The Minolta MND35 promises 18x digital zoom and 64MP JPEGs. The manual says it has a 13MP sensor. There is no connection whatsoever between this camera and the original Minolta company. Image: Minolta Digital

It'd been going on for months before I knew about it, but in the space of a couple of days, I received a text from my former colleague and saw a post on Reddit highlighting it. Minolta cameras had hit the shelves at Costco.

That's odd, I thought, surely Sony, which absorbed the Konica Minolta camera business, hadn't launched a budget line without telling us. And, by the same logic, presumably Konica Minolta wasn't allowed to use the Minolta name on cameras, as part of the deal with Sony. So what was going on?

The answer was stranger than I'd expected. There is, it seems, a US company that hunts around for well-known brand names that have fallen out of use. Trademark rules are designed to protect the names and brands under which products are sold, so that third-parties can't sneakily benefit from the reputation and goodwill the original seller has built up. But you can only maintain a trademark that you're using to trade. It turns out that neither Sony nor Konica Minolta had continued to use its trademark for anything camera-related, so a Californian company had stepped in and claimed it.

"You can only maintain a trademark that you're using to trade"

This company is in the business of claiming orphaned trademarks and licensing them on to other companies. The result is that New York company Elite Brands can now sell cameras in the US under the Minolta name. Elite Brands also licenses the names (former cinema camera and projector maker) Bell + Howell and owns the Rokinon brand under which it sells Samyang-made lenses.

This situation, where the name is now owned and used by companies with absolutely no connection back to the original manufacturer, is, perhaps, one of the more extreme examples of how legacy names stumble on as zombie brands. More common is that the original company collapses and the rights to its name get bought out of receivership by a company with no intention of trying to continue the original business. Other times the original brand merges with another that has a different focus, so its name gets licensed out to someone wanting to operate in the consumer industry.

But whatever the specifics of each story, the licensing process allows brand names to rise from the dead and shuffle their way onto shops' shelves and websites.

Rollei

The Rollei name is used on a wide range of products, including this recently announced 85mm F1.8 that appears to share its specs with the one made by 7Artisans. Image: Rollei

Rollei appears to be an example of the former situation. The name was bought when the original company collapsed in 2004, and it sells a wide range of products under the name, though they are all photo related, at least. It also licenses the name to a German film marketing and distribution company that sells Rollei film. In addition to this, it's also licensed the name to Hong Kong's MiNT Camera, for use on its reproduction of the Rollei 35AF film compact.

Yashica

The FX-D cameras being sold via Kickstarter are only some of the products being sold under the Yashica name.

One of the most obvious instances is Yashica. Yashica was a pretty well-respected camera maker for much of the 20th century but was eventually bought by Kyocera, which ceased production of the last Yashica products in 2005. It subsequently sold the name to a company in Hong Kong, which is responsible for the recent products being sold under the name.

We're not sure whether the Yashica / I'm Back co-branded version of the digital module ever existed, beyond this composite image. Image: I'm Back

New owner JNC Datum Tech appears to be responsible for the SLR-shaped, tiny-sensor cameras being sold on Kickstarter. Film cameras and basic compacts are also available with the name, and a tie-up was even announced to use Yashica branding on I'm Back's somewhat clunky digital film modules and a "micro mirrorless" camera called MiMi, though it's not entirely clear how much of that came to pass.

Vivitar

Vivitar branding appears on a lot of products, some of which still relate to photography. Image: Vivitar

Vivitar is a slightly more interesting case, because the originator of the brand was never itself a manufacturer: even at its height, it was a brand name being used to market and sell contract-manufactured products. It eventually collapsed and, the name having passed through various hands has, since 2008, been owned by a company headquartered in New Jersey, called Sakar International, of whom we'll hear more, later. The Vivitar name is now used on everything from bathroom scales and Peppa Pig-branded scooters.

As well as looking at whether a brand name is being used on original or innovative products, or items with any real relationship to the types of product on which the brand's reputation was built, I find it interesting to look at the About Us page on these legacy brands' websites, to see how much of a connection to the originating company's actions they imply they have. Rollei licensee Hans O. Mahn has the honesty to point out that it licensed the name in 2004, giving at least a hint that there's no particular connection back to the earlier events on the timelines that so often make an appearance.

Kodak

Personally I find the case of Kodak particularly fascinating, in part because of how stong people's feelings towards the brand still appear to be, despite some of the things that have been done with its name.

Kodak entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2012, selling off many of its businesses, including its consumer film business, to settle its debts. The revived company was primarily focused on industrial print and packaging. However, recognizing how powerful a brand it had with consumers, it set out licensing its name for a wide variety of products.

The Kodak Charmera keyring camera, "inspired by the Kodak Fling" is available in seven styles, but you don't know which you'll get. It's been created by Reto Production, one of a range of licensees of the Kodak name. Image: Reto Production

The most visible are the PixPro series of compact digital cameras, along with the multiple companies it's let use its name on clothing. Its name is also used by companies making half-frame film cameras and the Charmera keyring digital cameras with their gatchapon / lucky-dip styling that, if not quite viral, appeared moderately contagious earlier this year.

Kodak's licensing efforts appear a little more restrained than they did back in 2018, and it's worth noting that the company licenses its name to different companies in different regions. For instance, the Kodak name in Europe is licensed by GT Company, a French company that has also licensed the Agfa brand for digital cameras.

Polaroid

Sakar tried to launch a modular system, where the sensor is a lens/sensor module, under the Polaroid name in 2013. Photo: Lars Rehm

Perhaps the most interesting example is Polaroid. As with Vivitar, the rights to its name changed hands several times following the collapse of the original company. Sakar International (which owns the Vivitar name) used the name for a while, using it to sell camera modules that connected to smartphones and attempted to launch a modular camera system (conceptually not unlike the Ricoh GXR system) where lens-like units with the sensor built into them could be attached to a camera unit. Unfortunately the styling of these was lawyer-excitingly similar to the design of Nikon's 1 system cameras and lenses, so were withdrawn.

In an unusual turn of events, a project to revive instant film manufacture, boldly called The Impossible Project, managed to take ownership of the Polaroid brand name, meaning that, just sometimes, zombie brands can be brought back to life.

The Polaroid name is back in the hands of an instant film maker based in one of the original company's last factories. Image: Polaroid

There are the seeds of something similar at Kodak, too, which has recently regained the ability to sell its photo film to the public, after over a decade out of the consumer market. The licensing will still continue, but you can again buy products made by Eastman Kodak from the continuation of the original company.

What's the value of a brand name?

Ultimately, brand licensing is something of a high-wire act. Companies understandably want to maximize the amount of money they make by licensing the brand name they own, but if you're not selective about who and what that name is associated with, you can undermine the public perception of the brand and risk reducing its value to both yourself and your licensees.

Licensing isn't inherently a bad thing, but the quality of the products you allow to wear the name then reflects on all the others. Which becomes important if, like Kodak, you want to also sell your own products under that brand. Image: Kodak

It's hard to imagine that many people buying a Vivitar-branded personal massager are making any connection back to the Series 1 lenses of the 1970s. Perhaps simply being a vaguely familiar name has some value in a time when dizzying number new brand names (both emerging and transient) are being plastered over the countless products being sold on sites like Amazon. But in the case of Kodak and Polaroid, there is some connection to the original products on which those names' reputations were built. Or, at least, there are for some of the products.

"It's hard to imagine people buying a Vivitar-branded personal massager are making a conscious connection back to Series 1 lenses"

The Minolta example, where there is no connection at all between the products being sold and the reputation that the name would seem to imply is an extreme case, but the closer you look at the world of brand licensing, the more it should make you question what, if anything, that brand name you have vague fond memories of, now represents.

Mt. Jefferson, a volcano in the Cascade Mountains, towers over the landscape of central Oregon. I captured this photo on an exceptionally clear day (through a spotless airplane window), and converted it to black and white using Exposure X6 software with the Ilford HP5 Plus film style. Photo: Dale Baskin

Our December Editors' photo challenge theme is "Shades of Gray."

This month, we're celebrating the art of black and white photography. Whether you're focused on the interplay between light and shadows, ethereal high-key images, or using darkness to create mood and mystery, we challenge you to show us the world in monochrome. Strip away the color and show us your best black and white images!

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, December 14, and Saturday, December 20 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.

Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!

Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.

Visit the challenge page to see the full rules

This week, Sony announced a new enthusiast mirrorless camera, the a7 V. As is becoming tradition, members of the DPReview editorial team gathered to discuss it, going over what's new, how the camera fits into the market, and touching on why this kind of camera has gotten so expensive lately.

If you want to see how the a7 V performs, check out our sample gallery and review. We'd also love to hear from you; what do you think of the a7 V? Let us know in the comments below and on our forums.

What role do the shadows hold in this image? Canon 5D IV | Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 | 128mm | ISO 400 | 1/500 sec | F7.1 Sandwich Harbor, Namibia

Today, I'd like to dive into the use of shadows in landscape photography. Shadows are almost always part of nature: we often shoot using a (almost-)point light source (the sun or the moon), and even if the light is soft (like it is after sunset or during a cloudy day), the light is almost always directional, which means that some areas of the image are darker compared to others.

So, if shadow is an almost integral part of photography, we ought to at least give it some attention and understand how it works in comparison to other components of the image, and perhaps see how we can use its characteristics to enrich our photography, which is what I intend to do here.

I would say that the first function of shadows is to promote separation and thus depth. As I've mentioned in the past, separation of the different image layers is important to help viewers discern the actual distance between the subjects, thus helping them perceive the scene's depth, which is present in 3D reality but can be absent in the 2D image.

This image of dunes in Sandwich Harbor, Namibia, would be absolutely flat without the shadows. The dunes are the same exact color, and without the dark areas, it would be impossible to understand the shapes in the scene and its depth, rendering it flat and boring. Canon 5D IV | Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 | 70mm | ISO 400 | 1/1250 sec | F8

Below are two aerial images of Cono Arita, Argentina. One was taken before sunrise, with flat light, and the other after sunrise. I'm not trying to claim that one is better than the other, but I'd like to urge you to see how different they are, and why. There is some difference in color, sure, but the main source of change is most definitely the cone's shadow. What role does the shadow serve here?

DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/15 sec | F3.2 | ISO 400	DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/60 sec | F8 | ISO 100

There is a similarity and a difference between the roles I mentioned above. The shadow creates depth. Clearly, it stretches from the cone to the very edge of the salt pan, thus making it easier to perceive the distance between them. But it isn't really the factor separating the different layers – it's the difference in color and texture which does that in this example. By the way, can you understand what problem I have with the composition in the second image?

The second image above leads us to a second use of shadows: extending the subject and changing its shape. If used correctly, the shadow of a subject can help the photographer manipulate the shapes in an image to better fit the composition and the photographer's vision. Take, for example, the following image, which I took a long, long time ago in Jerusalem.

Ultra-orthodox Jews walking back from the temple in the early morning. You could say that the shadow is the main part of the subject, being larger and more prominent (different from its surroundings). In any case, it helped me balance the compositional masses in the image. Without the shadow, there would be nothing to counterbalance the person's compositional weight, and the image would be right-heavy. (Jerusalem, Israel) Canon 7D | Canon 70-200mm f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/1000 sec | F4

In this image from Deadvlei, Namibia, the shadow again extends the subject and allows me to have a good foreground element. It also parallels the tree itself (which is a bit obvious since their shapes are naturally similar), but moreover, it parallels the sunstar flare on the top part of the image. In addition, the dune's shadow on the horizon adds a layer and enhances depth. It also prevents the background trees from grabbing too much attention and overlapping the main tree. Canon 5D IV | Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III | 31mm | ISO 100 | 1/80 sec | F16

I'd like to divert now and talk about the use of shadows to create and enhance the atmosphere in a landscape image. Shadows have a tendency to interfere and appear inside lit parts of an image, thus enhancing the texture and diversifying the light, which may appear minor but is, at least in my opinion, not so at all.

Trees' shadows enrich the lighting and add texture to this image, balancing the viewer's attention between the different compositional elements. (Jargant River, Mongolia) DJI Mavic III Classic | 1/400 sec | F10

Again, the shadows add texture to the light, making the image more interesting. (Jargant River, Mongolia) Canon R5II | Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 | 80mm | ISO 100 | 1/320 sec | F11

This can also appear in much, MUCH larger scale:

The gradient of light on the top right shows us that the total solar eclipse is, in fact, just a huge shadow cast on Earth by the moon. I claim that the image wouldn't be half as good without this gradient, since it's not only a compositional element but also an extension of the subject, drawing a link between the faraway eclipsed sun and the Earth's sky. As homework, take a good, long look at this image and try to understand the roles of the different subjects, how they counterbalance each other, and how they contribute to the overall composition. (Lake Cuesta Del Viento, Argentina) DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/10 sec | F2.8 | ISO 100

Lastly, I'd like to present the rare case of the shadow being the actual subject. This is hardly common, but if you use it right, it could be very interesting and curious to the viewer. Take a look at the image below.

In order to take this shot without my shadow appearing in it, I had to hide in the shadow of the tree on the right. Canon R5II | Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 | 58mm | ISO 100 | 1/80 sec | F14

Instead of including both the tree and its shadow in the image, I chose only to include the shadow. By doing this, I selected a totally different subject in terms of shape, compositional weight, color, and, most importantly, in essence. This subject could be viewed as a negative of the other trees in the frame.

Firstly, the shadow is almost perpendicular to the other trees. Moreover, it's dark on a light surface, whereas the background trees are light on a somewhat-darker surface. These harsh differences enhance the image and cause it to be much more interesting. The fact that you usually don't see a shadow as a subject draws the viewers' eyes and makes them try to understand what exactly it is they're seeing. All this can take a very simple composition and elevate it into something greater.

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveller. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.

If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes and wildlife with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Zambia, Greenland (solar eclipse), Colombia and more.

Erez has recently published his first e-book, "Solving the Puzzle," thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.

Selected Articles by Erez Marom:

• Lava Frenzy: Shooting Fagradalsfjall Volcano
• Behind the Shot: Tambora Sandwich
• Parallelism in Landscape Photography
• Black Hole Sun: Shooting the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina
• Winds of Change: Shooting Changing landscapes
• Demon of the Deep: Shooting Kawah Ijen Volcano
• Shooting Kīlauea Volcano, Part 1: How to Melt a Drone
• Whatever It Doesn't Take

Canon's recently announced EOS R6 III is aimed at hybrid shooters and has a strong suite of features for both stills and video shooting. We've already analyzed its still image quality, but now let's take a look at how its video modes perform in front of our studio test scene.

As a reminder, the EOS R6 III can do full-width DCI or UHD 4K* video up to 120p. At 60p and below, you have the option of using Canon's "Fine" mode, which delivers oversampled footage from 7K capture, though the company adds the intriguing caveat that the 60p fine mode won't be quite as detailed as the lower framerate ones. The R6 III can also shoot open-gate footage using the entire sensor, and supports internal Raw recording using Canon's C-Raw format.

* - The camera performs the same in its UHD and DCI modes, so whenever you read about the EOS R6 III's "4K" performance in this article, know it applies to both.

Starting with the open gate mode, the 6912 x 4608 image the EOS R6 III produces captures lots of detail, appreciably more than the 5952 x 3968 open gate image from the Panasonic S1II. The difference will almost certainly be less noticeable in motion, but the EOS R6 III's higher resolution allows for a bit more room to crop in if you're delivering a vertical or horizontal 4K video (or if you shot a bit too wide, and are trying to take a 9:16 vertical crop without using the full height).

The increased detail versus the S1II is still there, though slightly less obvious, when you're using the oversampled 4K mode. The Z6III offers similar levels of detail, though at default settings, it appears to apply more or less subtle sharpening than Canon does.

However, the EOS R6 III loses its edge in detail when you bump up to 4K/60. The oversampled fine setting is massively more detailed than the line-skipped standard mode, but, as Canon said, it's less detailed than the oversampled footage from 24p mode. Interestingly, the rolling shutter figure is the same, so its perhaps a processing difference, rather than a readout one, presumably for reasons of heat.

The Nikon Z6III's output is again sharper (and more sharpened), but it's not far off the output of the Panasonic S1II. This isn't because Nikon and Panasonic's 60p modes are more detailed than the 24p ones; it's because Canon's oversampled 60p mode isn't as detailed as its 24p one. Perhaps most painfully, though, is that even the EOS R6 II's 4K/60 footage has a slight edge in detail over its successor's.

The sensor isn't fast enough to offer an oversampled 4K/120 mode, but the EOS R6 III's is at least full-width, so switching to it won't change your field of view like it will with the S1II, which has a 1.24x crop for UHD, or the Z6III, which has a 1.5x crop. The 4K/120 capture is as detailed as the EOS R6 III's other line-skipped modes, but this leaves it a long way behind the S1II's 4K/120 footage, and even the Z6III's. Despite those being derived from a smaller area of the sensor, it's very likely they're derived from more pixels that aren't spread as far apart as they are on the EOS R6 III.

Raw Video

As always, when discussing Raw video options, it's worth keeping in mind that the difference between Raw video and Log video is nowhere near as stark as the difference between Raw and JPEG for stills when it comes to editing flexibility. While shooting in Raw for video gives you control over noise reduction, sharpening* and white balance, it doesn't offer substantially more latitude to adjust your footage's lightness than Log footage does.

With that in mind, the EOS R6 III's Raw footage looks good, capturing a lot of detail from either the entire sensor in open gate mode, or from a 7K 1.89:1 crop derived from that footage. The latter can be shot in up to 60p, though going above 30p will require switching to Canon's Raw Lite format, which compresses the footage more. If there are compromises to detail that come from that, they're not evident in our test scene.

It's also worth pointing out that, unlike with the S1II's Raw modes, Canon applies lens distortion corrections to its Raw footage. That arguably makes them a bit less Raw, but means you won't have to manually apply them after the fact, which is especially important for those RF-mount lenses that heavily rely on those corrections as part of their optical formulas.

* - Put another way, shooting in Raw puts the onus of noise reduction and sharpening on you.

Summary

The EOS R6 III's higher resolution sensor has its benefits, but its slower readout speeds hurt its full-width slow-motion performance.

The EOS R6 III's open gate mode provides exceptional amounts of detail for this class of camera, as does its oversampled 4K/24 mode. Its 4K/60 mode isn't quite as strong as those of its competitors with faster, lower resolution sensors, though, and you'll pay a significant detail cost to gain full-width 4K/120. The convenience of maintaining your field of view is definitely a benefit, but its partially stacked sensor rivals will maintain more consistent detail levels for your slow-mo shots.

Still, it's hard to complain about the quality of the video we've been able to capture with the EOS R6 III outside of the studio. Annecdotally, when I sent Mykim, our director of video and platforms, a cut of a video we'd shot using the EOS R6 III, she asked which camera we had used, saying the footage had a "really nice visual quality to it, distinct from other videos we have done." (It is worth noting that we shot it at golden hour on a beach, so it was quite literally being shown in its best light.)

We'll cover other aspects of the video shooting experience in our full review, but in terms of image quality, the EOS R6 III has a lot to offer.

Sony a7 V | Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II | 70mm | F2.8 | 1/80 sec | ISO 250 Photo: Mitchell Clark

This week, Sony announced the a7 V, its latest hybrid camera which uses a 33MP 'partially stacked' sensor to achieve high burst rates. We got the chance to use a pre-production model, which luckily coincided with what may have been the last few sunny days of the year in the Pacific Northwest. We used the opportunity to take some street portraits, action shots of animals, and more.

We've just got access to a build of Adobe Camera Raw that supports the camera's losslessly compressed Raw files and have added a couple of conversions of images shot in that format.

If you want to read more on the a7 V, you can check out our review of it here, or watch our video on it below. It contains a few sample videos shot with the a7 V, though look forward to seeing more footage from it in the future.

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.

Image: Leica

Leica has introduced new color variants of select lenses in its lineup, bringing its popular olive green colorway to three M-mount primes. The company has also announced a glossy black 50mm lens in its Classic lineup.

The new Safari lineup of lenses includes the Summilux‑M 35mm F1.4 ASPH., Summilux‑M 50mm F1.4 ASPH. and Summicron‑M 28mm F2 ASPH. All three lenses feature a silver-chrome brass focus tab, the feet scale in red and the meter scale in white. Otherwise, the lenses keep the same optical design and features as the standard black and silver versions, but with the matte olive green finish found on Safari edition camera bodies.

Image: Leica

Leica is also offering a glossy black finish of the Summilux‑M 50mm F1.4 Classic. The glossy finish is meant to wear through to brass over time, giving a vintage look to the lens with use. As with the Safari edition lenses, the finish is the only change on the Summilux‑M 50mm F1.4 Classic.

In addition to unveiling the Safari and glossy black lenses, Leica also announced that the M EV1 is now available for purchase in the US. The camera was already available elsewhere, but a delay in FCC approval meant it was not cleared for sale in the US at the time of launch in October.

The Leica Summilux‑M 35mm F1.4 ASPH. Safari is available now for $6795, the Summilux‑M 50mm F1.4 ASPH. for $5495 and the Summilux‑M 50mm F1.4 Classic in glossy black for $4595. Those interested in the Leica Summicron‑M 28mm F2 ASPH. Safari will have to wait a bit longer; it will be available on February 12, 2026, for $5995.

Buy now:

Product photos: Mitchell Clark

This week, Sony announced the a7 V, the latest enthusiast-class mirrorless camera to use a 'partially stacked' sensor to achieve the fast readout speeds required for high-speed bursts and video. It's entering a market segment with stiff competition, both from other cameras using similar sensor technology and ones that achieve pretty similar performance even without it.

To see how it competes, we'll compare it to similarly positioned cameras – the Canon EOS R6 III, Panasonic S1II and Nikon Z6III – in a variety of categories. We'll largely leave out comparisons with the a7 IV for now, as we'll be discussing it in more depth in an upcoming article.

Price

As this segment of the market has become more capable (and as inflation and, in the US, tariffs have continued to raise costs), the price tags on the cameras have also risen. The a7 V is in the same ballpark as competitors like the Canon EOS R6 III and Nikon Z6III, though it's the most expensive among the three. And not just because it's the most recent release.

It is, however, still a fair bit cheaper than the Panasonic S1II, at least in the US. In the UK and EU, the prices for all four cameras are more evenly matched, with the Z6III being the only one that really stands out as considerably cheaper.

Resolution and speed

Like its predecessor, the a7 V has a 33MP sensor, which provides 16% more linear resolution than the 24MP models used by Panasonic and Nikon. Sony has joined those companies in using a "partially stacked" sensor, though, which uses more complex circuitry to increase readout speeds.

Canon's sensor in the EOS R6 III provides a similar level of resolution and, at first glance, speed, despite the company using an FSI design. However, it's worth noting that in e-shutter mode, it drops to a 12-bit readout rather than a 14-bit one, which is a concession the other models don't have to make in most circumstances.

It's hard to say whether that difference will end up being mostly academic, though. The Canon's lower bitrate readout hurts dynamic range, resulting in more noise in the deepest shadows. But while the specs make it seem like the a7 V will maintain more dynamic range during continuous shooting, we've also seen that partially stacked sensors can have less dynamic range in their e-shutter modes, which may make the difference in bit depth less consequential in practice.

The issue is most prevalent on the Z6III, as it happens in all of its shooting modes, whereas the Panasonic S1II can achieve better dynamic range when using its mechanical shutter. However, it can't maintain that performance while using its electronic shutter because of the impact it would have on its rolling shutter rates. Sony says the a7 V will also be able to get great dynamic range when using its mechanical shutter, but early reports indicate that its DR drops in e-shutter mode, suggesting there'll be a price to pay there, too.

Viewfinder and screen

The tilting/articulating mechanism on the a7 V and Panasonic S1II also gives you plenty of clearance for microphone, headphone and HDMI plugs when shooting video.

The a7 V hasn't made any big strides with its viewfinder, which, like the Canon's, is starting to feel a little dated, but its rear display is among the best in class. Not only is it larger and higher resolution than the ones Canon and Panasonic use, but it features a mechanism that lets you tilt it in line with the sensor, while also being able to fully articulate it for shooting at odd angles, or taking video of yourself, all without fouling the ports on the side of the camera.

All four companies give you the option to run the EVFs at a very responsive 120fps. Panasonic and Nikon's are higher resolution, which can be nice when reviewing photos, and the Z6III's can reach up to 4000 nits peak brightness, making it more visible even in harsh sunlight. Sony advertises that the a7 V has "blackout-free" shooting, though we'll have to test whether it truly continues to live refresh the preview as you're pressing the shutter, or if it's achieving the blackout-free effect by displaying the previously shot frame, as competitors like the Z6III and EOS R6 III do.

Autofocus

The a7 V gains Sony's latest autofocus system, which we've found to be one of the most capable around when it comes to tracking and overall reliability. It offers a wide array of autofocus selection points, for both tracking and non-tracking, and like with Canon and Nikon, its general tracking system works in conjunction with its subject recognition one. If the camera recognizes a subject under or around your selection point, it'll track it using the dedicated algorithms for it; otherwise, it'll attempt to track whatever is there. Panasonic takes a different approach, requiring you to switch between generic tracking and subject recognition.

Speaking of, like all the cameras in this comparison, the a7 V can recognize several subject types: humans, animals, birds, vehicles and planes, and is alone in offering a dedicated insect mode. It also has part recognition, narrowing in on a person, animal, or bird's eye, or the nose of an airplane.

Sony also offers an "Auto" mode, like Nikon and Canon, and allows you to select which subject types you'd like to be included in it.

Continuous shooting and pre-capture

The a7 V can shoot at a very respectable 30fps with its electronic shutter and, like most of its peers, has an option for pre-burst capture, where the camera will start saving images to the buffer when you initiate autofocus, and then write them to the card once you've fully pressed the shutter button, which can help you capture a moment even if you're a bit late to the draw. Its framerates aren't quite as high as those from Canon and Panasonic (though again, see the discussion about the EOS R6 III's 12-bit readout in burst rate, and the Sony's potentially reduced DR despite its 14-bit readout), but they should still be sufficient for all but the quickest action.

Sony's edge is in its pre-capture configurability. Panasonic only lets you use pre-capture with its "SH" burst rates (so 30, 60, or 70fps), and Canon is even more restrictive, with its pre-burst capture setting only usable with its 40fps mode. Sony, meanwhile, lets you use it in each of its e-shutter burst modes, and lets you fine-tune how far back you want it to save, from a mere 0.03 seconds (1 frame at 30fps) before you fully pressed the shutter to a whole second. Both options make it easier to avoid having to sort through dozens of pictures taken before the most important moment.

Battery

When it comes to battery life ratings, Sony is clearly the standout. The a7 V is rated to get over double the number of shots using the EVF compared to the EOS R6 and S1II, and has a 75% lead over the Nikon Z6III. We're looking forward to testing it more to see if it has to make compromises, such as dimming the screen after a very short period of inactivity, to get such a high rating, but we're used to Sony squeezing a lot from its large NP-FZ100 batteries.

While the CIPA ratings aren't typically reflective of the literal number of shots you'll get out of a charge, they work as an indicator of what kind of experience the camera will provide, and it seems like the a7 V will let you go a long time without having to use a charger...

Ports, storage and connectivity

The a7 V is the only camera in this comparison to lack a dedicated remote trigger terminal... though theoretically you could use the second USB-C socket as one, provided Sony updates its remote to use the more modern cable type, instead of the microUSB / Multi terminal one that this replaces.

... which is funny, since it has double the number of charging ports as its competitors. The a7 V features two USB-C ports, one mainly meant for data, which supports speeds up to 10Gbps, and one for power delivery, which tops out at 480Mbps. This setup will let you charge the camera while tethering, without draining your computer's battery, or let you plug in potential USB-C accessories while also charging the camera or transferring data from it.

Canon, Panasonic and Nikon's cameras each only have a single USB-C port; the EOS R6 III and S1II's at least run at the same 10Gbps, while the Z6III's is 5Gbps.

The a7 V is also the first mirrorless camera we've seen to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which should let you transfer images off your camera wirelessly using the faster (and less crowded) 6Ghz spectrum, provided the standard is certified in your country. The rest of the cameras can only use the 2.4 and 5Ghz bands.

Outside of these two standout specs, the a7 V has the same set of ports that's become standard on this class of camera: 3.5mm jacks for microphones and headphones, and a full-size HDMI port.

HDR shooting

Like the rest of its competitors, the Sony a7 V has the option of shooting 10-bit HEIF files encoded with a high dynamic range tone curve, which will look more vibrant and capable of more realistic highlights when shown on a display capable of HDR playback*. However, you can't capture HDR output files and Raws at the same time on the Sony; it's one or the other. Neither Canon, Nikon, nor Panasonic require this same trade-off, so you don't have to give up editing flexibility for straight-out-of-camera HDR.

* - which may be easier said than done, as HEIF files don't enjoy nearly as broad compatibility as JPEGs do.

Video - resolution, framerates and workflow

The list of video modes in the a7 V is spartan compared to the ones on other cameras, but the ones it has are well-executed.

The Sony a7 V can record full-width UHD 4K footage oversampled from 7K capture at up to 60p, and can do 120fps at 4K with a 1.5x crop. Unlike its competitors, there's no option to natively record the higher-resolution capture, nor is there an open gate recording mode or internal Raw recording (or, indeed, external Raw recording via HDMI), if your shooting requires these arguably niche features.

What will likely matter to everyone shooting video is overheating performance. The a7 V has an apparently very impressive heatsink, with Sony saying you can expect to be able to record 4K/60 footage for up to 90 minutes, while Canon only quotes 23 minutes for the EOS R6 III (though you can get more out of it if you switch out of the oversampled mode). Panasonic promises essentially no limit for 4K/60 recording on the S1II following its most recent firmware update, though that camera has an internal fan to keep things cool, while the Sony does not.

The a7 V lacks the variety of assistance tools that some of its competitors have; shutter angle and waveform monitoring feel like particularly notable omissions, as they make it easier to avoid mistakes in fast-paced shooting environments.

A feature Sony includes that others don't is its "AI Auto Framing" mode, which lets you set up the camera on a tripod and have it crop in on you or another recognized subject, following it around the scene. This can automatically give you a more dynamic shot where you would've had a static one if you're shooting without a camera operator. There are also several controls for it, letting you choose how tight you want it to punch in and how quickly you want it to follow you.

Video - rolling shutter

Given the a7 V's fast sensor, it's no surprise that its rolling shutter is very well-controlled, despite the fact that its 4K modes are derived from higher-resolution capture.

We consider rates below 15ms to be excellent, so we wouldn't expect to see jello-like artifacts in anything but the whipiest of pans, or on the fastest of moving subjects, from any of these cameras. As such, it's unlikely the differences between these cameras will matter for almost all shooting.

The extras

We wouldn't have minded a customizable front-plate button or two.

While Sony has tweaked the ergonomics of the a7 V, those of us at DPReview who've had the chance to hold it still don't find it to be quite as comfortable as the other cameras in this comparison or Sony's high-end models like the a1 II or a9 III. And while you won't find yourself starved for control points, most of the other cameras in this category do have an extra customizable button or two compared to the a7 V.

Sony has implemented a multi-shot high-resolution mode in the a7 V, which promises to capture more detail with less noise. However, as with the similar mode on the Z6III, you have to combine the photos after the fact using desktop software. The Panasonic S1II has a similar feature, but it works both handheld and with a tripod, and is combined in-camera, making it much more versatile. None of these systems will work that well with moving subjects – Sony's and Panasonic's have some level of motion correction, but you lose the benefits in areas of movement – but with the S1II's, it's easier to just try it to see if it works; if not, you'll still capture the image, just without the bump in image quality. Canon doesn't have a comparable mode on the EOS R6 III.

Summary

It's clear that the a7 V is a much better competitor to the latest crop of enthusiast cameras than its predecessor was, and is a strong hybrid offering. And while it's not the most versatile video camera out there, for those without very specific requirements, it looks to be a hugely competent all-rounder, and one that can last all day on a single charge at that. It'd be hard to pick the wrong camera in this category (or, by the same token, to declare one as head and shoulders above the rest).

We'll have to put it through more testing to see if it delivers on its promises of excellent image quality despite its speed, and to see if its autofocus meets our expectations for what Sony is capable of. If it does, it'll be a very strong contender in the market.

Image: Panasonic

Many of Panasonic's lens names can look downright intimidating. Case in point, the Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 45-175mm F4-5.6 ASPH POWER O.I.S. lens. It's certainly a mouthful, and can be a head-scratcher in terms of what everything means. In this article, we'll be breaking down Panasonic's lens terminology to help you read its lens names with confidence.

Mounts, lens class and collaboration branding

Like many other companies, Panasonic starts its lens names with letters or terms that indicate the mount, lens class or any collaborative branding.

Lumix G and S

Panasonic makes cameras with two different mounts: Micro Four Thirds (MFT) and L-mount. The Lumix G lineup consists of lenses specifically designed for its MFT mirrorless cameras, and therefore, they utilize the MFT mount and are not compatible with L-mount cameras. Lumix S lenses are L-mount lenses made for the company's full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Pro and X

The Lumix S Series Pro 70-200mm F4 is an L-mount full-frame lens that's part of Panasonic's Pro lineup. Image: Panasonic

After the letter identifying the mount may come an 'X' or 'Pro' designation, such as in Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 Power O.I.S and Lumix S PRO 24-70mm F2.8. The 'X' series of lenses is exclusive to the MFT system, so you will only see that designation on Lumix G lenses. They sit at the top of Panasonic's MFT lens lineup, offering better build and image quality than those not in the X series.

The Pro series also encompasses top-tier lenses, though Pro lenses are designed for full-frame L-mount cameras. As the name suggests, they are meant for professionals. As a result, they promise more advanced optics with improved weather-sealing and autofocus compared to non-Pro lenses.

Leica DG, Summilux, Vario-Elmarit and Nocticron

The Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH lens features Leica's Summilux branding. Image: Panasonic

Lastly, some lenses will have Leica-related branding that references collaboration between Panasonic and Leica. The two companies began collaborating in 2000 and have renewed their partnership multiple times since then.

If you see 'Leica DG' on a Panasonic lens, that indicates it was designed and manufactured by Panasonic to Leica's quality standards. Leica DG lenses are designed specifically for MFT systems. In addition to the Leica DG designation, you may see other Leica terms on Panasonic lenses that reference specific features.

Summilux is a Leica name that combines the Latin words 'summi' (maximum) and 'lux' (light). Lenses with 'Summilux' in their name offer a wide maximum aperture, typically ranging from F1.4 to F1.7 on MFT lenses.

Vario-Elmarit combines Leica's 'Vario' (meaning zoom) prefix with 'Elmarit,' which refers to lenses with a maximum aperture of F2.8. Lenses with this phrasing are Panasonic Leica DG zoom lenses for MFT cameras that offer a maximum aperture of F2.8 or F2.8-4 in the case of the Leica DG Vario‑Elmarit 12–60mm F2.8–4 ASPH Power O.I.S. lens.

Lastly, some Panasonic lenses feature the Nocticron branding, which is a Leica trademark that refers to premium lenses with a fast F1.2 maximum aperture.

Lens technology

The Lumix G X Vario PZ 45-175mm F4-5.6 ASPH Power O.I.S. offers power zoom capabilities (PZ), aspherical elements (ASPH) and Panasonic's enhanced stabilization (Power O.I.S.). Image: Panasonic

Panasonic also includes various lens technology features in its lens names, when applicable. These can refer to zoom, stabilization or optical design features.

PZ

PZ is a brand-agnostic term that stands for Power Zoom. These lenses offer an electronic, variable-speed zoom that's designed for video use.

O.I.S and Power O.I.S

O.I.S. stands for Optical Image Stabilizer, which is Panasonic's stabilization system that aims to reduce blur that results from camera movement. The company also offers lenses with Power O.I.S., an enhanced version of O.I.S. for even better stabilization.

ASPH and Nano Surface Coating

Some lenses feature 'ASPH' in the name, which refers to the fact that the lens uses aspherical elements to correct optical aberrations for improved image quality. Aspherical lens elements are a general optical technology used across manufacturers, but Panasonic sometimes calls attention to the feature in the lens name. If you don't see it in the lens name, that doesn't mean aspherical lens elements aren't in use; some lenses simply don't feature the term in their name.

Finally, Panasonic's 'Nano Surface Coating' is a multi-layer anti-glare coating that it applies to lens elements to reduce ghosting and flaring for improved light transmission and color rendition.

My favorite photo I took this year is a reminder that being in the right place at the right time can make all the difference between a good shot and a great one. Sony a7R V | Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM | 150mm | F2 | 1/320 sec | ISO 800

Picking out your favorite photo that you took in a given year can be a difficult prospect, especially if you're then trying to write something meaningful about it. Which will make for the best article? The one with the best story? The one that taught me something? Or maybe the most aesthetically pleasing?

Thankfully, the choice was relatively easy this year, since there was one that had all three. Our studio in Seattle is only a few train stops away from Pike Place Market, so often when I'm testing a camera or lens, I'll leave for work a bit early so I can walk through it to get some pictures.

Another photo I took that morning. These hallways would usually be packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people during normal hours. Sony a7R V | Sony 50-150mm F2 | 110mm | F2 | 1/250 sec | ISO 2500

I must've woken up extremely early this particular morning, though, because I was there at 7:30, well before the crowds arrived and before most shops even opened. At first, I thought that would make things more difficult; if no one's here, what is there to take pictures of? I was wrong on two counts, though; one, there were at least a few people out and about, and two, being relatively alone in a place usually packed wall-to-wall with people lets you see things that you wouldn't normally see.

This brings us to the fruit stand in question. Normally, the hall behind them would be bustling with people, making it difficult for anyone in particular to stand out, and blocking many of the beautiful neon signs from most angles. This time, though, there was none of that, so I was able to spot the two people standing at the stall, their faces lit by its warm lighting, contrasting the cool dawn light that was just starting to creep into the market.

being in the right place at the right time doesn't do much for you if you don't have the right tool to capture it

Of course, being in the right place at the right time doesn't do much for you if you don't have the right tool to capture it. Thankfully, this time around, I was testing out Sony's 50-150mm F2 GM lens, which is still one of my favorite pieces of photography gear released this year (spoiler alert?). Shooting at 150mm let me really isolate the shoppers from the background, and the fast aperture works wonders with all the artificial lights, melting them away as swirls of beautiful, vibrant color. If someone asked me to sell them on this lens, this picture would be one of my opening arguments.

Of course, it would then have to be followed by some more extremely strong points, since this lens is bonkers expensive. This picture also reminds me how lucky I am that getting to test high-end photography equipment is part of my job; I absolutely could've captured something similar with a much cheaper (not to mention less bulky) setup, but I'm not sure it would've had all of the magic. That means there's almost no chance I would've gotten this picture without this job, so it's hard not to feel at least a little thankful when I look at it.

Not that it's entirely luck. That lens and the a7R V it was attached to would've done me no good if I just spent the morning sleeping in and watching YouTube on the couch. I was only able to get the photo because I made the effort to wake up early and go to a photogenic place. It's an obvious lesson, but one I'll remember going into the new year; the pictures or videos that only exist in my head won't become real unless I go out and make them real. And once I'm out, I may find things I hadn't expected that also make for a great photo.

Honorable mentions

While it was relatively easy to pick a favorite this year, there were a few other shots I took that I feel are worth highlighting. You can check them out in the gallery below.

Image: Westend61 / Westend61 via Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to answer the Question of the week

The Sigma BF isn't a template all other cameras should follow – there are plenty of times a camera designed around a viewfinder is valuable – but it's a fascinating take on what a picture-taking device can be. Photo: Al Power

No, I'm not trolling you. If I'd wanted to just prompt incredulous or angry comments, I'd have opted for the Sony RX1R III: a camera I genuinely really like, but recognize only appeals to a very narrow group of photographers that happens to include me.

The Sigma BF is simply a really good camera. This may not be obvious if you can only view it from the perspective of how other cameras work, but if you're able to put your preconceptions to one side and try to look at things anew, it's a consistently elegant piece of design. And I don't just mean the eye-catching body.

Ignore the looks, look beyond the basic specs and stop worrying about how many dials you think a camera should have. Ask yourself, instead, what is a camera for? It's to take pictures, perhaps to inspire or encourage you to take pictures, and to capture the light emerging from the scene as best it can.

Completely aside from the exterior design, the ability to shoot more true-to-life images without having to switch modes or worry about compatibility would probably be enough to make the Sigma my Gear of the Year. Photo: Richard Butler

Most modern cameras are built on well-established conventions. They may have done away with the mirror and the film, but a lot of them are still shaped like SLRs from one end or other of the 1980s. Or, perhaps, they resemble 1960s rangefinders, but they're all products of established thinking. They are a series of decisions made long ago, repeated out of habit with any new ideas and features (often clumsily) lumped into already overwhelmed menu systems.

Opinion: the Sigma BF is not the revolution I'd hoped for, but the effort that's gone in it is obvious

After a flurry of experimentation in the early 2000s, cameras settled back into a series of familiar shapes and archetypes. And, right back to some of those early models, they shot 8-bit JPEG images designed for printing or viewing on the CRT monitors of the day.

The Sigma questions all of this. It isn't designed to fit in with the established camera aesthetic, its interface isn't an outgrowth of design decisions made twenty years ago and it doesn't think photos are solely about prints or playback on a type of monitor people no longer have.

Instead, it's a body designed to appeal to people who don't think of themselves as photographers. It doesn't obscure your view of the scene behind a bewildering head-up display of incomprehensible icons, but instead is designed to just show you your framing. And it shoots images optimized to make the most of modern displays and phones.

We've been stuck using standard-DR JPEGs since the dawn of digital. Almost all modern cameras have an option to capture true HDR imagery, but do so in the HEIF format that remains poorly supported and awkward to share. The BF shoots HDR photos with every shot, and embeds this additional tonal information into otherwise standard JPEGs, so you have universal compatibility with added vibrancy and realism when viewed on an increasing number of modern devices.

Technology: the Sigma BF brings a breakthrough for photography

This 'Ultra HDR JPEG' approach has also been adopted by Google for its Pixel phones, and is central to the marketing push behind Hasselblad's X2D II camera (which takes the extra step of providing an HDR-capable rear monitor). In any other year, the Hasselblad might have been my Gear of the Year for this feature alone, but it was just one element of what makes the Sigma so original.

I was asked, when I first wrote about it, whether I was only excited by the Sigma because it's a refreshing change after nearly twenty years of using and writing about cameras that, for better and worse, operate in a broadly similar manner. It's a question I'd already asked myself while I was using the camera. I genuinely believe it's not. Photo: Al Power

None of which is to say the BF is perfect. The interface would definitely benefit from another round of refinement, now it's been in more people's hands. Image stabilization would certainly be a benefit, as would a faster sensor, better suited to use without a mechanical shutter. A less sharp lip along the leading edge of the camera and a less comically small battery wouldn't go amiss, either.

Experience: What's the most interesting camera of 2025 like to live with?

Ultimately, though, these Gear of the Year articles aren't necessarily meant to be about the best equipment released in any given year, but the one we had an enjoyable or memorable experience with, and the BF excelled in that regard. Not just because it accompanied me on some enjoyable travels, not just because it's interesting, but because, when I looked back at my photos to write this article, they really jumped out at me.

I liked this photo already: well worth all the antihistamines I had to take to take to visit a pub with cats, but downloading it and viewing it on my phone recently made me realise I'd never seen it in full HDR. Download it, look closely in the cats' eyes and tell me the BF doesn't make sense. Sigma 35mm F2 DG | F2.2 | 1/40 sec | ISO 250 Photo: Richard Butler

I published a gallery of images from the Sigma before we discovered is HDR feature, and I realised I'd not gone back and re-examined my shots on an HDR display. All of a sudden, the steam rising from the Punjabi meal I'd enjoyed in London caught the sunshine again, making my mouth water; the eyes of the pub cat I'd photographed glowed a liquid green to grab my attention. The photos I already knew were illuminated afresh.

Richard's Sigma BF sample galleries:

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 article); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

Image: Sony

Sony announced its a7 V camera today, and included in that announcement was the new version of its standard zoom kit lens. The FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is a subtle upgrade to meet the demands of Sony's latest camera, making it a well-rounded kit for creatives who do it all.

The primary update in the FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is improved autofocus capabilities that allow it to handle the faster burst shooting rates of the new a7 V. Sony says it is capable of up to 120 fps with AF/AE tracking and it can track and focus while zooming. It also offers breathing compensation to reduce shifts in angle of view for smooth rack focusing.

Beyond the improved autofocus, the new lens keeps the design and features of its predecessor. That includes the same optics, which are comprised of nine elements in eight groups, with three aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element. It features the same seven-blade aperture and offers Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization. It can focus as close as 0.3-0.45 m (0.99-1.48').

Image: Sony

Given that the optical design remains the same, the new version retains the same size as the previous iteration. It weighs 293g (10.4 oz) and measures 72.5 x 83mm (2.875 x 3.375"). It uses a 55mm filter thread. It offers weather sealing to protect against dust and moisture, and features a fluorine coating on the front element to repel water and oil. There are no on-lens controls, except for a zoom and focus rings.

The FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II will be available in February 2026 for $449, which is the same as the current list price of the original version. A kit with the Sony a7 V and FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II will also be available in February 2026 for $3099. You can pre-order both now.

Preoder now:

Specs:

The Sony a7 V is an enthusiast-tier camera with a new, full frame, 33MP 'partially stacked' CMOS sensor, with a focus on high burst rates, capable autofocus and a complete suite of video features.

Key Specifications

• 33MP full frame 'partially stacked' sensor
• IBIS rated to 7.5EV in the center
• AI-derived recognition for six subject types
• "Blackout-free" continuous shooting at 30fps
• Configurable pre-burst capture up to 1 second
• 3.2" tilting/fully-articulating display
• Dual USB-C ports for power and data
• 4K 60p derived from 7K capture, 4K 120p with 1.5x crop
• AI-based auto-framing in video

Sony says the a7 V will be available from late December 2025 at a recommended retail price of around $2899.

Index:

• What's new?
• In context
• Body and handling
• Video
• Initial assessment
• Sample gallery
• Press release
• Specifications

What's new?

New sensor

Like its predecessor, the a7 V features a 33MP sensor, but with extra readout circuitry to improve readout speeds (which were one of the a7 IV's weak points). We've seen this "partially stacked" technology in 24MP cameras like the Nikon Z6III and Panasonic S1II, but here it's being applied to a higher-resolution sensor.

Sony says this allows the a7 V to achieve much higher burst rates than its predecessor – 30 fps, up from 10 – and to do so with a full 14-bit readout, rather than requiring Sony's destructively lossy Raw compression. The maximum e-shutter speed has been increased to 1/16000 sec, too. The company also promises it won't have the same dynamic range reduction we saw with the Z6III, where increased read noise was evident if you pushed the shadows in post. Though we'll have to see if these claims are borne out in testing.

The IBIS system has also been upgraded, now stabilizing the sensor by 7.5EV, up from 5.5EV with the a7 IV.

New processor, new autofocus

The sensor is paired with a new "Bionz XR2" processor, bringing Sony's most up-to-date autofocus system to the a7 line. While the previous camera had human and animal recognition, the a7 V gets the autofocus system found on most of Sony's other modern cameras, with support for recognizing six subject types, as well as a configurable 'Auto' mode.

The Subject Recognition: Auto mode can be fine-tuned so that it only looks for the types of subject you expect to encounter. You can also select how specific the focus is (eg whether it looks for birds' eyes)

The Human / Face / Eye recognition is significantly upgraded from the previous camera, with the a7 V trained to recognize humans in all sorts of different positions, so that it continues to track the same person and re-finds their face faster, even if they are partially obscured.

The camera also gains a few new focus area settings, and Sony says it performs autofocus calculations 60 times per second. (It hasn't shared the a7 IV's rate, but says the a1 II does 120 calculations per second.)

The processor is an update to the one found in Sony's earlier cameras, such as the a1 II, a7R V and a6700, which paired their image processors with an "AI" coprocessor to handle autofocusing duties. Now, both functions are bundled onto one chip. Rather than providing for new features, this seems to be a play to make the system more efficient when doing the same tasks.

New Raw format

In among the new features, Sony says there's a new, 'lightweight' Raw system. We weren't given any more information than this, and there isn't any third-party support for them, yet. The only thing we can say is that they end up being a similar size to Sony's old, damagingly lossy Raw format, but hopefully without the potential pitfalls.

AI-powered features

Apart from autofocus, the new processor allows for several other features that are based on complex algorithms created by machine learning. The first is Auto Framing: a video mode that crops in and then follows your subject around the frame. This lets you set up a wide-angle shot, then have the camera pan around the scene to make it look like you had a camera operator. The feature offers three levels of crop and includes options to show the wide shot first before punching in shortly after your subject enters the frame.

There's also a framing stabilizer option that uses the digital video stabilization to not only move a crop within the sensor to counteract shake, but also to maintain your subject's position in the frame (either centrally or in a position you've defined). In both cases, the video is then upscaled to your chosen resolution.

Pre-burst capture

The a7 V gains the pre-burst capture system that first appeared in the a9 III. This lets you capture images for up to one second between the time you initiate AF and the time you fully press the shutter button. You get quite fine-grained control over the period of time before the full shutter press that gets retained. 1 second is the maximum, 0.03sec (i.e., 1 frame at the camera's maximum 30fps) is the minimum, so you can tune it to match your response time, rather than always capturing a full second's worth of images prior to full-press.

Despite the minimum duration being based on 30fps shooting, you can use pre-burst with any of the camera's shooting rates.

A video upgrade

The faster sensor lets the a7 V capture most of its video modes at up to twice the framerates its predecessor could deliver. It also gains the auto-framing and framing stabilizer modes discussed above.

There are a few other nice-to-haves, too, such as the option to upload your own LUTs to let you preview the scene with your intended grading. The camera can also embed the LUT alongside your footage, so that it's also available to whoever's editing the project. However, unlike the FX series cameras, there's no option to simply burn the LUT onto your video.

In context

The a7 V lands in the most competitive part of the market: between the out-and-out pro models and the somewhat pared-back entry-level models. This puts it up against some very good opposition: the recently-released Canon EOS R6 III, the recently firmware-boosted Panasonic S1II and Nikon's Z6III.

We don't have room to compare all five here, so we're going to include the more expensive Panasonic S1II here, as it's built around a similar sensor to the Nikon Z6III but gets a bit more out of it, in terms of image quality, video and speed. We'll include more about the Nikon in a follow-up article, soon.

* When combined with a stabilized lens

The table works as a striking illustration of just how far behind the latest generation of cameras the a7 IV was, a situation the a7 V has mostly rectified. Sony's E-mount also remains a leader in terms of openness and the availability of a wide range of first and third-party lenses, though it's worth noting that several big players have recently promised to start producing options for L-mount. Sony also only allows third-party lenses to continuously autofocus at 15fps and below, a limitation that wasn't a factor on the a7 IV, but that a7 V users may bump up against.

Other companies are also offering more video options than Sony; both the Canon EOS R6 III and Panasonic S1II have modes for open-gate recording, DCI 4K and internal Raw video, all of which the a7 V lacks. Sony also hasn't implemented exposure assistance tools such as a waveform monitor or false color overlay, though it has AI tricks that Canon and Panasonic don't offer.

Body and handling

The a7 V uses an updated version of the body from the a7 IV. This means it has two main command dials, a toggle-lockable exposure comp dial on its shoulder and a third, fiddly command dial on its rear plate. However you wish to shoot, the a7 V can be set up to put the parameters you care about at your fingertips.

The front grip has been redesigned to make it feel more comfortable, though it doesn't gain the tilted-forward shutter button design that the company's pro-grade a9 III and a1 II benefit from.

We're still not great fans of the new grip: it's large enough, but the two of us shooting with the camera both found it dug into our fingers a little. This isn't helped by the unyielding grip texture on the camera that does nothing to cushion the hand.

Menus

The a7 V uses Sony's latest generation menus, which are certainly an improvement on the ones used in earlier models. They definitely have their foibles still, though.

The a7 V uses Sony's newer menu system, which represented a big step forward from the a7 III. It's been updated slightly from the previous model through the addition of a Home/Status Panel screen at the top of the menu. We're not fans, as it's easy to navigate away from by mistake (not ideal for quick settings changes), and it can get in the way of reaching the actual menus. The ability to minimize it as you navigate to the left-hand tabs serves no obvious purpose, beyond reinforcing the sense that it's a potentially good idea shoehorned into a context where it doesn't quite fit.

As with any menu system, you can learn it in time, or use the My Menu system and Fn menu to circumvent the need. But the a7 V's very high level of customization comes with the price of a long, complex menu frequently featuring an odly trunctd nmng systm.

EVF / rear screen

The a7 V uses the same 3.69M dot viewfinder as its predecessor, with the optics giving 0.78x magnification.

It gains a tilting cradle on which its slightly larger, fully articulated rear screen is mounted. This means it can be tilted up or down, close to the back of the camera for waist-level or overhead stills shooting as well as flipping out to the side for videos or selfies. The added movement also lets you move the screen away from the camera, reducing the risk of the screen fouling your cables when you flip it out. The new panel has around 2.1M dots, giving around a 1024 x 682px resolution.

Flipping the screen out over-rides the viewfinder's eye sensor by default, so the rear screen won't black-out if you bring the camera too close to your body when working at waist level. We had occasional issues getting the finder to work when the screen was re-stowed, though (closing the screen seems to put the camera to sleep).

USB ports

The a7 V becomes the second camera we've encountered to have two USB-C ports: one for high-speed data transfer, one for charging, using the USB-PD standard. It's worth remembering which is which: the upper port can transfer files at up to 10Gbps, the lower one is around one twentieth of this speed.

It's perhaps noteworthy that many recent Sony cameras had retained a USB Micro B socket alongside their USB-C data port, to maintain compatibility with the company's "Multi Terminal" accessories. The second slot on the a7 V appears to essentially be a continuation of this USB 2.0 socket in a new shape.

Battery

The a7 V uses the same NP-FZ100 battery that the a7 series has used for several generations, now. It's a fairly substantial 16.4Wh unit that powers the camera to a rating of 750 shots per charge if you rely on the rear screen and 630 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder.

These are both impressive figures for a camera in this class, especially given that the CIPA-defined tests tend to significantly underestimate the number of shots most people find they actually get. Everyone's usage differs, of course, but so long as you don't spend lots of your time reviewing the images you just shot, it's not unusual to get double the rated number of shots.

Video

The Sony a7 V records full-width UHD 4K footage at up to 60p, downsampled from 7K capture, and also offers 4K 120p recording from an APS-C-sized region of the sensor.

The camera can also use the sensor's extra resolution to power its AI Auto Framing mode, which will recognize a human in the scene and crop in on them, like a camera operator might if they were zooming in and panning around to keep a subject in frame. You can configure how tight you want the framing to be and how quickly you want the camera to move the frame to keep up with the subject. Similarly, the highest tier of digital stabilization also has a 'Framing Stabilizer' option, which aims to keep your chosen composition locked onto a selected subject, even while the camera is moving.

There's also a slight caveat to the full-width 4K 60p mode; to actually get full-width recording, you have to turn on a mode called Angle of View Priority, which Sony says turns off in-camera noise reduction. The company claims it doesn't affect dynamic range or oversampling, but we'll have to test it out more once we have a production unit.

Sony includes its S-Log3 and S-Cinetone color modes in the a7 V. The former is designed to capture as much dynamic range as possible, but will require color grading before delivery, while the latter is designed to have a subtle, movie-like appearance that's flat enough to provide a little editing latitude.

Recording Modes

Compared to its competitors, the a7 V actually has relatively few recording modes, since it only records compressed, 16:9 video. However, it offers a few choices of codecs and compression types, which you can choose between depending on what you're shooting and how capable your editing computer is.

Sony's menus for choosing your recording mode aren't the nicest to navigate, but they get the job done. You start by choosing your file format to determine your resolution and compression, and which are named using Sony's somewhat cryptic branding (XAVC HS 4K for 4K H.265, XAVC S-I 4K for 4K H.264 All-I, etc). Then, you can go into a separate menu to choose your frame rate and bit rate/depth and chroma subsampling settings.

* Not available in "XAVC HS 4K" H.265

**1.0 crop only with Angle of View Priority on

Rolling shutter

As with other partially stacked sensors we've seen, the a7 V manages to get excellent rolling shutter rates for video. In 4K/24, it reads out the full-width of the sensor in 14.5ms, with similar results for its 4K/60 modes. The 4K/120 mode with its APS-C crop is, obviously, much faster, reading out in 6.9ms.

Temperature limits

While the a7 V doesn't have a fan, it has the graphite heatsink introduced with the a7S III built into the IBIS unit for better thermal performance in the camera's more demanding video modes. At roughly room temperature (20°C, 68°F), the company says you can expect to get around 90 minutes of recording time at 4K/60. At a torturous 41°C (105°F), the company claims it should still be able to manage up to 60 minutes of 4K/60. Though it doesn't specify, we assume these figures are for indirect heat and with the overheat warnings relaxed.

Initial assessment

by Richard Butler

The a7 V should mean no Sony user need look jealously at other brands. But the reverse is also likely to be true.

The Sony a7 V looks like a hugely capable all-rounder, promising high resolution for its class, paired with fast shooting, the latest AF features and the ability to shoot fast, smooth video. It represents an appreciable step forward for Sony shooters, and perhaps it needed to.

The a7 IV was the first mid-range full-frame camera to push beyond 24MP, but this somewhat undercut the video, where any gain in detail was offset by levels of rolling shutter higher than its preexisting rivals. And while, back in 2021, you could fairly confidently address the impossibly complex question: "which of these models has the best autofocus" with the simple answer: "the Sony," much has changed since then.

In the four years since its launch, the rival offerings from Canon and Nikon have caught up in term of generic subject tracking, and moved ahead in terms of the range of subjects they recognize. Both brands have also made big advances in video, offering faster speeds, smoother readout and Raw video capture. Canon's recent EOS R6 III finally matched the a7 IV's remaining standout quality: photo resolution.

Sony FE 35mm F1.4 | F1.4 | 1/1000sec | ISO 100 Photo: Mitchell Clark

The a7 V moves the series forward in several ways. It maintains the resolution of its predecessor but adds a lot more speed. We'll need to confirm Sony's claims that there are no image quality costs to its move to a faster, 'partially stacked' CMOS sensor, but it's certainly not impossible, given what Panasonic achieved with the S1 II. This speed is backed up by the arrival of the company's latest subject recognition modes, along with a tunable Auto subject mode to make it easy to make the most of them. All of which should be welcomed by Sony stills shooters, because it'll only expand the range of photographic scenarios at which the a7 V should excel.

E-mount video shooters also gain some significant improvements. Frame rates and rolling shutter performance are given a boost by the faster sensor and processor, and the a7 V gains the clever auto-cropping mode from the full-frame ZV-E1 vlogging camera, which should be good for single-person projects. These improvements, supported by good battery life and promises of decent thermal performance make should make the a7 V's video competitive with its peers.

It's worth noting, though, that options such as open gate shooting, native resolution video and internal Raw capture that are becoming common elsewhere aren't present here. Maybe Sony (perhaps correctly) doesn't believe enough mid-market hybrid shooters are going to need these features, or perhaps they're being saved for a future FX series camera. Either way, it feels like the a7 IV story all over again, with the a7 V looking competent, rather than excellent for video.

That's why I keep stressing the a7 V's appeal to existing Sony shooters, because while it looks to do pretty much everything very well, there's not a lot, beyond its impressive battery life, that you can point to that screams "it's better than its peers at..."

Maybe we're past the point at which each new camera reaches greater heights than the competition, but Sony's latest feels like a camera that clears the current bar, rather than raising it. The Sony a7 V looks like a hugely capable all-rounder, but that's likely to be more exciting to Sony users than to the wider market, because so do its peers.

Sample Gallery

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The 2025 DPReview Annual Awards

After careful consideration, healthy debate and a few heated arguments, we're proud to announce the winners of the 2025 DPReview Annual Awards.

While innovation in the camera industry is often a gradual process, the steady pace of advancement has yielded a diverse range of cameras and lenses this year. We've seen the expected upgrades to mainstream camera models, but also an array of fascinating niche offerings. On the lens side of things, the big camera makers continue to expand and strengthen their mirrorless-mount lineups, while emerging Chinese manufacturers push to challenge them on both price and quality.

Which is to say, it's been a difficult year to pick winners. But a fun one, too. Let us guide you through the products that stood out to us as award-worthy this year.

Best Zoom Lens

Shortlist:

• OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro
• Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm F2.8
• Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | Art
• Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM

Honorable mention: Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | Art

Like our favorite zoom lens from last year, Sigma's 17-40mm F1.8 DC helps push APS-C systems forward, letting you achieve the same depth of field that you would with a venerable F2.8 full frame lens. Despite its super-fast minimum aperture, it's a reasonable size, weight and price, and unlike Sigma's 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art from 2013, modern cameras are fully capable of focusing with it, so you won't have to second-guess taking it out with you. We're also delighted to see that it has a physical aperture ring (or control ring on the RF mount version) and weather sealing, and that it's coming to a range of mounts, so (almost) any APS-C shooter can pick one up if it matches their shooting style.

Winner: Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM

Sony has been releasing some impressive lenses in the past few years, but few have been as attention-grabbing as the 50-150mm F2 GM. The combination of wide, constant aperture and telephoto zoom range isn't something we've seen before, at least not with this degree of optical quality. The result is sharp images with impressive levels of background separation, taken with a lens that doesn't ask you to give up the versatility of a zoom or to break your back carrying it around. Of course, something has to give; it's eye-wateringly expensive, but we're still excited to see what's possible at the highest end of optical engineering.

Best Prime Lens

Shortlist:

• Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM
• Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sports
• Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG II Art
• Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE

Honorable mention: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM

The Canon 45mm F1.2 STM isn't a great lens. In some regards, it's not radically different from what Nikon did last year with its 35mm and 50mm F1.4 lenses that cost around the same amount but are both sharper. But for Canon users, the ability to get their hands on a very fast normal prime for a sensible amount of money is groundbreaking. It's worth acknowledging that part of what makes it seem so special is that Canon limits what other options are available, but, like the 50mm F1.8 in the DSLR era, it allows a large number of Canon users to explore more of what their camera can do.

Winner: Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG II Art

Sigma wasn't the only company to introduce a 35mm F1.2 lens this year, and the Nikon version appears to have the edge in terms of optical performance. But the Sigma is 25% shorter, 30% lighter and 45% less expensive and, for us, that makes up for the differences in bokeh rendering.

A super-fast 35mm isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but if it's a focal length you like, it's a fabulous option to be able to turn to. It's been a great year for lenses, but ambitious lenses like the Sigma 35mm F1.2 II stand out.

Best Compact Camera

Shortlist:

• Canon PowerShot V1
• Fujifilm GFX100RF
• Sony DSC-RX1R III
• Ricoh GR IV

Honorable mention: Fujifilm GFX100RF

The GFX100RF is such an audacious camera that it'd be hard not to give it kudos here. It's designed to be an everyday camera that's as compact as possible... while still being immaculately built and containing a 100MP medium format sensor. In good light, you can get stunning image quality with it (though you'll struggle a bit in lower light thanks to the lack of stabilization and relatively slow fixed lens), but that's not all the big sensor is for. The camera also encourages you to play with your frame, giving you direct controls over aspect ratio and digital zoom, which can dramatically alter the image, at the cost of absolute image quality. Sure, it makes a lot of compromises in the name of size and weight, despite still being relatively large and heavy, but it's such a singular offering that we can't help but appreciate it.

Winner: Ricoh GR IV

If we had an award for consistency, the GR series would be a contender for first place. Throughout the years, Ricoh has released new versions of its beloved street photography camera, making small changes each time and introducing new tech to keep it competitive. The GR IV is no exception to that, with a bigger battery, refined controls that let you change your most important settings one-handed and a sensor and lens combo that provides image quality unmatched by any other truly pocketable cameras. It's not perfect, but if you want a camera with a big sensor that you can carry around with you anywhere, there are few better options.

Best Entry-Level or Mid-Range Camera

Shortlist:

• Canon EOS R50 V
• Canon PowerShot V1
• Fujifilm X-T30 III
• OM System OM-5 II

Honorable mention: Canon PowerShot V1

PowerShot may be one of the longest-running brands in digital photography, but the PowerShot V1 is Canon's first high-end vlogging compact. Built around a Type 1.4 sensor, similar to the G1 series, with a wide 16-50mm equiv. F2.8-4 lens, its announcement garnered significant attention. The V1 unashamedly prioritizes vlogging, delivering excellent 4K video and features like a built-in 3EV ND filter and Canon's C-Log3. Its controls aren't optimized for photography, making it more of a point-and-shoot than an enthusiast's compact, but it produces excellent images, and its ultra-wide-angle lens offers creative possibilities not found in other compacts, provided you don't expect it to handle like the G series.

Winner: Fujifilm X-T30 III

As its name implies, the Fujifilm X-T30 III is an iterative upgrade to a camera that was, itself, an iterative upgrade, and it maintains its position as the least expensive SLR-shaped model in Fujifilm's lineup. The camera features Fujifilm's newest processor, subject recognition autofocus, and 4K/60p video, but a highlight is the dedicated Film Simulation dial. Putting one of Fujifilm's most popular features front and center, with direct hardware control, makes a lot of sense on an entry-level model. It offers a fun, creative way to engage with the camera, particularly for budding photographers experimenting with their own film recipes, at an accessible price. It also serves as a great small camera for travel or as a backup body for established Fujifilm users.

Best Enthusiast Camera

Shortlist:

• Canon EOS R6 Mark III
• Nikon Z5II
• OM System OM-3
• Panasonic Lumix DC-S1II

Honorable mention: Canon EOS R6 Mark III

The EOS R6 III feels like an ambitious camera, in the sense that it seems like Canon was trying to match each of its competitors spec-for-spec. And while we're still working on fully testing it, we've seen enough to know that it's one of the most capable hybrid cameras out there, with its 33MP sensor providing great image quality and burst rates, while still being quick enough to offer open gate and full-width high-framerate 4K. Paired with Canon's excellent autofocus system, it's a camera that can handle almost anything you throw at it, at a price that's similar to its competitors.

Winner: Nikon Z5II

The Nikon Z5II is a testament to just how spoiled we are when it comes to cameras these days. Ostensibly, it's Nikon's budget full frame option, and there are clear benefits to more upscale models. But in reality, it asks you to give up very little. It has IBIS, excellent ergonomics and controls, dual card slots, AI-derived subject recognition for autofocus, decent burst rates and preburst capture, good video specs... we could continue, but you get the point. Despite being launched as the fifth cheapest full frame mirrorless camera ever, we suspect most enthusiast photographers would have difficulty finding a situation in which the Z5II limits them. And in a year where seemingly everything got more expensive, we really have to appreciate a budget option that's only stingy with its compromises.

Best High-End Camera

Shortlist:

• Hasselblad X2D II 100C
• Leica Q3 Monochrom
• Sony a1 II
• Sony DSC-RX1R III

Honorable mention: Sony a1 II

From the wrong angle, the Sony a1 Mark II can look like an overpriced EOS R5 II or Z8 competitor, but stand pitch-side with one and it's much more apparent that it's an EOS R1 and Z9 rival. Along with the lower-res, global shutter a9 III, this is an expression of the most advanced camera Sony can currently build. Which is to say that it's one of the most advanced cameras anyone can currently build. It's a camera that feels almost foolproof in its ability to support you when you need to get the shot. And if you're someone committed to, and familiar with, the Sony system, it's the best camera you can buy.

Winner: Hasselblad X2D II 100C

Fujifilm and Hasselblad revitalized the idea of medium format digital, with the introduction of 44x33mm sensored mirrorless cameras, back in 2016. But whereas Fujifilm's GFX system has increasingly stretched to video, Hasselblad has focused on photography.

The X2D II is built around HDR photography, delivering files that work as standard JPEGs on older equipment but with more lifelike rendering of light on newer, HDR displays, including the panel on the back of the camera. It also becomes the first XCD camera to offer continuous AF, backed by a LiDAR-based AF system borrowed from parent company DJI. It also benefits from a price cut during a period of inflation and trade disputes. The lenses are still quite expensive, but medium format is again looking thrilling like a proper two-horse race.

2025 DPReview Innovation Award

Shortlist:

• AI Masking (based on local models)
• Fujifilm X half [Read this before commenting]
• Godox iT32 / X5
• Sigma BF

Honorable mention: Godox iT32/X5 modular flash system

After a fast prime lens, one of the best ways to get more light into your camera is to provide your own. However, the cost and complexity of flash photography can prompt beginners to focus their attention on 'available light' shooting.

Until recently, you would, at the very least, need to buy a remote flash and some kind of controller. This could easily mean hundreds of dollars for two strobes or a flash head and commander unit, if you wanted to use your brand's TTL flash metering system. Then having to spend a similar amount again if you shoot with more than one brand of camera.

Godox has solved all these issues: an affordable modular flash system where a single flash head can attach to one of six brand-specific on-camera bases. Those hot-shoe bases can work as a wireless trigger, so you can get off-camera lighting with just an iT32 flash and X5 transmitter set.

It builds on the work Godox has been doing in recent years, where it's made its on-camera flashes wirelessly compatible with one another, regardless of which brand each was programmed to work with. But, whereas you previously needed two flashguns if you had two systems, now you just need two ∼$20 X5 transmitters.

The iT32 has a rechargeable internal battery, so there's no faffing around with handfuls of half-dead AA batteries, removing yet another hurdle to taking control of your light.

Winner: Sigma BF

Whatever you think of it – and we suspect part of that will come down to whether you've had a chance to really use one – the Sigma BF is a remarkably innovative camera. Don't let the re-use of the sensor from the six-year-old fp model fool you.

Because, while it's true that the Sigma BF is based around a very familiar sensor, it's also one of the most radical cameras to have been launched since the earliest days of digital. Look past the Braun-esque minimalism of the body and you'll find a genuine attempt to create a UI for modern digital photography. Sigma has clearly looked at which aspects of photography need to be easily accessible and which don't matter, rather than just adding a handful more menu items with each iteration. It's not going to appear on any sidelines or movie sets, but if you just want to take photos, it's refreshingly focused.

Then there's the use of control points that give artificial haptic feedback: making them feel like pressable buttons despite being fixed (think of the implications for weather sealing). But, above all of this, there's the implementation of true HDR photography using a format that people can actually access: the same JPEGs-with-gain-map approach that Google has adopted for its Pixel phones. This last feature alone would have got the BF onto the shortlist, but it's the combination of so much original thinking that takes the prize.

Product of the Year

Shortlist:

• Canon EOS R6 Mark III
• Hasselblad X2D II 100C
• Nikon Z5II
• Panasonic S1 II
• Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | Art

Honorable mention: Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | Art

We've always appreciated the work that Sigma's done to let APS-C shooters get the most out of their cameras and, for a long time, the high point of that was the company's madly ambitious 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art from 2013. It was a huge step up compared to an F2.8 zoom, but without being an unreasonable size or price. There was just the slight downside that DSLRs had tremendous difficulty focusing it, especially with off-center AF points. We weren't surprised when it developed a second career as an adapted lens for video on mirrorless cameras.

Twelve years later, and mirrorless is well enough established for Sigma to release a successor: the 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art, an updated version that stretches a touch wider, reaches a little further without spoiling the original concept. It's still sensibly small, still usably light and still aggressively priced (it's appreciably less expensive, in real terms, than the original). The difference is, it focuses really well on every format Sigma's been allowed to release it for, so Fujifilm, Sony and Canon APS-C users suddenly get the option to expand their cameras' capabilities.

Winner: Nikon Z5II

This year has seen the release of some excellent mid-price full-framers, with the Panasonic S1 II and Canon EOS R6 III both raising the level of what can be expected from cameras in their class. But it's the more humble Nikon Z5II that stood out to us more because, while it's not quite as fast as the more expensive models and can't match them for video specs, it comes surprisingly close.

The Z5II, launched for $1700 and now selling for less than that, outperforms the Z6 II, which was Nikon's mid-range model until late last year. Unlike its predecessor, it's adept at both stills and video shooting and, unlike Canon's EOS R8, it offers in-body image stabilization. The ergonomics and handling are transposed almost directly from Nikon's other models, and there are no blatant segmentation plays such as imposing a smaller battery. With Nikon's latest AF system, it's a hugely capable all-rounder and, as we said in our review: very few of us truly need anything more.

Mt. Jefferson, a volcano in the Cascade Mountains, is illuminated at sunset near Sisters, Oregon, on November 18, 2025. I had my Olympus OM-1 with me when the sunset suddenly became very intense, and I managed to snap this photo in the brief time before the light faded away. Photo: Dale Baskin

The DPReview community is full of talented photographers, and we want to showcase your best photos of 2025 on DPReview.

What was your top shot this year? Share one image you captured in 2025 and tell us about it. Make sure to tell us the story behind the photo in the caption and why you chose it as your photo of the year. Pick carefully – you can only submit one photo!

Submissions will open on Monday, December 8th, and you have until Sunday, December 14 (GMT) to submit entries. You can read the full rules on the 'Your best photo of 2025' challenge page.

Essential details: All entries must include a title and a caption that tells us the story behind the picture and why you chose it (minimum of 25 words). Please read the full rules before submitting your photo.

DPReview editors will review every photo you submit, and we'll publish our favorites in a slideshow on the DPReview homepage.

We're using our challenge system to host submissions, so other readers can also vote for your photo. User voting will inform DPReview Editors' picks, but will not select them. They are one factor in our evaluation.

Click here to visit the contest page and read the full rules

The October Editors' photo challenge

The theme for our November Editor's photo challenge was "Compact Camera Bonanza."

For this challenge, we asked you to share photos taken with compact, or fixed-lens, cameras, and wow, did you deliver! We've become accustomed to seeing outstanding photos in these challenges, but this month's entries were particularly impressive. One thing is clear: in the hands of talented photographers, a compact camera can be a powerful creative tool.

As usual, we were overwhelmed with great pictures – many more than we can present here. Our favorites, showcasing a diverse range of vision and talent, are presented in random order.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this photo challenge. If you want to participate in other photo challenges, visit our Challenges page to see currently open or upcoming challenges, or to vote in a recently closed challenge.

Clockwork orange

Photographer: ParietalPenguin

Photographer's statement: This photo was taken in a dark room. The tangerine was sitting on a mirror, illuminated by a flashlight positioned behind it. The "clockworks" were inserted to add interest.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

Man overboard

Photographer: Thomas Hoven

Photographer's statement: Immediately after surfacing from scuba diving, I spotted this colorful boat. The wake from my ascent gives a dramatic front. Only when viewing on a large monitor did I spot the man in the water between the boat and me.

Equipment: GoPro Hero7 Black

Curtain call

Photographer: findhenryb

Photographer's statement: I would never grab a photo during a performance, but when the curtain call took place, I grabbed my camera and made this quick frame at the Paris Opera House.

Equipment: Leica D-Lux 8

Frozen turns

Photographer: dmokn

Photographer's statement: It was about -10 degrees F when I took this picture of my friend skiing in front of snow- and ice-blasted radio towers on top of our favorite local mountain to ski. We had climbed for about 90 minutes to this spot and only had moments before our sweat turned to ice.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100)

Lower Antelope Canyon

Photographer: yfan

Photographer's statement: Lower Antelope Canyon is generally dark and poses a challenge for any slow lens. However, this image surprised me, shot with a Type 1/2.3 point-and-shoot camera in auto mode and came out just perfect.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V

Malaysian macaque

Photographer: wam7

Photographer's statement: Long-tailed macaques are pretty widespread throughout Malaysia and are well adapted to humans. This one was located at the Batu Caves Hindu temple, posing beautifully while I took its photo.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

Shoe polisher in Brussels

Photographer: Bas Hamstra

Photographer's statement: On an evening stroll in Brussels, I saw this shoe polisher and his client on an enlarged plateau silhouetting against the setting sun. Just below the horizon and therefore not visible was the skyline of the lower part of Brussels.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot SD300 (Digital IXUS 40 / IXY Digital 50)

Close encounters

Photographer: prahja

Photographer's statement: Taken whilst on an exploratory caving expedition in Borneo in 2013 (to find, explore and survey new cave passages). The mist and formations were a good opportunity to try out a lightweight photography setup.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot G1 X

View from below

Photographer: Pavel Vishniakov

Photographer's statement: A photo taken during the Leica architecture at night workshop in Rotterdam, my very first experience of shooting with Leica. The image is the view from below the famous cubic houses and into the sky near Rotterdam Blaak station.

Equipment: Leica Q3

Malmö first snow

Photographer: Dondog

Photographer's statement: This was taken in Malmö, Sweden, a few days ago. I had just left my favorite film camera shop in town, Fotoaffären, when it suddenly started to snow for the first time this year. The scene seemed interesting, with the bright car lights cutting through the night and casting dark silhouettes against the snowfall. So I grabbed my camera, noticed the cyclist struggling to keep his balance, and took the shot.

Equipment: Ricoh GR IIIx

Source of Life

Photographer: jonestheroad

Photographer's statement: I wanted to capture a single drop of water with a rainbow refracted in it to symbolize the importance of this seemingly abundant, but actually rare, vital resource for all life on earth.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 + Raynox DCR-150 closeup filter

Construction worker, Abuja

Photographer: bengt larson

Photographer's statement: Every day, I walk my dog in my neighborhood, Asokoro, in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. One day, I saw this construction worker, and asked him to pose like a fighter.

Equipment: Ricoh GR III

Worship

Photographer: olli thomson

Photographer's statement: A moment of reflection in the middle of a wedding ceremony taking place in the Jvari Monastery in the old Georgian capital of Mtsketa. I like the light of the candles on the woman's face. I like her extended fingers as she holds the candle. I like the calm demeanor of the man behind the candle stand. I like the icon of St Nino, almost seeming to float in the air. I even like the blown-out brightness of the doorway, though there was a time when it bothered me.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Glasswings

Photographer: Minas_Eye

Photographer's statement: Delicate Greta oto butterfly displaying transparent wings that blend perfectly with the surroundings. Its subtle form and gentle posture emphasize natural camouflage, creating a soft, nearly invisible presence in the scene.

Equipment: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000

Laguna Parón, Peru

Photographer: Rodrigo Pasiani

Photographer's statement: Laguna Parón, in Peru, 4155m (13,600 ft) above sea level. In the background, in the center, the imposing Piramide de Garcisalo peak. After a few hours of van travel along the narrow and winding gravel roads of the Cordillera Blanca, we arrived at the trailhead. From the parking lot, we already had this spectacular view. It was May 2019. After taking the photo, my favorite of the whole trip, we climbed the mountain to the right to see the landscape from another point of view. The climb was strenuous, as there were many large and loose rocks. Every step was worth it.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

Three elegant ladies waiting for a lift in front of a mural

Photographer: Saint 112

Photographer's statement: The decisive moment shows up without warning and never comes back. Location: Lyon, France. This painting is part of a group of murals called "le Mur du Cinéma" (the Cinema Wall). It's about the brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière, who were living in Lyon and invented the movie camera. It shows the first movie theater: Le Cinématographe, where you could watch "animated photographs". Since then, this mural has been vandalized by taggers.

Equipment: Canon PowerShot G10

At the start

Photographer: Alain Monnens

Photographer's statement: The photo was taken at the annual post-Tour criterium, which always takes place on the first Tuesday after the Tour de France and is attended by a few of the top riders from that race. I had an accreditation for this event too, but it wasn't a paid assignment for me. So there I was with my Leica Q3 43 among the other press photographers with their zoom lenses. My intention that day was to get as close to the action as possible and capture the speed by using long shutter speeds and following the action. All this, of course, without posing a danger to the cyclists. Virtually nothing is in focus in this photo. But I love the colors and the composition and framing of the cyclist in the wheel of the other cyclist.

Equipment: Leica Q3 43

Joy

Photographer: Derek Kreindler

Photographer's statement: While about to enter an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario, I saw a young child skipping through the atrium. I had to lean over the railing to capture it with my Fuji X100T, as the fixed lens didn't allow for any zooming. The scene reminded me of something that might be captured by Cartier-Bresson.

Equipment: Fujifilm X100T

Diving into the day

Photographer: Actionphotoie

Photographer's statement: I was swimming at the 40-foot at low tide and saw this group taking turns at diving in from the rocks. It took a few attempts to get one of them in midair.

Equipment: Olympus Tough TG-4

Photo: Abby Ferguson

If you're a beginner photographer who spends any time on the internet, chances are you've been bombarded with content saying that you need to learn Manual mode immediately. It's a frequent refrain that "real" photographers exclusively shoot with manual controls, even from day one. While Manual mode certainly has its advantages and is something to work toward, Auto mode doesn't need to be so vilified. There's a time and a place for it, especially as you learn.

Auto is a good starting point

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Photography can be an overwhelming activity when you're new. There's a lot to balance and consider when managing technical aspects such as exposure and stylistic choices like depth of field, motion and composition. While some people learn best by throwing themselves into the deep end, that's not the case for everyone. That's where Auto mode comes into play.

You can focus your energy on learning light, composition, timing and storytelling.

In Auto mode, your camera automatically sets core settings based on the scene you're photographing, which takes some of the pressure off as you learn. Instead of having to juggle exposure right from the start, you can focus your energy on learning light, composition, timing and storytelling. After all, each of those aspects have a significant impact on how successful or impactful your image is. If you dedicate yourself to improving those right away, you'll be off to a great start on your photographic journey.

Automatic mode can also help you learn about manual controls, provided you pay attention. If you notice that your portraits don’t have the blurred background you see in others’ photos, that’s a clue that depth of field and aperture are topics to dig into next. Likewise, if you're consistently getting blurry results when photographing action, that's a sign you may want to dedicate time to learning about shutter speed. Auto mode doesn't just take the guesswork out of exposing images; it can highlight specific knowledge gaps you may want to fill when you're ready to learn about manual controls.

Auto mode can make the difference between missing out or taking the photo.

On the practical side, there are times when getting the shot is the most important thing. Auto mode can make the difference between missing out because you're fiddling with settings or taking the photo. Using Auto (especially as you learn) for everyday snapshots, travel and fast-moving moments can help ensure that you have a photo of the moment. If the prospect of using your camera in Manual mode is intimidating, spend time regularly using Auto mode first, and work your way up to manual controls over time.

Yes, manual mode is important

Photo: Abby Ferguson

While Auto mode is useful, photographers actively seeking to grow will eventually encounter limitations and frustrations with it. That's because Auto doesn't know what you want in terms of depth of field (how much of a scene is in focus) or what you're trying to achieve with motion. It may also struggle in tricky lighting conditions, such as backlighting and night scenes, leaving you with disappointing photos.

At a certain point, as the photographer, you'll want to take creative control.

At a certain point, as the photographer, you'll want to take creative control, and learning the impact of the different camera settings unlocks just that. There are other modes in between full Auto and Manual that can also help you learn while taking some of the pressure off: Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority are all beneficial tools for photographers of all levels.

Choosing an aperture and shutter speed based on the visual impact of each will help you create an image that more closely aligns with your vision and adds to the photograph's impact. Ultimately, Manual mode gives you the most control and can help you prioritize proper exposure where you want it in challenging light, such as keeping your subject bright enough even if the light is behind them.

Learning how (and why) to control aperture, shutter speed and ISO can be tricky, but it just takes time. Each has an impact on your image, so it takes balancing all three to achieve what you want.

Use your resources

At the end of the day, Auto mode is a tool, just like any of the other modes. It isn't "cheating" or a badge of ineptitude if you use Auto. It can be a useful resource for beginner photographers, helping to keep the pressure off as you learn other aspects of photography. Plus, photography doesn't always need to be so serious; sometimes it's okay to turn your camera to Auto and just have fun.

Product photos: Mitchell Clark

We've had the chance to spend some time with Nikon's updated 24-70mm F2.8 S II, which was announced earlier this year. It's an update to an already-solid offering, but one that's substantially lighter than its predecessor, while still promising solid build and image quality.

Since the lens is designed to be a workhorse for a wide variety of users, we also wanted to share some of our impressions on what it was like to use, compared to both its predecessor and the options available on other mounts.

In use

Photos don't always tell the whole story. While the Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 S II isn't noticeably more compact than Canon's stabilized, extending zoom offering, it is substantially lighter.

This lens's big trick is that it's the first of its kind to zoom internally. While that's likely to be more important for videographers using it on a gimbal who want to avoid their setup's center of gravity shifting, it's also a definite nice-to-have for photography, too. The lens not shifting as you zoom makes it that bit easier to control and faster to get the composition you're trying to achieve.

Having also spent a lot of time with Canon's 900g (31.7oz) 24-70mm F2.8 IS USM L recently, I was also very pleased with the Nikon's light weight: 675g (23.8). I found myself throwing it in a bag or taking it out on hikes that I'd normally be hesitant to bring a full 24-70mm F2.8 on, and I could comfortably carry it around without absolutely needing a neck strap. Nikon isn't the first to release this kind of lens at this size and weight, but it's nice that Z-mount users now have it as an offering, since the Sigma version isn't available.

The ability to click and declick the lens at will is a big upgrade.

While I typically prefer dedicated aperture rings, most shooters will likely be happy with the programmable control ring on this lens. It's right where you'd expect an aperture ring to be, so you can set it as that and use it like you typically would (albeit without hard stops at each end) if you want, but you can also use it to control things like ISO, exposure compensation, autofocus selection point and more. We also deeply appreciate the ability to click or declick it; while the clickless control or aperture rings Nikon and others include are good for video, they can be frustrating to use for stills. With this lens, neither side has to give anything up.

Speaking of video (just for a moment, promise), focus breathing is well-controlled throughout the lens's zoom range. Its included lens hood also has a door that you can use to adjust filters without taking it off, though my variable ND filter and its magnetic adapter ring wouldn't fit on the lens with the hood mounted. Photographers using more sensible filters will likely be pleased that it has a 77mm thread, rather than an 82mm one, though, assuming they haven't already heavily invested in larger filters.

This lens' autofocus is quick and decisive, even when shooting moving subjects wide open. Nikon Z8 | Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S II | 70mm | F2.8 | 1/80 sec | ISO 64

Finally, there's autofocus. Nikon claims the motors are five times faster than the ones on the previous model, and that they should be much better at retaining focus while zooming. In my experience, they are extremely quick, even when shifting from close focus to infinity, and I never found a situation where I felt like the lens, rather than my skills, was the bottleneck (though I didn't get to test it out in any of the pro-level situations that it's designed for, such as shooting a wedding).

Optics

This isn't a full-fledged review, but it's at least worth touching on a few things that I noticed while shooting the 24-70mm F2.8 S II. The biggest was the relatively intense vignetting that shows up throughout its focal length when shooting wide-open, which makes the image look a fair bit darker than at other aperture settings. However, it clears up relatively quickly, being relegated to the corners at F4, and almost completely gone by F5.6. This doesn't seem to be a compromise to achieve the internal zoom, though, as I noticed similar levels of vignetting at F2.8 using its predecessor as well.

70mm	F2.8	F4	F5.6	F8

As for sharpness, the 24-70 F2.8 S II is, unsurprisingly, quite good; it captures fine details from edge-to-edge, even wide open. Longitudinal chromatic aberration appears to be well-controlled, too, only showing up in the most challenging of situations.

24mm	F2.8	F5.6	F8.0
70mm	F2.8	F5.6	F8.0

I found the bokeh to be relatively pleasing in most scenarios, without too much distracting businesses. However, I wouldn't say that rendering specular highlights is this lens's specialty. While the bokeh is relatively clean, at the long end, you see some pretty intense cat's eye effect wide open, where lights are rendered as more of an eclipse than a circle. It's present throughout the range, though less noticeable at the wide end. At all ranges and apertures, you'll likely see some bokeh that isn't perfectly circular, but by the time you're at F5.6, it starts to take a decidedly octagonal shape across the frame.

Versus the original

The II is larger than its predecessor's retracted state, but is smaller than it extended to 70mm. It also has much larger focus and zoom rings.

Design-wise, I consider this lens an improvement in almost every way; it's only fractionally longer than its predecessor's fully retracted state, but it stays that size even if you want to walk around with it zoomed to 70mm. It's also hard to complain about the small status display being replaced by a portrait-orientation function button, as I never found it to be particularly useful, since I'd often have to move my head to look down at the top of the lens.

I also found the command dial much more useful, now that there's a clicked mode; I always ignored the clickless-only version on the original 24-70mm F2.8 S, but found myself frequently using the clicky one on the II. The lighter weight is also immediately noticeable when comparing the two side-by-side, and makes it nicer to carry around.

I also appreciate the focus limit switch added on the II. While I didn't find myself reaching for it as often as I would with a more telephoto lens, there were a few times when it was handy to have.

The II's closer minimum focusing distance is also noticeable in real-world use, though optically it doesn't appear to be at its best at those distances.

Sample Gallery

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Images: Nikon, Viltrox and Peak Design

The start of the holiday shopping season is upon us, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals kicking off. In years past, deals on photography-related equipment, especially cameras and lenses, were rather lackluster. This year, however, actually brings some significant savings even on big-ticket items. We've combed discounts to highlight deals that we'd actually recommend.

This isn't an exhaustive list by any means. Feel free to share your favorite deals in our forum post as well so that others don't miss them!

Camera deals

Image: Nikon

This year, there are some surprisingly impressive deals on cameras. For US customers, there are even prices that dip well below pre-tariff pricing, offering truly excellent savings.

• Nikon Z6 III $2097 (was $2700)
• Nikon Z8 $3497 (was $4300)
• Canon EOS R6 Mark II $1999 (was $2300)
• Canon EOS R5 Mark II $3899 (was $4399)
• Canon EOS R3 $4399 (was $5399)
• Sony a7R V $3299 (was $4199)
• OM System OM-1 II $1999 (was $2399)

For those looking for a camera that's more affordable than the above options, you're in luck. These devices can make excellent gifts or a fun option for yourself, too.

• Camp Snap camera $59 (was $70)
• Polaroid cameras and accessories Up to 50% off

Lens deals

Image: Viltrox

Lens deals (that are actually deals) are a bit more sparse, unfortunately.

• Viltrox lenses 20% off all lenses

Accessory deals

Black Friday is generally a great time to stock up on accessories, and this year is no different.

• Peak Design Up to 30% off everything
• Think Tank Up to 70% off
• Amaran lights up to 50% off
• Datacolor LightColor Meter $299 (was $399)
• Viltrox accessories 20% off
• SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II V90 Memory Card $280 (was $330)

Software deals

Image: Topaz Labs

Software is one of those things that isn't very fun to spend money on, typically, but it's necessary. Luckily, there are some Black Friday deals on software this year, so you can save some money while picking up necessary editing tools.

• Topaz Studio 43% off
• DxO up to 50% off
• Capture One 30% off the yearly All in One plan