Designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras and also compatible with GFX/XCD medium-format systems, the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro lens with 3-in-1 optic combines tilt, shift, and half-macro capabilities into a single, compact package (±12mm of shift on Full Frame and ±8mm on Medium Format). The Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro boasts the Zero-D (Zero Distortion) optical design, ensuring sharp, geometrically accurate images. The APO (Apochromatic) elements deliver impeccable color fidelity and edge-to-edge clarity, while a bright f/2.8 aperture excels in low-light conditions. The price is USD 1,249.
Specification:
Name
Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro
Format
Full Frame
Focal Length
35mm
Aperture Range
F2.8-22
Angle of View
87.5°
Tilt
±10°
Shift
±12mm
Mount Rotation
360°
Magnification
0.5x
In-focus driving mode
Manual Focus
Lens Structure
14 elements in 12 groups
Aperture Blades
15
Min. Focusing Distance
22.8cm
Filter Thread Size
Ø77mm
Dimension
Approx. Ø148.9mm* Ø104.9mm
Weight
1,350g (exclude front cap & rear cap )
Mounts
E/Z/RF/L*/GFX/XCD
Price
USD 1,249
*Remark: Not compatible with the following Panasonic Lumix models: S52 S1M2 S1R2 S1M2E S5M2X
Unrivaled Tilt & Shift Control
Full Frame Systems: Offers an expansive ±10° of tilt for precise plane of focus manipulation and ±12mm of shift for advanced perspective correction.
Medium Format Systems (GFX/XCD): Delivers ±10° of tilt and a robust ±8mm of shift, providing critical control without noticeable vignetting. These movements enable photographers to correct converging verticals in architecture, create stunning miniature effects, achieve extended depth of field across vast landscapes, and minimize reflections, all directly in-camera
Zero-D (Zero Distortion) Optical Design
As part of Laowa’s renowned Zero-D line, the 35mm f/2.8 ensures virtually no optical distortion, delivering perfectly straight lines crucial for architectural and interior photography. Its APO (Apochromatic) design further eliminates chromatic aberration, guaranteeing superior image quality and edge-to-edge sharpness across its broad 87.5° angle of view.
Exceptional Macro Capabilities
With an impressive 0.5x maximum magnification and a minimum focusing distance of just 22.8 cm (the closest in its class for tilt-shift lenses), this lens excels in macro photography. This close-focus ability, combined with tilt-shift movements, opens new avenues for detailed product shots, creative tabletop photography, and unique close-ups.
Versatile for Diverse Applications
The fast f/2.8 aperture provides excellent low-light performance, making it ideal for night scenes, long exposures, and indoor shooting. Its unique combination of features makes it a versatile companion for architectural, landscape, product, and fine art photographers seeking to push creative boundaries.
Seamless Photo Stitching and Panoramic Imaging
Using the shift function, panoramas can be created with ease through photo stitching.
Photographer-Centric Design
Built-in 77mm Filter Thread: Offers practical and cost-effective filter use without bulky adapters.
Adjustable Tilt-Shift Direction: Provides flexible composition adjustments with 15° clicks for precise control.
Integrated Arca-Swiss Lens Support: A detachable support allows for quick and secure mounting to tripods, crucial for precise tilt-shift work.
Frog-Eye Coating: The front element features Laowa’s water and dirt-repellent coating for easy cleaning and reliable performance in challenging environments.
Venus Optics is expanding its tilt-shift lens lineup with the 35mm F2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro lens. The new manual focus offering is designed for full-frame cameras, with versions available for Z, E, RF and L mounts. It is also compatible with the GFX and XCD medium-format systems. As the name suggests, it offers a wide-angle perspective with tilt-shift control and macro capabilities.
Laowa's 35mm F2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro lens is part of its Zero-D line, which, according to the company, results in virtually no optical distortion. The lens also uses an apochromatic design to minimize chromatic aberration and provide improved edge-to-edge sharpness. The optical design comprises 14 elements in 12 groups, and it features a 15-blade aperture diaphragm.
While not a true macro lens by the standard definition (which requires 1x magnification), it offers a 0.5x maximum magnification. It can focus as close as 22.8 cm (9"), which Laowa says is the closest in its class for tilt-shift lenses. On full-frame cameras, the lens offers ±10° of tilt and ±12mm of shift, whereas on medium-format cameras, it is limited to ±8mm of shift, while maintaining the same level of tilt.
The lens also offers practical design features, such as a 77mm filter thread and integrated Arca-Swiss support. The tripod collar will be especially useful since it's by no means a lightweight lens, coming in at 1,350g (3lbs).
Laowa’s New Tilt-Shift Lens — 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt Shift 0.5x Macro — Take Control of Every Line & Perspective
Anhui, China – November 25, 2025 – Anhui ChangGeng Optical Technology Company Limited (Venus Optics), a leading innovator in camera lens design, proudly announces the launch of its groundbreaking Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro lens. This versatile new optic empowers photographers with unparalleled creative and technical control, blending wide-angle perspective, tilt-shift functionality, and macro capabilities into a single, compact tool.
Designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras and also compatible with GFX/XCD medium-format systems, the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro redefines precision imaging. Photographers can now take command of every line and perspective, from architectural grandeur to intricate tabletop scenes at an affordable price of USD 1,249.
Unrivaled Tilt & Shift Control
Full Frame Systems: Offers an expansive ±10° of tilt for precise plane of focus manipulation and ±12mm of shift for advanced perspective correction.
Medium Format Systems (GFX/XCD): Delivers ±10° of tilt and a robust ±8mm of shift, providing critical control without noticeable vignetting. These movements enable photographers to correct converging verticals in architecture, create stunning miniature effects, achieve extended depth of field across vast landscapes, and minimize reflections, all directly in-camera.
Zero-D (Zero Distortion) Optical Design
As part of Laowa's renowned Zero-D line, the 35mm f/2.8 ensures virtually no optical distortion, delivering perfectly straight lines crucial for architectural and interior photography. Its APO (Apochromatic) design further eliminates chromatic aberration, guaranteeing superior image quality and edge-to-edge sharpness across its broad 87.5° angle of view.
Exceptional Macro Capabilities
With an impressive 0.5x maximum magnification and a minimum focusing distance of just 22.8 cm (the closest in its class for tilt-shift lenses), this lens excels in macro photography. This close-focus ability, combined with tilt-shift movements, opens new avenues for detailed product shots, creative tabletop photography, and unique close-ups.
Versatile for Diverse Applications
The fast f/2.8 aperture provides excellent low-light performance, making it ideal for night scenes, long exposures, and indoor shooting. Its unique combination of features makes it a versatile companion for architectural, landscape, product, and fine art photographers seeking to push creative boundaries
Seamless Photo Stitching and Panoramic Imaging
Using the shift function, panoramas can be created with ease through photo stitching.
Photographer-Centric Design
Built-in 77mm Filter Thread: Offers practical and cost-effective filter use without bulky adapters.
Adjustable Tilt-Shift Direction: Provides flexible composition adjustments with 15° clicks for precise control.
Integrated Arca-Swiss Lens Support: A detachable support allows for quick and secure mounting to tripods, crucial for precise tilt-shift work.
Frog-Eye Coating: The front element features Laowa's water and dirt-repellent coating for easy cleaning and reliable performance in challenging environments.
Pricing & Availability:
The Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro will be available for purchase starting November 25, 2025, through the Venus Optics official website (https://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers. The U.S. retail price is USD 1,249.
Name
Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro
Format
Full Frame
Focal Length
35mm
Aperture Range
F2.8-22
Angle of View
87.5°
Tilt
±10°
Shift
±12mm
Mount Rotation
360°
Magnification
0.5x
In-focus driving mode
Manual Focus
Lens Structure
14 elements in 12 groups
Aperture Blades
15
Min. Focusing Distance
22.8cm
Filter Thread Size
Ø77mm
Dimensions
Approx. Ø148.9mm* Ø104.9mm
Weight
1,350g (exclude front cap & rear cap)
Mounts
E/Z/RF/L*/GFX/XCD
Price
USD 1,249
*Remark: Not compatible with the following Panasonic Lumix models: S52 S1M2 S1R2 S1M2E S5M2X
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
The Canon EOS R6 III promises 33MP resolution and decently fast readout speeds from an FSI CMOS sensor.
Photo: Mitchell Clark
We've received a production standard Canon EOS R6 III and have put it through our standard studio tests. As we work on our final reviews of 2025, the Canon looks likely to be the last camera we'll be able to complete testing on.
Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors, and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
Image Comparison
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
As you might hope, the Canon captures more detail than its 24MP rivals, and comparable amounts to its 33MP Sony peer, while also matching the color response of the EOS R6 II. The slightly richer, more yellowy pinks than the Sony and Nikon suggest it'll give the skin tone response that many Canon users have come to enjoy.
The detail difference is more apparent in the processed Raws, where the Canon and Sony present the horizontal lines in the doorway in a similar manner, whereas the R6 II and Nikon Z6III can't. Interestingly, the Nikon presents a convincing but completely spurious representation of the vertical lines above the door, while the EOS R6 II represents similar thick lines horizontally: both the result of aliasing.
At mid-to-high ISO there's little to choose between any of these cameras in terms of noise. As you creep towards the very highest ISOs the gap starts to open up, but it's only in the camera's extended 102,400 setting that the difference becomes clear. Even then, this is unlikely to be the difference between the images from some of these cameras being usable and others not: they're all going to be pretty hard to salvage.
It's also worth noting that the noise that is visible appears slightly smeared, rather than as individual points, which could be indicative of noise reduction. Our scene has plenty of fine detail, much of it with low contrast, if you want to download the files and see if you think it'll have any impact when processed with your preferred workflow.
Switching to electronic shutter mode sees the camera drop to 12-bit sensor readout, which has the predictable effect of curtailing the dynamic range of the Raws (the reduction in available values to encode the shadows presents as quantization noise).
Our ISO Invariance test suggests this is a dual gain sensor that switches to its higher gain step around ISO 800. There's very little benefit to raising ISO above that point, but opportunity to keep ISO down to protect highlights.
Overall, there's no sign of any nasty surprises to undermine the R6 III's performance promises.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
Image: Panasonic
Panasonic has announced new firmware for its Lumix S1RII (Ver. 1.3), S1II (Ver. 1.2 ) and S1IIE (Ver. 1.2) cameras. The updated firmware promises an improved shooting experience and enhanced functionality with changes to autofocus performance, thermal control and more.
The most notable change Panasonic is bringing to its full-frame S1 series cameras is improved autofocus features. Panasonic states that the new firmware for all three models will provide enhanced autofocus tracking stability in their generic tracking modes due to algorithm improvements.
On the left is how Panasonic has handled the display for eye detection autofocus. On the right is the new option, which uses a rectangle over the eye. Screenshots: Mitchell Clark
The updates add an option to only display the autofocus frame on your selected subject, rather than on it and every other possible subject in the frame, providing a cleaner UI. Panasonic has also added an option to change how the autofocus frame is displayed when tracking a human eye, letting you choose to use a standard rectangle outline. Previously, the camera would place a square over the entire face with a target over the eye. That option is still available for those who like it, but the update makes the eye recognition AF display more similar to what other brands do.
Another important update comes from an improved thermal control algorithm. Panasonic says the update makes the camera react less to environmental factors, such as direct sunlight or a sudden swing in temperature, like you may see when moving from an indoor to an outdoor location. The company says the cameras should be able to achieve longer record times in their most demanding modes; for example, you can now expect double the record time when shooting DCI 4K in 120p, recording to a CFexpress card, and an even bigger increase when recording to an SD card.
The company has also made it so that the front-plate record button won't do anything in photo mode.
There's a healthy list of other changes, too. Panasonic added a lower-speed burst option to its electronic shutter burst mode (SH burst shooting) on the S1RII (20 fps) and S1II (30 fps). All three cameras get MP4(Lite), a low-bitrate video format that records 3:2 Open Gate at 30p or 25p with a 50 Mbps data rate. It promises to deliver files that are approximately 41% smaller than standard MP4 clips at similar settings. The company has also made it so that, by default, the front-plate record button won't do anything in photo mode, which should cut down on the number of accidental clips people take. (If you've already reassigned the button, don't worry; your setting should be preserved through the update.)
The company has also included a few new options to help manage your ISO. You can now set one of your dials to switch directly between manual and auto ISO mode, when previously you had to scroll through the entire range to get back to auto mode. If you prefer, you can also assign a button to toggle between auto and manual ISO as well. The ISO display for video mode also gets an update that makes it clear when your camera is using its sensor's low or high gain step, if you have it set to switch between them automatically.
If your ISO is in the blue region, it uses the low-gain step, and if it's in the red region, it uses the high-gain step. It's a useful indicator, given that different color modes, such as Log or Cinelike A2, will have different base ISOs.
Alongside the firmware updates, Panasonic has also released Version 1.4 of the Lumix Flow app, which is designed for creators shooting video and filmmakers. It brings changes that the company says have been requested by the app's users, including support for LUT live view within the app, the ability to carry over frame markers from the camera to the app and improved AF frame display.
All of the firmware updates are available for download as of November 25, 2025, at 8:00 pm EST / November 26, 2025, at 1:00 am UTC.
Press release:
Panasonic Announces New Updates for its LUMIX S Series Camera Firmware and LUMIX Flow App
Newark, N.J. (November 25, 2025) – Panasonic has introduced a series of new firmware updates for its full-frame mirrorless LUMIX S1RII, S1II and S1IIE, aimed at improving the hybrid shooting experience and enhancing functionality. In conjunction with the camera firmware update, an update for the app will also be released. All updates will be available from November 25, 2025, at 8:00pm EST, via the LUMIX Global Customer Support website and app stores.
User feedback has played a key role in shaping this update, such as optimized thermal management, addition of MP4(Lite) recording option, and UI improvements. With support and input from the LUMIX community, Panasonic has further refined the shooting and workflow experience. The company remains dedicated to this approach, providing ongoing firmware updates and product enhancements with a commitment to supporting creators and delivering the best possible tools for their craft.
Classic and Compact: Thypoch Eureka 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. Pre-order Available Now
Thypoch today announcedthe pre-order of the Eureka 28mm f/2.8 ASPH, the latest addition to its vintage line of compact, high-performance pancake lenses. Following the success of the series’ inaugural 50mm lens, the new 28mm model maintains the signature blend of classic aesthetic appeal and cutting-edge optical engineering, offering photographers a wider option.
Inspired by the iconic British legend – the Dallmeyer 35mm f/3.5 Anastigmat mounted on the Ilford Advocate camera, the Eureka 28mm f/2.8 ASPH embodies a heritage design re-imagined for today. The creation of this lens was born from the Thypoch team’s passion for shooting reversal film during long-distance travels, using compact 28mm lenses. Dissatisfied with the market’s lack of options that were truly small, elegant, and exhibited minimal vignetting—a critical flaw for reversal film, where dark corners significantly impact viewing pleasure, unlike digitally adjustable files—they decided to develop their own.
Thypoch’s optical designers iterated through three distinct versions before arriving at the optimal result seen today, achieving outstanding resolution, minimal vignetting, and low distortion—all within an exceptionally compact form to meet the demands of fine reversal film. To match this optical excellence, countless hours were dedicated to refining the fine white paint finish and perfecting the surface texture of the black version. Although the black model does not use lacquer, the team employed a special method to achieve a tactile quality as pleasing as traditional black lacquer, making the Eureka 28mm a precision instrument for the artist, and a work of art in itself.
Besides the M mount version, Thypoch specially releases an X mount version and an M-X adapter to maintain the aesthetic consistency between the camera body and the lens based on the refined, vintage appearance of Eureka and the design of Fujifilm cameras. Even when adapted, its compact size remains lightweight and balanced, making it an ideal choice for those who appreciate classic aesthetics without compromising modern optical quality.
There are 3 options available for pre-order, all of them enjoy a 10% discount of the MSRP and a special gift of pre-order:
Eureka 28mm M mount (Pearl White/Matte Black), pre-sale price at $413.
Eureka 28mm X mount (Pearl White/Matte Black), pre-sale price at $413.
Eureka 28mm mount (Pearl White/Matte Black) + M-X adapter (Silver/Black), pre-sale price at $431.
Photos from left to right: Omar Victor Diop, Susan Derges HonFRPS and Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora
The Royal Photographic Society has announced the recipients of its 2025 Awards. The contest highlights significant contributions across both the art and science of photography, with awards for three pillars: The Art of Photography & Moving Images, The Science of Photography & Moving Images, and The Knowledge and Understanding of Photography & Moving Image.
The Royal Photographic Society Awards is the world's longest-running photography prize. This year marks its 147th anniversary, with the contest dating back to 1878. The Royal Photographic Society dates back even further, with a founding year of 1853.
The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) Awards recognize individuals working in both still and moving images, celebrating the photographers and recipients themselves rather than rewarding a single image. The contest celebrates significant achievements and showcases new and emerging talent across a range of genres, including moving image, new media, science and imaging, education, publishing and curation.
"While the 2025 RPS Awards recipients reflect the diversity and breadth of the international photographic community, they are all united in celebrating photography's unique capacity to challenge societal perceptions and make complex issues both relatable and urgent," said Sir Brian Pomeroy CBE ARPS, Chair of the judging panel.
You can see all of the RPS Awards recipients and learn more about the RPS Awards at the RPS website.
RPS Centenary Medal
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Susan Derges HonFRPS
Award details: Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the art of photography or moving image.
Recipient details: Susan Derges studied painting in London and Berlin in the 1970s which informed a subsequent wide-ranging exploration of photographic image making, particularly through her large-scale camera-less photograms of some of the shorelines and rivers of Devon and Dartmoor. In the early 1980s she lived and worked in Japan for 6 years and this formative period has influenced much of her image making and thinking, particularly concerning the natural world and our relationship to it.
She has worked in residence at the Museum for the History of Science in, Oxford, (1999-2000) and Kingswood forest in Ashford, Kent (1999-2000); collaborated with the Royal Museums Greenwhich, exhibiting the Mortal Moon series at the Queen’s Palace Greenwich (2018 -2019) and informally with the Marine biology department at the University of Plymouth, who she consulted during the production of a body of work titled Tide Pools that were exhibited in Sea Gardens at the Royal Albert memorial Museum, Exeter (2019) and in Squaring the Circles at the Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, in 2022 including subsequent touring shows at Scarborough Museum (2023) and Dalkeith House, Edinburgh (2024).
More recent work has been concerned with recreated environments, combining imagery made on location with phenomena modelled within the spaces of her studio and dark room; collaborations with writers and poets include River Taw (Michael Hue Williams Fine Art, London 1997) ; Woman Thinking River (Fraenkel Gallery, San Fransisco and Danziger Gallery, New York 1999) ; Liquid -Form (Michael Hue Williams Fine Art, London 1999) ; Elemental (Steidl, Germany 2010) ; Shadow Catchers, (the V&A, London 2010) ; Squaring the Circles (RPS 2022).
Her works can be found in public and private collections world-wide. Susan was awarded an RPS Honorary Fellowship in 2014.
RPS Award for Photojournalism
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Amak Mahmoodian
Award details: Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in photojournalism whether in photography or moving image.
Recipient details: Amak Mahmoodian is a multidisciplinary artist and educator. She began her career as a research-based photographer in Iran in 2003. Since 2010, she has been living in the UK, unable to return to her home country. She practices as a visual artist at the intersection of conceptual image-making and documentary photography, working with photographs, text, video, drawing, archives and sound. Her practice explores the presentation of gender, identity and displacement, bridging a space between personal and political across platforms and formats including installation, books and films.
Mahmoodian’s work has been shown internationally, including the Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh; Fototeca Latinoamericana, Buenos Aires; the Benaki Museum, Athens; Arnolfini, Bristol; Rencontres d’Arles, Arles; and Peckham 24, London.
Her works are held in collections such as the Tate, and the British Library in London. She has published two books, Shenasnameh (RRB- ICV Lab, 2016), and Zanjir (RRB, 2019) which was the winner of The Best Photo Text Book award at Rencontres Arles, 2020. Her work appears in key titles on photography such as Photography – A Feminist History (Tate Publishing, 2021), Photography Now: Fifty Pioneers Defining Photography for the Twenty-First Century (Octopus Publishing, 2021), and How We See: Photobooks by Women (10x10 Photobooks, 2019).
RPS Award for Editorial or Documentary Photography
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Raghu Rai
Award details: Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in editorial or documentary photography or moving image.
Recipient details: Raghu Rai qualified as a civil engineer, but turned to photography when he was 23 years, in 1965. He joined The Statesman newspaper as their chief photographer between 1966 and 1976, and was then Picture Editor with Sunday - a weekly news magazine published in Calcutta between 1977 and 1980.
After completing a Thomson fellowship in England, he worked with The Times in London. In 1972, impressed by Rai’s exhibition at Gallery Delpire, Paris, Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to Magnum Photos, the world’s most prestigious agency. Rai continues to be a part of Magnum.
Rai took over as Picture Editor-Visualiser-Photographer of India Today, India’s leading news magazine, contributing trailblazing picture essays from 1982-1991.
He was awarded the ‘Padmashree’ in 1972, a civilian award, the first to a photographer for the body of works he produced on Bangladesh refugees and the war. In 1992 he was awarded Photographer of the Year in the United States for the story ‘Human Management of Wildlife in India’ published in National Geographic. In 2009 he was conferred Officer des Arts et des Letters by French Government and received a lifetime achievement award in 2016 in India.
His photo essays have appeared in many of the world’s leading magazines and newspapers. He has done extensive documentation of 1984 Bhopal tragedy and its continuing effects on the lives of gas victims under a special assignment from Greenpeace International, compiled into a book and three exhibitions travelling in Europe, American and Southeast Asia.
In 2012, Raghu Rai with his son Nitin Rai initiated the Raghu Rai Center for Photography to share his fifty years of knowledge and experience with the young generations.
Rai has done more than 60 picture books on different themes of India including some of the world heritage sites in context to the socio-cultural landscape of his homeland. And there are more than a dozen books in the pipeline.
Raghu Rai lives in New Delhi with his family.
RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Omar Victor Diop
Award details: Awarded to a photographer in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography or moving image.
Recipient details: Regarded as one of the most important Senegalese photographers of his generation, Omar Victor Diop was born in Dakar in 1980 and was brought up there. He now divides his time between his birthplace and Paris.
From an early age, Diop cultivated his vivid imagination as much through photography as through literature and history, leading him to hone his talent in several art forms, from collage and creative writing to fashion and textile design. His influences include the major African portrait artists Mama Casset, Seydou Keïta and Malick Sidibé, the French creator Jean-Paul Goude, as well as several Flemish and Spanish painters of the Renaissance.
Diop’s work is part of major institutions collections — such as the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, the Brooklyn Museum in the United States, the Musée de la Photographie de Saint-Louis in Senegal — and has been shown in exhibitions at high-profile international events, such as Paris Photo and the Rencontres d’Arles in France, the New York edition of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair and Kyotographie in Japan. His images also appear regularly in magazines around the world.
His first monograph, Omar Victor Diop, was published by 5 Continents Editions in 2021.
RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (under 30 years)
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Tami Aftab
Award details: Awarded to a photographer under the age of 30 (at the time of nomination) in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography or moving image.
Recipient details: Tami Aftab is an English-Pakistani photographer based in London. Her work explores intimacy, family, identity, and play, often approaching sensitive subjects with warmth and lightness.
She first developed her practice through personal projects, including a collaboration with her father that examined his short-term memory loss through humour and staged portraiture. This series later became her debut book, The Rice is on the Hob, photographed in Lahore, which explored food, heritage, and the ties between memory and family, incorporating her father’s recipes. The work was exhibited at Have a Butcher’s gallery in London.
Working across fashion, portraiture, lifestyle, and personal work, Aftab’s photography is distinguished by vibrant colour and a playful, spontaneous quality. She continues to hand-print much of her work, maintaining a strong connection to film and darkroom processes.
Aftab has collaborated with clients including WePresent, Adidas, Apple, Burberry, Net-a-Porter, Stella McCartney, National Theatre, Atmos, and British Vogue. Her work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, the ICA, Peckham24 and The Photographer’s Gallery.
RPS Award for Social Impact
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora
Award details: Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of stills photography or moving image that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of social issues.
Recipient details: Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora who describes herself a ‘panjabi, brummie, artist, mother, educator’ is a multi-disciplinary artist with a socially engaged practice, working with local communities on global issues. She is interested in celebrating untold stories while exploring visual representations of gender, ethnicity and place.
Jaskirt creates work with the aim to empower and give voice to marginalised communities. She is a multiple award-winning artist, including winning the British Journal of Photography's Portrait of Britain award for three consecutive years, and the LensCulture Photo Art award.
Recent Highlights include a place called home being exhibited at Peckham24 in 2025, under the theme Come Together and currently Jaskirt is working on Fractured Landscapes and how we heal which will be a major solo exhibition at The New Art Gallery Walsall, before touring to Open Eye Gallery in 2026. This work has been made possible through a 2½ year Arts Council England Project Grant.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at Wembley Stadium, UN Headquarters New York, Peckham24, New Art Exchange Nottingham and Manchester’s People Museum. Her work Birmingham Lockdown Stories (2020) is held in the permanent archive and collection of the Birmingham Museums Trust.
Jaskirt is also the founder of @womeninphotobham, a bi-monthly social event for women photographers in the W.Midlands and a Senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University.
RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Ragnar Guðni Axelsson
Award details: Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of stills photography or moving image that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of environmental issues.
Recipient details: For over 40 years Ragnar Axelsson has been photographing the people, animals and landscape of the most remote regions of the Arctic, including Iceland, Siberia and Greenland.
In stark black-and-white images, he captures the elemental, human experience of nature at the edge of the liveable world, making visible the extraordinary relationships between the people of the Arctic and their extreme environment - relationships now being altered in profound and complex ways by unprecedented climate changes.
A photojournalist at Morgunblaðið (1976 - 2020), Ragnar has also worked on freelance assignments in Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique, South Africa, China and Ukraine. His photographs have been featured in LIFE, Newsweek, Stern, GEO, National Geographic, Time, and Polka, and have been exhibited widely.
Ragnar has published eight books in various international editions. His most recent book, Arctic Heroes published in 2020, Jökull (Glacier) published in 2018, with a foreword by Ólafur Elíasson. Andlit Nordursins (Faces of The North), was published in 2016, with a foreword by Mary Ellen Mark, and won the 2016 Icelandic Literary Prize for non-fiction. Other awards for Ragnar's work include numerous Icelandic photojournalist awards; The Leica Oskar Barnack Award (Honorable Mention); the Grand Prize, Photo de Mer, Vannes; and Iceland's highest honour, the Order of the Falcon, Knight's Cross.
Ragnar is currently working on a three-year project documenting people's lives in all eight countries of the Arctic. At this pivotal time, as climate change irrevocably disrupts the physical and traditional realities of their world, Ragnar is bearing witness to the immediate and direct threat that changes in the climate poses to their survival.
RPS Honorary Fellowship
Sample gallery
This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.
Award recipient: Richard Billingham
Award details: Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing.
Recipient details:
Richard Billingham is a photographer and artist, film-maker and educator. His work has often focused on his family and the West Midlands, where he grew up. He now lives in South Wales and holds professorships at Middlesex University and the University of Gloucestershire.
Richard was the first recipient of the1997 Citibank Private Bank Photography Prize, now the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2001 Turner Prize for his photographic work Ray’s a Laugh and his TV and gallery film Fishtank 1998, shot with an amateur camcorder.
Other bodies of work include Zoo, Black Country and extensive photography made in the British Landscape.
His work is held in various public collections including MoMA New York, Metropolitan Museum New York, MoMA San Francisco, The Government Art Collection and the Victoria and Albert Museum and Tate Galleries London.
He wrote and directed the BAFTA nominated feature film, Ray & Liz in 2019. It holds 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81% on Metacritic (based on 16 reviews) indicating ‘Universal Acclaim.’
Richard currently has a second feature film in development with the BFI - an adaptation of the contemporary novel At Hawthorn Time by Mellissa Harrison. He is also developing another idea about climate change with Media Cymru and Ffilm Cymru Wales.
He is represented by the Anthony Wilkinson, Gallery London and Casarotto Ramsey and Associates London.
Last week, the DPReview Editorial team hosted its first Ask Me Anything (AMA) event in the new forums. These AMA sessions are a great way to engage directly with our staff and pose those burning questions you've always wanted to ask.
We addressed a diverse range of topics, including the demand for compact cameras, the impact of AI on photography, articles we would change if we could go back in time, the near closure of DPReview in 2023, and more.
Staff participating in this AMA included:
Mathew Anderson (Community Manager)
Dale Baskin (Managing Editor)
Richard Butler (Managing Editor, Reviews and Technical Standards)
Mitchell Clark (Reviews Editor)
If you missed this initial AMA, don't worry; we plan to host AMAs regularly and will announce them on the homepage in advance, so you can have your questions ready when the event goes live.
In the 2010s, the big camera brands sold thousands of compact Type 1/2.3 sensor cameras. Judging by the prices of used compact cameras, these old models are in huge demand. Surely, the managers at Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc, are aware of this.
Do you have any insight into why the camera companies seem so reluctant to bring them back? Are these compact models money losers?
Richard Butler:
We asked most of them this question at CP+ this year. All of them seemed to recognize that there is some market interest in compacts, but no one sounded that keen to cater to it.
Responses from execs at large corporations will always be presented in positive terms, so it's hard to be certain exactly what their concerns are: no one is going to say "it's just a fad" or "we just don't think it's a large enough market to be worth engaging with."
I suspect part of the problem is that these companies have spent decades and countless billions of Yen trying to make the best, most advanced cameras, and that's not what this demand for old cameras is chasing. Do any of the camera makers know how to make a compact camera that has outdated image quality, rather than doing their best and ending up making something that fails to match modern smartphone quality, rather than offering something flawed and quirky?
"Do any of the camera makers know how to make a compact camera that has outdated image quality?"
From where we sit, it's easy to assume that this is the same as the (I suspect much smaller) demand for good photographers' compacts: an updated G7X model or a new RX100 that was actually engaging to use, but it may not be.
OM System is the successor company to the maker of one of the nicest-to-use enthusiast compacts ever made, but they explicitly ruled themselves out. Fujifilm's attempt to address the market was the X Half (which some people wanted to be both a mad, fun retro compact AND a credible enthusiast compact), so there is some sort of response. I just don't think anyone knows what the right product to address the demand is: but no one seems to think it's simply firing up Type 1/2.3 compact production again.
If you could go back in time and make significant changes to a review or article you've written, which would it be and why?
Dale Baskin:
Am I allowed to say "All of them?"
The truth is, every time I go back and read something I wrote, I hit multiple points where I think to myself, "I should have explained that differently," or "Why didn't I mention X, Y or Z?" But to some degree, that's just me being self-critical as a writer. It's much less often that I look at an old article and think, "WTF? What was I thinking?" Broadly speaking, I don't know that there are many articles where I would make significant changes.
But there are some, and the one that really stands out to me is an opinion article I wrote in 2015 about the Canon XC10, a video camera that Canon pitched as being a true video/stills hybrid. (This was before most companies were making mirrorless cameras.) When Canon briefed us on the product, we were told that it could shoot both 4K video and Raw photos, in a body that was (kind of) designed for both use cases. I wrote an editorial explaining why this was a big deal and represented an important step for video/stills convergence.
"That article racked up over 700 comments, mainly from readers who thought I was an idiot."
Fast forward a couple of days to when the camera was announced, and my article went live [automatically]. However, when the final spec sheet eventually arrived from Canon, Raw photo capture was nowhere to be found. I think it was just an unfortunate case of miscommunication. However, the lack of Raw photo capture significantly undercut the central premise of my editorial.
I removed references to Raw capture, but that article racked up over 700 comments, mainly from readers who thought I was an idiot. At times, I've considered going back and heavily rewriting it, or even taking it down, because the whole thing felt like a disaster, but at this point, it's part of the historical record. To this day, however, that's the one article I've written that, in hindsight, I wish I had never even pitched due to all the grief it caused me.
Richard Butler:
Oh, absolutely. I have vague recollections of having deleted an older article when we significantly changed the way the site operated, eight or ten years ago. I can't remember; maybe I just thought about doing it. It was a well-intentioned idea based on a misunderstanding that, collectively within the team, we couldn't recognise.
There's also at least one opinion piece that I wrote where, looking back, I completely failed to explain my point coherently (in part because I don't think the idea stood up quite as well as I thought). It's not especially wrong, it's just not a very good article.
But I second-guess reviews constantly. I was disagreeing quite strongly with someone just this morning, over a camera he likes and I really don't, and another that I really like and he doesn't. He's a friend whose knowledge, insight and opinions I respect above most people's, and in putting forward my positions, I had to check whether what I've written for the site too narrowly represents my own tastes. (I don't think I realised how central to the target niche I am, and therefore may have misjudged how much broader a camera's appeal is to people who aren't me).
"Everything I write in reviews is based on the idea that people might choose to go out and spend their money based on what I've written."
I still stand by my overall assessment, but I might have expressed more strongly how specific your needs and preferences have to be for it to make sense, had I been able to step back a little further. But I constantly revisit "Should that have got a higher/lesser award?" and "Should I have put more/less emphasis on feature X/weakness Y?" in my head.
But, aside from the degree to which it will (quite rightly) be subject to scrutiny, everything I write in reviews is based on the idea that people might choose to go out and spend their money based on what I've written. And I'd like to think that meeting one of those people wouldn't be too awkward or uncomfortable an experience for either of us: that even if we didn't agree entirely, they would recognise that my review was a good-faith effort to give advice and provide the information for them to draw their own conclusions.
I'm definitely not claiming to get everything right, but there are mercifully few things I believe I've got horribly wrong.
Cameras and lenses are so beyond good in 2025, why do we even need reviews?
Richard Butler:
First and foremost, even if most (not necessarily all) cameras and lenses are very good, that doesn't mean they're the same. One camera may still perform a particular task better than another, one may be more engaging to use, one may have a broader or more interesting range of lenses available.
Most modern cameras will do the job, if you believe photography is solely about acquiring a specific image, but in an age where deciding to take control over a dedicated camera is partly for the fun of doing so; where the sense of being involved in the process is part of the appeal and where enjoying your gear can still prompt you to experiment and try to grow, creatively, finding the right product for you is as important as ever.
And even then, there's still room for unexpected differences in performance. For instance, both the Sony a9 III and Nikon Z6III exhibit lower dynamic range than their peers, but for dramatically different reasons and with very different impact on their wider image quality.
"First and foremost, even if most cameras and lenses are very good, that doesn't mean they're the same."
Testing and reviewing is a chance to explore and explain those differences and the degree to which they might or might not matter for different types of photography. New features are still being added, and the degree to which they are and aren't useful is still worth exploring and discussing.
And, it's probably worth recognizing that some people are into photography and have little interest in the equipment they use, while others are as interested in the technology as the creative process. Just as the TV show Top Gear was initially a consumer-focused program about everyday cars that turned into a program about camaraderie and silliness that used exotic cars as a peg to hang things on, sometimes people just want to be entertained, reading about things they're interested in. I'm not necessarily saying we have gone or plan to go full Top Gear, but reviews aren't necessarily just about buying advice.
How did the experience of DPReview almost shutting down in 2023 affect how you view the industry and your role in it?
Dale Baskin:
That's a great question!
While we were obviously aware that DPReview played a significant role in the industry, I don't think we truly appreciated the depth of that role until Amazon announced its plans to close the site. Two things made that role very clear.
The first was the reaction from photographers worldwide, which created shockwaves. They didn't just tell us how upset they were; they told Amazon, loudly and powerfully. The fact that DPReview is still publishing today is a credit to the community's outpouring of support. Amazon doesn't reverse business decisions like that lightly, but the reaction was so powerful that they decided to sell the business rather than close it. That we're here today is a direct result of photographers telling Amazon how essential DPReview was, not just to Amazon's customers, but to the entire camera industry.
The second was the reaction from within the industry. Camera companies openly published letters and press releases lamenting the closure and speaking to DPReview's importance to the nascent camera industry of the early 2000s. That's the part the public saw. We also received private emails from CEOs and senior industry executives expressing their support and reflecting on why DPReview was so vital to the industry as a whole.
"Ultimately, we came to understand that we are stewards of that quarter-century of accumulated knowledge."
The experience also gave us a different perspective on our role. When closure loomed, the biggest concern for many photographers (and for the staff, who are all photographers and frequent users of the site) was the loss of DPReview as a resource: the accumulated knowledge in the forums, a quarter-century of technical explainers, camera reviews and the studio scene tool. More often than not, when I search for a camera-related question on Google, the answer is already in our own forums. As photographers, we didn't want to lose that knowledge base either.
Ultimately, we came to understand that we are stewards of that quarter-century of accumulated knowledge. Part of our job is to ensure it remains available to photographers globally. That's why we worked so hard to keep these forums viable. I realize the new software is missing a couple of popular features, but we chose the option that allowed us to preserve the forums, because we know how vital this treasure chest of information is to the photography community.
With the growing popularity and use of AI and other content creation tools that can produce photorealistic images, are you concerned that photography is at risk of becoming a lost art?
Richard Butler:
Personally, no.
I think it depends to what extent you think of the point of photography as being the end result or a combination of the process and the end result.
Obviously, part of my current motivation to take photos is this job (there's always another gallery that needs to be shot), but before that, I wasn't taking photos to achieve anything, particularly, I was doing it to push myself to learn and get better, and to enjoy the experience. There's a satisfaction in having taken a good shot that isn't replicated by seeing a generated image, no matter how photo-realistic it might be.
"I can't imagine finding myself thinking, 'This image looks great because I'm so good at prompting,'"
I can't imagine finding myself thinking, "This image looks great because I'm so good at prompting," and getting the same excitement as looking at the back of my camera and thinking, "That looks better than I was hoping," and knowing my actions and choices led to it.
I think AI will just further erode the ability of pro photographers to make a living (which raises the ethics/fairness of big tech ingesting millions of pieces of creative work without regard for copyright and then profiting from narrowing the market for further creativity), but I'm not sure how much impact it has on photography as a hobby or artistic endeavour. Though it'll probably wreak havoc on photo competitions at every level, too.
Mitchell Clark:
I actually had a pretty long think about this recently while covering Adobe Max, because they spent the entire conference hammering on the point that people and businesses need to use AI because people are demanding more and more content every day.*
You can read the article I wrote about it for my full thoughts, but they essentially boil down to: I do worry that commercial photography might be cooked (and not because AI is better, but because the people who make the decisions will think it's good enough). But for the people who take pictures for the love of doing it, I don't think AI will get to the point where it can replace... that.
"I do worry that commercial photography might be cooked."
External validation may be harder to find. If you're competing with AI images specifically tuned to jack into people's serotonin receptors on Instagram, you're probably going to lose that competition. But if it's the activity itself that makes you happy, rather than people's reaction to it, I'd agree with Richard that it's hard to imagine AI replacing that.
I also think (hope?) there are some photography applications that people just won't accept AI for. I'm thinking wedding photos, portraits of their children, etc.
*A premise I'm not sure I'm sold on. There are many worse things than opening your phone and finding nothing new for you there, provided you take the hint and then put it down.
A little guessing game. Just for fun, how many mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras do you predict will be released in 2026?
Mathew Anderson:
I'm the least expert in this space, but I'll say... 20
Mitchell Clark:
From 2015 to 2020 (inclusive), there were over 20 ILCs released by the major manufacturers each year, not counting primarily video models. Since then, there's been a pretty dramatic drop off; the closest we got to even reaching 20 was 2023, which saw 18 cameras released.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that maybe it's time for another 20+ release year. I haven't done the math at all on which cameras I actually think might be coming, but the vibe feels right.
Several months ago, you mentioned the possibility of doing small articles on selected users and their interesting photo journeys. Has there been any more thought on this? It would be very nice to read and discover them.
Dale Baskin:
Yes! I'm glad you asked this, because it's something we still plan to do. In fact, we're hoping to start this in the next couple of weeks.
Question on the XenForo gallery: What is the purpose of the albums "Member Album (private)" and "Member Album (public)?" How can we use them effectively?
Mathew Anderson:
The public one is for the general public – anyone can view that album. You will want to use this option to showcase your work to its maximum degree.
The private one is there in case, say, a group of your friends wants to share bird-watching photos with each other and comment on those photos without others in the public commenting. Sometimes it's nice to discuss and debate within a small group, which we totally understand and support. With the private option, you can invite specific community members in.
"Sometimes it's nice to discuss and debate within a small group, which we totally understand and support."
Please note that regardless of the setting, our community guidelines and Code of Conduct still apply.
In the new forums, what are "views" and why are they so high? And, are links in signatures supposed to work? They don't.
Mathew Anderson:
"Views" are the number of individual accounts and non-accounts that have clicked into a thread and viewed its posts (same for photo albums and whatnot). They do seem on the high side, something we are taking a look at (it might be right, but we're investigating).
For the signature links, you may have to re-establish the link using the new interface (clear the code you had before, possibly HTML). The actual link may not have carried over from the old forums. Links, though, are possible (see my signature).
Is it (or will it be) possible to allow a user to display more than the default 20 posts in a thread on one page? I often use my browser to search the current page for occurrences of a particular word or phrase, and doing so on a single long page would be better than doing it page by page.
Mathew Anderson:
Yes! We can adjust this. The new forum software allows for many such tweaks we can make in this regard. Thanks for the suggestion!
Some questions and answers were lightly edited for clarity and flow.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
Photo: Richard Butler
Leica recently released the Q3 Monochrom, a black-and-white-only version of its full-frame, fixed-lens camera. Like the color model, it features a 28mm F1.7 lens and a 60MP sensor, and can capture monochrome video up to 8K resolution. The camera offers an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, along with embedded CAI Content Credentials for creative authenticity.
Richard Butler recently had the opportunity to spend a few days with the Leica Q3 Monochrom. Frustratingly, the camera couldn't capture the stunning reds and golds of Seattle's autumn leaves. meaning he instead had to focus on the light and shade of the stark, low sunshine, on the rare breaks between overcast grays. Color didn't matter, but moments of sun glinting off glass buildings, long shadows and city lights at night proved well-suited to the monochrome format.
You can learn more about the Leica Q3 in our initial review.
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.
Next week marks the start of the gift-giving season in many parts of the world, so the DPReview team sat down to discuss the things people should keep in mind when shopping for the photographers and creators in their lives. We also shared personal stories of some of the best (and worst) photo-related gifts we've ever gotten.
Be sure to weigh in on our forums; have you received any great or terrible gifts, and is there anything in particular you're hoping to find this year?
The rumored Sony FX8 cinema camera features a 12K sensor with a horizontal pixel count of 12,032.
The Sony FX8 will support dual native ISO and enhanced sensitivity similar to the Sony FX6.
16 stops of dynamic range at three ISO settings: 500, 2000, and 8000.
The Sony FX8 will support high-quality full-frame/S35 format 8K30p and 4K60p recording (17:9, 16:9), and supports 1.04x cropped 16:9 4K120p recording.
Although the FX8’s sensor is marketed as an 81-megapixel effective sensor based on a 16:9 crop factor—in line with Cinema Line conventions—it is clearly a full-frame sensor with a total of 96 million pixels.
Similar to the relationship between the Sony FX30 and Sony A6700. Sony appears to be planning to debut its new image sensor in the CineLine first. This implies that after the FX8’s release, the Sony A7S/A7R series may launch new Alpha cameras featuring a full 3:2 aspect ratio 96-megapixel sensor.
Unfortunately, Sony has no plans to support Open Gate for cameras, including the FX8 and BURANO.
*This story has been updated with pricing, availability and additional details.
The Kodak name has been in the news a fair amount lately, and now a new film camera featuring the brand has been released. Kodak brand licensee Reto Productions initially shared three teasers on its Instagram, showing off the upcoming Snapic A1 camera. The camera is now officially available for pre-order.
Reto's first post about the Snapic A1 featured a single shot of the camera, followed by sample photos claimed to be taken with the new device. It also shared a brief video of the camera, highlighting some of its features before fully unveiling the camera.
Screenshots of some of the features highlighted in the teaser Reel.
The Snapic A1 is a plastic point-and-shoot film camera with a textured handgrip and integrated flash. Reto says it offers auto loading and advancing, auto rewind and auto flash, making it a good option for beginners or anyone who wants an easier experience. It also provides a multiple exposure function to enable double exposures.
The camera features an LCD screen that shows battery life, focus range and flash settings. It relies on zone focusing, with a ring on the front that allows users to change the zone between 0.5 to 1.5m (1.6-4.9') and 1.5m (4.9') to infinity. It offers a shutter speed of 1/100s. Reto specifies that it uses a 25mm, 3-element glass lens with an F9.5 aperture. It's a compact and lightweight camera, weighing just 117 grams (4.1oz) and runs on two AAA batteries.
It's important to note that although Eastman Kodak is regaining control over some of its film distribution, this camera is not produced by Eastman Kodak. Instead, it's made by Reto, a Hong Kong-based company that has been a brand licensee of Eastman Kodak since 2022. Reto is also the company behind the affordable yet entirely plastic Kodak Ektar H35 line of half-frame film cameras.
The camera comes with a pouch and neck strap. Image: Reto
The Snapic A1 is available for preorder starting today, with Reto promising deliveries beginning in December. The camera comes with a camera pouch and neck strap, but does not include batteries or film. It comes in a dark gray and ivory color and costs $99.
A promotional image for The Odyssey, which will feature Matt Damon as the titular Odysseus. Image: Universal
Director Christopher Nolan is no stranger to epic undertakings, and his latest project pushes the limits even more. In a recent interview with Empire, Nolan said that they shot more than two million feet of film while on the set of The Odyssey.
Much of the filming for The Odyssey took place on the ocean, too. "It’s pretty primal!" Nolan told Empire. "I’ve been out on it for the last four months. We got the cast who play the crew of Odysseus’ ship out there on the real waves, in the real places. And yeah, it’s vast and terrifying and wonderful and benevolent, as the conditions shift. We really wanted to capture how hard those journeys would have been for people."
It was clear from the outset that The Odyssey was going to be a massive project. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the movie would be the first commercial feature film to be shot entirely using Imax film cameras. While Nolan has frequently used the 65mm format, including on The Dark Knight, Interstellar and Oppenheimer, he's still had to rely on 35mm film because of the practical limitations of the bulky and noisy IMAX cameras.
Nolan reportedly convinced Imax to improve its cameras and workflow for The Odyssey, resulting in cameras that are lighter and 30% quieter, along with faster processing techniques. The updates made Imax cameras more feasible to use for an entire production, including one set mostly at sea. As a result, Nolan and his production team were able to use Imax cameras for the entire 91-day shoot, producing those 2 million feet of film.
All of that film won't make the final cut of the movie, of course. But it's not Nolan's first time producing extensive volumes of film for a movie. His dedication to the format also required innovation on the set of Oppenheimer. That movie resulted in 11 miles of film, which was unprecedented. It was so much film that Imax had to develop a custom platter just to hold it all.
The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer's epic Greek poem, telling the tale of Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) making a decade-long journey home to his wife, Penelope, after the Trojan War. Nolan told Empire that he's been dreaming of making this film for decades. He said he grew up with mythological cinematic work, but he'd "never seen that done with the sort of weight and credibility that an A-budget and a big Hollywood, IMAX production could do."
"By embracing the physicality of the real world in the making of the film, you do inform the telling of the story in interesting ways"
Nolan added that the film format was especially important when telling this particular story. "By embracing the physicality of the real world in the making of the film, you do inform the telling of the story in interesting ways," he told Empire. "Because you’re confronted on a daily basis by the world pushing back at you."
There's surely plenty of work left on the production of the movie, which is slated for release in cinemas in July 2026. We'll be eagerly awaiting teasers and trailers as that date approaches.
Connexion
