance
Our experiences with the S1RII were distinctly mixed: when the AF system works, it can be very good, but overall, we found it to be appreciably less reliable than we've come to expect from the likes of Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras.
In our standard tracking test we found the S1RII had a tricky time of following the subject – it lost track of the subject on half of the runs we performed. The camera would typically lose the subject as the rate of approach changed as the target turns a corner.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Human detection did a better job but could still be prone to losing the subject mid-run (it did so in one of the four runs we conducted). This is consistent with our other usage of the camera: it can be very sticky once it's found a subject, but it doesn't always successfully find subjects, and it can lose track of them as you're shooting. The camera also appears to have struggled to judge subject distance consistently, resulting in some softness when the subject's approach speed varies.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Perhaps the most concerning behavior, though, was one we've seen in other recent Panasonic cameras, where tracking AF will fail to find something to focus on at all and will simply present a red flashing box and make no further attempt to focus. This is offputting enough to undermine our faith in the reliability of the camera, probably out of proportion to how often it occurs. Just knowing that the camera will sometimes fail to focus and make you wait a few moments is an unpleasant thought to have lingering in the back of your mind and not something we're used to encountering on a modern camera.
BCN Ranking is making the case that compact fixed-lens cameras are becoming more popular, while interchangeable-lens cameras are starting to lose their popularity:
"Interchangeable lens cameras are starting to run out of steam. Sales have been declining year-on-year since last summer. Interchangeable lens cameras account for more than 60% of the market in terms of sales value.
Meanwhile, compact cameras are growing. Since last November, sales have been increasing by double digits year-on-year. As of February, compact cameras accounted for 71.0% of sales in terms of unit sales and 37.8% in terms of sales value. They are still the mainstream camera in terms of unit sales. There is a strong demand for cameras that are cheap, small, light, and can take photos with decent image quality, rather than expensive, large, and heavy interchangeable lens cameras. However, manufacturers have decided that compact cameras cannot compete with smartphones, whose camera functions have evolved significantly. They have thrown in the white flag and drastically narrowed down their compact product lineup."
BCN+R Camera Market Report (March 23, 2025)
Decline in Interchangeable Lens Cameras:
Sales have been decreasing since summer 2024.
High prices and inflation have dampened consumer demand.
Post-pandemic surge in camera purchases has faded.
Resurgence of Compact Cameras:
Sales have been increasing since November 2024, with double-digit growth continuing into February 2025.
Compact cameras accounted for 71.0% of unit sales and 37.8% of market value in February.
Consumers prefer affordable, lightweight options with good image quality.
Market Trends & Key Players:
Kodak – Led in unit sales (over 20% share), driven by the PIXPRO FZ55 (~20,000 yen).
Canon – Held the top market share from July to December 2024, fueled by the 2016 IXY 650.
Fujifilm – Climbed to second place in February, thanks to the instax mini Evo (instant film).
Kenko Tokina – Gained traction with budget models like the KC-03TY (<10,000 yen).
Panasonic – Improved market ranking with the new LUMIX TZ99 (launched in February).
This month, we're looking for pictures that feature a red, green and blue color palette. This photo was taken on a hike with friends in Glacier National Park while I was testing the Sigma 28-105 F2.8. Unintentionally, they happened to color-coordinate their backpacks to fit this theme Photo: Mitchell Clark
The theme for our April's Editor's challenge is 'RGB,' or red, green and blue.
We're looking for photos featuring a red, green, and blue color palette. Think an apple orchard under a blue sky, a color-coordinated bookshelf, a parrot – anything with a tri-chromatic color palette utilizing the three colors that form the basis of all our digital images. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage at the end of the month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
You can submit photos to the competition starting Sunday, April 6th. The last day for entry will be Saturday, April 12th (GMT).
IMPORTANT:Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Eclíck released a new 3D-printed, open-source, DIY robotic panorama camera head designed for shooting panoramas, gigapixel images, and time lapse sequences:
Eclíck DIY, 3D printed robotic panorama head
The Eclíck robotic panorama head is a new open-source tool offering photographers and filmmakers an affordable, 3D printed, DIY alternative to expensive commercial options. The Eclíck distinguishes itself through an innovative steel-reinforced design that overcomes the
durability limitations typically associated with 3D-printed equipment. By embedding steel rods within the printed components, the device delivers exceptional strength and precision even when supporting heavy camera gear or operating in challenging conditions.
The system employs a dual-axis movement mechanism enabling photographers to capture flawless 360° panoramas, timelapses, and gigapixel images with precision and ease.
It works seamlessly with all modern DSLR and mirrorless cameras that support a wired remote, ensuring universal compatibility across photography systems. Users can control the Eclíck wirelessly via a built-in web app from any device equipped with WiFi and a web browser, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Linux, and more. This platform-agnostic approach eliminates the need for proprietary apps or specific hardware requirements.
Beyond its performance benefits, the Eclíck prioritizes accessibility in every aspect of the design. All files required to print components are freely available online, and the system utilizes readily available, off-the-shelf parts that are comprehensively detailed in an accompanying bill of materials. This approach eliminates the common frustration of hunting for obscure components that often plagues DIY projects.
The Eclíck has been engineered for straightforward assembly, requiring only basic tools and minimal technical expertise. This consideration extends the potential user base beyond experienced makers to include photography enthusiasts who may be attempting their first DIY equipment build.
And thanks to its fully open-source design, every part can be easily printed and replaced if needed - making the Eclíck the ultimate repairable robotic head.
Technical Specifications:
Dual-axis (pan/tilt) motorized motion system
Steel-reinforced 3D-printed components
Compatible with standard stepper motors
Universal compatibility with modern cameras supporting wired shutter remote
Browser-based wireless control via local WiFi
Cross-platform support (iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS)
Suitable for DSLR and mirrorless camera systems
Load Capacity: 3Kg (6.6lbs)
Open-source hardware and software
Fully repairable with user-printable replacement parts
Complete documentation, printing files, and bill of materials for the Eclíck robotic head are available
at www.Eclick.org.
Connexion
