Photo: Fujifilm

Fujifilm has announced its latest Instax Mini camera, the retro-looking Instax Mini 41. The company says that the new instant camera features a "stylish new look and improved functionality" compared to its predecessor. The Instax Mini 40 came out four years ago, so it is nice to see a refresh. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping for a massive revamp, it's only a subtle update.

The most significant change to the Instax Mini 41 is a fresh look. Unlike the faux leather finish on the Mini 40, the updated camera features a "textured, tactile body" to provide a "secure, ergonomic grip." It also offers a metallic-looking (though not actual metal) finish and orange color accents for a more polished look.

Fujifilm promises better close-ups thanks to the added parallax correction. Image: Fujifilm

Beyond its new look, the camera also promises improved close-up images. Given that the viewfinder and close-up lens on Instax cameras aren't perfectly lined up, what you see through the viewfinder isn't exactly what the final composition will be. To address this, Fujifilm added parallax correction, which makes it easier to center subjects. The closeup mode is meant for subjects from 30-50cm (11.8-19.7") and doubles as a selfie mode.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 will be available for purchase by the end of April. Interestingly, Fujifilm did not provide any US pricing for the camera, which is unusual for the company. The camera is currently listed on B&H with the option to sign up for notifications, but no price is listed. Likewise, the listing on the Fujifilm website lacks a price as well. While it didn't say specifically that the lack of a price is a result of uncertainty related to the US tariffs, that could be the cause.

Image: Content Authenticity Initiative

Panasonic has become the latest camera company to become a member of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), joining Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Leica. The organization aims to coordinate the industry's efforts to create transparency around how images were created, using tools like C2PA Content Credentials that certify details about how an image was made and edited – especially useful as generative AI becomes increasingly accessible.

In a blog post on its website, the CAI says Panasonic is "joining more than 4,500 media and technology companies, non-profits, creators, educators" to help "build trust and transparency in our digital ecosystem." The post quotes Toshiyuki Tsumura, Business Division Executive of the Imaging Solution Business Division at Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., who says: "By joining the CAI, we are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content, and fostering an environment of trust and transparency online."

"We are committed to contributing to the ecosystem, ensuring the authenticity of digital content"

The post doesn't mention any concrete details, like whether this means we'll see content authenticity tools in current or upcoming Lumix cameras. Historically, the matter has been complicated – Fujifilm joined the CAI in early 2024, but in an interview last month, it told us that it was "still developing and investigating how to implement the CAI and the C2PA."

Even brands that have implemented it don't necessarily make the tech available to everyone – some Leica models come with support for Content Credentials unlocked out of the box, but companies like Nikon and Sony have said their authenticity features will mainly be for news agencies. Many of Panasonic's stills cameras are more consumer-oriented, though models like the S1RII are explicitly aimed at professionals and come with features that would mainly be worthwhile for those users. The company is also a big player in the professional video market and makes several cameras specifically aimed at news companies.

However Panasonic chooses to work with the CAI and implement its technologies, this seems like another step forward for content authenticity initiatives. Rebuilding the public's trust in the images they see online will only become more important in the future, and it would be an extremely large task for companies to accomplish alone. Organizations like the CAI help streamline the process and make sure that everyone in the chain has a say, including camera companies, photo editing software companies and technology companies whose platforms will be used to share images.

Photo: Natnan Srisuwan / Moment via Getty Images

There's no ignoring that the latest US tariffs are a hot-button topic right now for Americans who are looking at paying more for products made outside the country. Since the tariffs are so far-reaching, questions are swirling about the impact on the pricing and availability of goods for each industry. That includes the photography and videography industries, since most equipment is made outside of the United States. Unfortunately, things aren't looking great. There's a lot of speculation, but we spoke with experts whose job is to analyze the potential impact.

Product pricing, in general, is a complicated endeavor, even with standard tariffs. It involves many calculations, ranging from tariffs to forecasting future changes in relative currency values. While new tariffs are broadly applied, the rates vary depending on the country. Given that many goods could have individual parts from multiple countries, the situation becomes complex quickly. Additionally, some companies might manufacture certain products in one country while other items in their lineup are made in another, resulting in inconsistent pricing changes across their catalog.

When we look at the three big brands – Canon, Sony and Nikon – all three are based in Japan, but Nikon and Sony have shifted much of their production to Thailand and China. Canon makes some of its more budget-focused equipment in Taiwan, Thailand and China, but it also manufactures some in Japan. Anjali V. Bhatt, the Communications Manager and Research Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) explained that products from Japan have a tariff rate of 24%, while products manufactured in Thailand face a 36% tariff. "So Canon products made in Japan might actually become more affordable than Nikon or Sony for comparable/substitute products, depending on where the gear is shipped from," she said.

Bhatt went so far as to suggest opting for a lens adapter that allows you to use Canon lenses on Nikon or Sony gear. That way, you could save money on new lenses since Canon lenses may become more affordable compared to Nikon and Sony as a result of where they are produced. Of course, that will only save you money if the Canon version of what you want is made in Japan and the alternatives are made elsewhere. Additionally, given that even Japan is subject to tariffs, Canon won't be immune to pricing changes, either.

"All photography equipment not made in the US...will be more expensive."

The tariffs could also push companies to adjust where they manufacture cameras and lenses. That doesn't necessarily mean coming to the US, though. Since many of these companies have existing ties to Japan, it could simply mean moving production to Japan because of the lower tariffs. "Since Nikon and Sony have extensive production capabilities in Japan as well, it’s possible they reshore production back to Japan, away from Thailand," Bhatt said. "But the bottom line is that all photography equipment not made in the US, which is a significant majority of it, will be more expensive," she explained.

Outside of cameras and lenses, auxiliary equipment like tripods will likely also become more expensive. That's because much of it is produced in countries like China or Vietnam, which "will see even higher tariffs (the estimate for the tariff rate on Chinese products is around 75%; Vietnam has been assigned a 46% tariff)," Bhatt said.

Because of the complexity of import tariffs and wholesale pricing, we likely won't see a 1:1 correlation between tariff rates and price increases. In other words, Chinese products likely won't cost 75% more, Japanese products won't cost 24% more and Thai products won't have a 36% increase. The system is a lot more complicated than that. However, economists agree that there will be price hikes of some amount across the board.

Another piece of fallout from the high tariffs could be availability. "If there's equipment from highly-tariffed nations – like China – the tariffs may make them so uncompetitive that retailers drop the brand altogether rather than importing cameras they won't sell," explained Justin Wolfers, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He went on to say that prices may not seem higher immediately. Initially, "it'll just be that buyers find it harder to find a good deal," he said.

"All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly."

Blackmagic Design was the first camera company to specifically announce pricing increases as a result of tariffs. Its prices have changed multiple times over the past two days, with the company explaining that "it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs." Indeed, as we are already seeing, "All of this is going to cause a lot of short-term change and turmoil, which will be painful and costly," Dr. Wolfers said.

Photo: Richard Butler

Nikon has announced the 2.0 firmware for its full-frame Zf camera. The update adds a dedicated bird mode to the camera's subject recognition autofocus, support for connecting to the company's Imaging Cloud service and other improvements that will make shooting video and using older, manual-focus lenses more convenient.

The company says the dedicated bird subject detection mode will be quicker and more accurate at detecting and tracking birds than the Auto or Animal modes, especially in complex scenarios like shooting in forests or mountains. While the Zf likely isn't the first camera people reach for when doing wildlife photography – its gripless retro design is better suited to smaller lenses – it's nice that Nikon is making this mode available on the camera regardless.

Nikon Imaging Cloud lets your camera automatically upload photos to the cloud and download color mode "recipes." Image: Nikon

Support for Nikon Imaging Cloud is also a nice addition. It allows the camera to automatically upload images when connected to a Wi-Fi network, rather than requiring you to connect it to your phone or a computer to offload your shots. Additionally, you can configure Nikon Imaging Cloud to automatically offload those images to other services, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Lightroom and more. The service can also be used to sync additional color profiles to your camera – the Zf can store nine – and to automatically keep your camera's firmware up-to-date.

The 2.0 update also adds Nikon's 'Hi-Res Zoom' mode for video, which lets you progressively apply a digital crop up to 2x your lens' actual focal length when shooting 1080p. The company says it doesn't introduce any loss in resolution, as the camera is still using a 1080p region of the sensor. However, in other cameras like the Z9, the feature does incur some loss of detail, as you're no longer getting oversampled video. Still, if you want to make your footage look like you're zooming in, you'll at least have the option to do so.

The final big change with the update revolves around using manual-focus lenses. The company has improved the focus magnification feature, letting you quickly exit it by half-pressing the shutter button so you can see your full composition before actually taking the picture. When you're using the display, the maximum magnification has been increased from 200% to 400%. You can now also assign ISO and exposure compensation to the cameras' command dials in the manual shooting mode and manually record your aperture value if you're using a lens that doesn't electronically communicate with the camera.

It's not surprising that features like Hi-Res Zoom, Imaging Cloud and bird subject detection are coming to the Zf. After all, they're included in the just-launched Z5II, which uses very similar internals. However, it's nice to see them come so quickly, so users who bought the more expensive Zf won't have to be envious of Z5II owners. It's also one more step to making the company's lineup more cohesive, with most of its latest-gen cameras getting Imaging Cloud.

The update is available now from Nikon's website.

Image: Blackmagic

Almost every news site is flooded with stories about the new tariffs and their impact on individual product categories. Given that so many photography companies manufacture their goods in places other than the United States, several outlets have predicted that the tariffs will impact photography gear. Now, those expectations are becoming a reality, with Blackmagic Design being the first to officially announce price increases because of tariffs.

In a statement provided to DPReview, Blackmagic explained: "In general, it’s a bit in flux as developments are happening with the tariffs, and our team is trying very hard to keep customers informed with updated pricing, so that’s why they may see some changes. Since we have factories in different countries, it causes different price increases, and we are moving production of some products to help lower costs for customers from what we had previously raised them to since the tariffs went into effect. This will take us some time, so customers may continue to see some pricing change, but again, we are working very hard to keep customers informed with updated pricing."

A screenshot of the Blackmagic website reflecting a $5495 price for the Pyxis 12K camera, taken at 12:42 PM EDT on April 7.

Yesterday, CineD reported that the newly released Blackmagic Pyxis 12K camera went from the launch price of $4995 to $6595 on Blackmagic's website, a 32% increase. CineD included a screenshot of Blackmagic's website reflecting the $6595 price. However, at the time of writing, the website shows $5495 for the camera. While that isn't as substantial an increase as what CineD reported, it is still a bump in price, which no one likes seeing. Since Blackmagic said things are in flux right now, that number could likely continue to change. At the time of writing, the price at B&H is still the original launch price.

A screenshot of Blackmagic's statement on Facebook about pricing changes.

Blackmagic also posted a statement on Facebook about general US prices for its products. It said that most products in the US have increased because of the tariffs, and that these price changes only impact the US. A quick look at the Blackmagic website shows that the company also increased the price of the Pyxis 6K camera from a launch price of $2995 to $3295, while the Ursa Cine 17K went from $29,995 to $32,995.

Image: Blackmagic

The NAB 2025 show is underway, with plenty of announcements related to broadcasting and filmmaking coming out. Among those was a lengthy livestream from Blackmagic Design that revealed multiple new products and software tools, including the latest version of its video editing platform. Blackmagic calls DaVinci Resolve 20 "a major new update which adds over 100 new features." Unsurprisingly, many of those new features are AI-related and aimed at speeding up and simplifying the editing process.

The updates cover just about every step of the editing process and touch most aspects of the editing program. You can see all of the update details in the press release below, but there are some standout features worth mentioning. First, AI IntelliScript can automatically create timelines based on the original project script. This is done by first creating an automatic transcription of the video files and then uploading the original script text file. DaVinci Resolve chooses the best takes but provides alternative takes in additional tracks so that you can easily review those as well.

Image: Blackmagic

The company says the IntelliScript doesn't require an exact match to the original script, as similar wording is matched. You can also create a script after the fact by uploading the transcription of the master take and using that as the basis for the timeline. In a similar vein, AI Multicam SmartSwitch promises to automatically switch between multiple camera angles based on the active speaker in each scene.

Also coming to DaVinci Resolve 20 is a tool for animating subtitles. The AI Animated Subtitles feature uses the transcription tool to generate a subtitle track on a timeline, automatically animating them with highlighted text as things are spoken. AI Detect Music Beats will analyze "beat-driven music" and automatically place markers on each beat, making it easier to edit clips to the beat of the music.

Image: Blackmagic

Blackmagic also announced AI Set Extender, which sounds similar to Adobe Premiere Pro's Generative Extend. Blackmagic didn't provide extensive information on the feature but says it "creates a scene extension to fill an entire frame based on a simple text prompt."

While many of the standout features are AI-related, there are plenty of updates to hands-on tools as well. For example, Blackmagic Cloud support will now offer better collaboration tools. Blackmagic also changed the cut, edit and color pages when working with a vertical timeline or project, aimed at optimizing the vertical viewer without wasted space or needing to constantly zoom.

Image: Blackmagic

The voiceover palette tool makes it easier to record voiceovers directly into the timeline, providing cue, record and stop controls. Plus, there's quick access to voice isolation and dialogue leveling tools. Blackmagic also added a "full audio mixer with professional loudness metering" to the cut page, allowing users to mix and monitor audio while recording, editing and finishing their content.

“This is a massive update this year, with AI tools and new features that help to speed up every stage of our customer’s workflow” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “By automating tasks that take a long time manually or are tedious, with features such as keyframe editing, voice over palettes, live overwrite and multi-layer compositing tools, our customers are free to spend more time than ever being creative. The new processing code we’ve been rewriting over the last few years is an amazing base to be able to build these new features on. It’s exciting to see how we can provide tools with DaVinci Resolve to help our customers spend more time exploring their creativity.”

You can see a comprehensive list of all the features on the DaVinci Resolve 20 product page, or in the press release below. DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is now available for download from the Blackmagic Design website. The standard version is free to download, however you'll need DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 for $325 to unlock the advanced editing tools.

This week, Nikon announced the Z5II, its entry-level full-frame camera. It uses a 24MP BSI sensor we've seen in plenty of other cameras, such as the Zf and Z6 II, but that's not a complaint – in the past, it's provided excellent image quality.

We spent a day shooting with a pre-production Z5II. While rainy weather doesn't always make for the best samples, it was just enough to add a bit of ambiance. Do keep in mind that although the samples provide an idea of how the camera performs, they may not exactly reflect the output of a final production model. We'll be looking to get ahold of one of those when they become available, so stay tuned.

See the sample gallery

This photo was taken at a train station in France from the safety of the platform. I was testing out Sony's latest ultra-wide lens, and was very excited that I could get the red bumper posts, the rails, and the parked train all in the shot. Sony a7C R | FE 16mm F1.8 G | F1.8 | 1/60 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Mitchell Clark

Our April editor's photo challenge is now open for submissions. The theme this month is red, green and blue, and we're looking for photos that utilize all three colors.

Some examples: an apple orchard under a blue sky, a color-coordinated bookshelf, a parrot – anything with a tri-chromatic color palette utilizing the three colors that form the basis of all our digital images. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage at the end of the month.

This challenge is open to photos taken at any time. The last day for entry will be Saturday, April 12th (GMT).

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

Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration. Please remember to include a caption or your submission will be deemed ineligible, and we'll ask you to resubmit it.

Visit the challenge page to read the rules and submit your photo

Images: Zoom, Cutasunda, BlackMagic, 3 Legged Thing

Happy weekend, everyone. We're deep into camera news season, but the accessory makers haven't been slacking at all. Today, we'll be taking a look at a big update to a solid audio recorder, a new take on the light stand and a host of other accessories – but first, the deals.

Canon deals

Photo: Dale Baskin

Canon's mid-range full-frame camera, the EOS R6 II, is currently on sale for $200 off. When we tested it, we were very impressed with how well-rounded it is, combining excellent autofocus, great ergonomics and solid performance.

Photo: Richard Butler

Speaking of cameras we were impressed with, the EOS R5 II is also on sale for $300 off its MSRP. It takes everything that's good about the EOS R6II and turns it up to 11, with a higher-resolution sensor, faster burst rates and more.

Not just a light stand

Image: 3 Legged Thing

3 Legged Thing is getting into the light stand market. On the surface, its new product, the Luna, looks like a standard piece of grip equipment, but if you look closer, you'll notice it's made of carbon fiber. The company says this makes it light, stable and compact when folded up. It has a maximum height of 2m (79").

That's not its only trick, though: you can also detach the center column from the legs and use it as a boom pole for recording audio or getting your camera closer to a hard-to-reach subject. While the head features a 3/8"-16 thread, common for lighting and microphones, it's actually retractable: push down the outer sheath, and it'll reveal a 1/4"-20 thread, which can be used to mount a wide variety of accessories.

Even more grip

The Impact 3-stage Baby Folder Roller is just one of the products in the new KeyGrip series. Image: Impact

If you prefer more traditional light stands, Impact has you covered. The company has announced a new KeyGrip lineup, which it says is supposed to provide rugged, flexible designs at a relatively affordable price. The lineup includes everything from small, sturdy stands meant to hold camera sliders to three-stage stands on rollers that can extend up to 3.35m (11') tall.

Video Performance Guaranteed

Image: Nextorage

If you're a videographer who shoots on Sony cameras and have to be absolutely sure your storage media is fast enough for any resolution, codec or framerate, you have a new option. Nextorage has announced its NX-A2Pro series of CFexpress Type A cards, which it says are the first of their kind to comply with the Video Performance Guarantee (VPG) 800 standard. That means the cards can write at least 800MBps of data continuously.

Of course, the cards' peak write speeds are much higher, at 1900 MBps. Both speeds, however, are well above what you'll need today. The manual for Sony's flagship a1 II says that even the camera's highest-bitrate modes only require a VPG200 or higher card. Nextorage says the NX-A2Pro is designed for "the high-end camera market in the future."

If you're not looking for future-proof storage, the company also announced its NX-A2AE line, which has a VPG400 rating. Both cards will be available starting in "late April."

NX-A2Pro:

NX-A2AE:

A new school way to shoot old-school

Image: Cutasunda

While shooting film gives you a completely analog experience, if you're doing so in 2025, you'll probably want to digitize your photos at some point. The Myriad film holder by Cutasunda, which got a shout-out from PetaPixel this week, promises to help make that process a little easier. It has a diffusion panel to help ensure your film is evenly backlit, and its top panel makes sure your film is flat, even if months in a canister have given it a tendency to curl up. Its adjustable film guides support film sizes from 110 to 6x9, so it'll work with pretty much whatever you're shooting.

It's not a complete package – you'll still need a quality backlight to put behind it, a camera with a macro lens and a tripod – but it plays an important part in bringing your film from the analog world into the digital one.

A legend improved

Photo: Zoom

Zoom's Handy Recorders – especially the H4 and H5 lines – have been popular among videographers for years, as they provide a versatile way to capture audio wherever you are. Now, the H5 has gotten an upgrade: the new H5studio includes an even better stereo microphone capsule, as well as the ability to record in 32-bit float audio, which essentially means you don't have to worry about your audio clipping.

Like the standard H5, the H5studio has a "capsule" system that lets you attach various microphones and inputs to it. It comes standard with a stereo XY capsule that features "the largest mics ever" included in the Handy Recorder lineup, which can capture around 130dB of dynamic range. The recorder's body also features two combination XLR / TRS inputs, line and headphone out jacks, and USB-C. If you swap the capsule, though, you can add two more XLR inputs or even a dual-channel wireless receiver or shotgun microphone. The H5studio can record up to six tracks, which you can monitor via its LCD screen.

A slew of software updates

Finally, an end to copying and pasting color boards or having to use compound clips.

This week, Apple released an update for its Final Cut Pro editing software. The free 11.1 update includes a few minor improvements and integrates one of the company's new AI features, but the biggest addition is Adjustment Clips. If you've ever edited in Premiere Pro or Davinci Resolve, you'll likely be familiar with the concept: it's a layer you can put over multiple other clips to apply the same effect or transition to them. This can be especially useful with color grading; if you have clips that all need the same grade applied, you can simply apply it to an adjustment clip layered over them rather than having to apply them to each clip individually.

As big as that is, it pales in comparison to what BlackMagic has been working on. The company announced a new version of its Resolve editing software that adds an AI tool for creating animated subtitles, a dedicated keyframe editor and an even easier-to-access audio mixer.

Photo: BlackMagic

Its blockbuster announcement, though, is the Blackmagic Camera 9.5 Update, which is currently in beta but provides a massive upgrade to the autofocus system for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. When it launched, the camera just had single autofocus – the camera could focus once but wouldn't update if your subject moved. The new update, though, adds continuous autofocus, which will work to keep whatever's under its selected focus point sharp. It also supports tracking autofocus, where it will attempt to keep its focus point on a selected subject, even if it moves or the framing changes, as well as face tracking autofocus. These changes should make the camera substantially more useful for smaller productions or even single-shooter setups with no dedicated focus puller. The company says it'll be bringing the feature to its other large-sensor cameras as well.

Read last week's roundup

Image: SongRaw

A new lens company hailing from China has popped onto the scene, promising even more autofocus lens options for mirrorless cameras. Named SongRaw, the company's slogan states, "Crafted with Dedication, Honoring Your Passion and Love," adding that it "is dedicated to polishing every detail of the craft." To kick things off, it has announced a fast 50mm lens that it claims is the first Chinese 50mm F1.2 full-frame autofocus mirrorless lens.

SongRaw's debut lens is a full-frame offering that provides that classic 50mm focal length with a wide aperture for a shallow depth of field and better low-light performance. The lens features 13 aperture blades, which SongRaw says promises "beautiful bokeh." It offers autofocus powered by a stepping motor, which SongRaw says is compatible with eye-tracking. It can focus as close as 0.52m (20.5") and is compatible with 72mm filters.

The optical design comprises 15 elements in 10 groups. The information on special elements is a bit mixed, with one piece mentioning two aspherical elements and another including two extra-low dispersion elements. It wouldn't be out of the question to see both in the same lens, though. SongRaw didn't provide any details as to the size or weight of the lens.

Image: SongRaw

The lens is marked with "Moonlit," and the company's barebones website includes that branding. Photos of the lens show an aperture ring, along with a switch labeled "click," suggesting the aperture ring can be clicked or de-clicked. There's also an AF/MF switch and what could be a function button.

SongRaw says the 50mm prime lens will be compatible with FE-mount, Z-mount and L-mount, but that it is prioritizing the Sony model. Nikon and L-mount users may need to wait a bit longer. SongRaw is showing the lens off at NAB, so anyone headed to the show could check it out in person. The lens will be priced at around $1000 and should be available by the middle or end of April.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Unfortunately, this Film Friday brings some disappointing news. Price hikes are in the news everywhere right now, and that includes film prices, at least for those in Japan. Earlier this week, Fuji Rumors shared that, along with a redesign of a disposable camera, Fujifilm is increasing the price of its film in Japan.

Fujifilm Japan's press release explains that the prices are increasing because of the costs of making and transporting the film. "As the prices of materials, raw materials, and transportation costs for photographic film continue to rise, we have been working to absorb costs by improving production efficiency and cutting expenses, but as it is difficult to absorb the costs through corporate efforts alone, we will be revising the prices of some of our photographic film products," a machine-translated version of the release states.

The release says that 35mm color negative film prices have increased by around 21 or 22%, while 35mm and 120mm reversal film prices increased by roughly 31 to 52%. The QuickSnap disposable camera is also around 44% more expensive. While the new prices took effect on April 1, it was not an April Fool's Day joke. A search on Bic Camera, one of Japan's largest electronics retail chains, currently has a single roll of 135 Velvia 50 priced at 6050 yen, or $41.57. If you want a five-pack of 120 Velvia 100 in Japan, you're looking at 23,650 yen, or $162.51.

Color negative film isn't nearly as bad, but it's still extremely expensive. A single roll of 135 Fujifilm 400 – typically considered a beginner-friendly budget option – is listed at 2420 yen, or $16.63. For comparison, that same film is listed at B&H in the US for $8.39.

Fujifilm hasn't said whether the pricing outside of Japan will be affected, but it seems possible that the higher costs will be implemented elsewhere. Given the recent tariffs, that seems especially likely in the US. If you're an analog photographer, it may be a good time to stock up on some film.

Image: Laowa

Venus Optics released a teaser of sorts in January for its first zoom probe lens, with a promised release date of sometime in Q2 this year. Details were slim at the time, but now, in conjunction with NAB, the company has revealed more information on the unique Probe Zoom macro lens.

The new full-frame probe lens from Laowa uses a modular design with four interchangeable front modules and two rear tubes. The rear tubes offer slightly different focal ranges, coming in at 15-24mm T8 and 15-35mm T12. Laowa says it is the "widest and largest range probe lens" available, with a 110.5° angle of view and a 2.3x zoom range.

Images: Laowa

The four front modules allow users to switch between a direct view, periscope, 35° view, and a new 90° view. Each module can rotate 360° independent of the focus and zoom ring with Laowa's patent-pending rotation design. Combined with the two rear tubes, this set enables eight combinations, making it a versatile option for macro content. The probe is 40cm (15.7") long, helping it reach subjects in tricky locations. Plus, the barrels are waterproof, opening up even more possibilities.

The January announcement promised a Q2 release, but things appear to be slightly delayed. The company now says that it will be available to ship in Q3 of this year, so macro enthusiasts have to wait a bit longer. Laowa did provide some details on pricing now, however. The Probe Zoom Macro 15-24mm T8 Direct View lens will be $3,499, and the 15-35mm T12 Direct View lens will be $3,999. Laowa says more details on the lens and pricing will be announced soon.

In addition to the new lens, Laowa also announced it is offering 10% off select products from April 3 to 13 on the Laowa Cine website and to selected resellers, including B&H.

Image: ProGrade

ProGrade Digital has announced three new products aimed at making storage extra portable. The company unveiled two highly compact SSDs that each promise fast speeds and excellent reliability, along with a memory card reader meant to work with the iPhone 16 line of phones to unlock 4K 120p recording.

ProGrade CFexpress Type A Mobile Reader

Image: ProGrade

Smartphone cameras are capable of impressive video quality, which is why many content creators rely exclusively on their phones to record video. But those files quickly eat up storage space. Plus, some formats are only unlocked with external recording, such as the iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max 120 fps ProRes recording mode. The new PGM12 CFexpress Type A mobile card reader from ProGrade aims to make it easier for users to take full advantage of their phone's recording capabilities.

The PGM12 card reader is a single-slot CFexpress Type A reader that ProGrade says offers the same performance as its full-sized card readers despite its more compact size. That means promised transfer rates of up to 1.25GB/s. It features a patented magnetic base and metal mounting plates with a flexible cable, making it feasible to mount to your phone or rig in multiple ways. The card reader is small enough to be attached to the back of an iPhone while also using a MagSafe charger, ensuring you don't run out of storage or battery.

"Our customers can now record video onto low-power, CFexpress Type A memory cards, at the highest possible quality, and not have to worry about running out of storage space, that might be experienced with a fixed capacity storage device," says ProGrade.

The PGM12 reader is available for preorder now for $80 and will ship at the end of April.

Buy now:

ProGrade Pro Mini USB 4.0 Solid State Drive

Image: ProGrade Digital

The ProGrade PG10.5 Pro Mini SSD is a compact SSD that, like the above card reader, is equipped with ProGrade’s patented magnetic base. It also comes with an adhesive metal plate, so you could mount it to any work surface or to ProGrade PG20 Pro Hub.

It uses USB 4.0 technology, resulting in a promised maximum bus speed of up to 40Gbits/sec. ProGrade says it will offer read speeds of 4000MB/s, a write speed of up to 3500MB/s. It should also provide a sustained write speed of 1250MB/s, which is critical for high-resolution video workflows. It's compatible with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.2 and 3.1 Type-C ports.

"The PG10.5’s small physical size and robust design also allow it to be easily removed from the workstation, studio environment, and easily used in more mobile, non-studio environments," said Wes Brewer, CEO and founder of ProGrade.

The PG10.5 Pro Mini SSD is now available for preorder. It comes in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities and is priced at $180, $300 and $550, respectively.

Buy now:

ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD

Image: ProGrade

SSDs keep getting smaller, as is the case with the ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD. This tiny device looks like a classic thumb drive but should offer better performance and reliability. After all, thumb drives aren't typically meant to be used as working drives, and they often don't last for extended periods, either.

The ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD, though, is more up to the needs of creative professionals. It uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology, and ProGrade promises read and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s and a sustained write speed of 300MB/s.

The tiny SSD features tethered caps that protect the Type-A and Type-C ports, while the IP65 rating provides water and dust resistance. It's also X-ray and shock-proof and comes with a three-year warranty.

"The PG30’s relatively small die-cast aluminum body, dual USB Type A and C connectors, coupled with an impressive IP65 dust and water rating, make it an ideal choice for all imaging professionals seeking the compatibility and reliability that ProGrade is known for," said Josh Brewer, Product Manager of ProGrade.

The ProGrade PG30 Ultra-Portable SSD will be available for purchase at the end of April and comes in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.

Nikon announced the Z5 II mirrorless camera last night, but in addition to that announcement was another exciting update for Nikon videographers. The company revealed that Adobe will finally offer support for Nikon's N-Raw video format in Premiere Pro.

N-Raw is Nikon's proprietary 12-bit Raw video format. It supports Rec2020 color gamut and allows users to adjust white balance in post-production, much like what's possible with Raw photo files. As a result, it provides more flexibility during the editing process. Despite that extra data for editing purposes, it also produces smaller file sizes compared to Apple ProRes Raw. It's ideal for those who need editing flexibility while saving space on memory cards and hard drives.

DPReview's 2025 wishlist included increased N-Raw codec support from software makers since such a limited choice of editing programs reduces the value of that in-camera Raw capture. The only other options for editing N-Raw files are DaVinci Resolve and RedCine-X Pro, so it is great to see Adobe getting on board.

While support for N-Raw in Premiere Pro is certainly welcome news, users will have to wait until "the end of 2025." Nikon didn't provide more specifics than that, simply saying it will come with an updated version of Premiere Pro coming later this year.

Makoto Oishi, Yuji Igarashi and TJ Yoneda, all holding the GFX100RF. GFX100RF | F5 | 1/90 sec | ISO 12800 Cropped and processed in ACR to taste. Photo: Mitchell Clark

Last week, Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF, a fixed-lens camera with a 102MP medium format sensor. The company graciously flew us to Prague to cover the event live, and we got the chance to sit down and discuss the launch with three of the people who helped make it happen: Makoto Oishi, senior manager of GFX product planning, Yuji Igarashi, Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group and TJ Yoneda, assistant manager of GFX product planning.

Our conversation mostly centered on the new camera and the design decisions that went into it, but we also talked a bit about the company's content authenticity efforts as well.

Who is the GFX100RF for?

According to Makoto Oishi, the GFX100RF is made for a different kind of photographer than most of the company's other medium-format cameras. "The GFX 100 II and the 100 S II are mainly for current GFX users who shoot landscapes, portraits or commercial. The GFX100RF is a little bit more for street photography or documentary, because we developed this one to be as small and lightweight as possible."

It's designed to be a luxury camera...

Photo: Richard Butler

At first glance, the GFX100RF looks a lot like a larger X100VI, especially with respect to its controls and rangefinder styling. However, according to Oishi, the company didn't set out to design a camera with a family resemblance. "It's not that we didn't care, but we didn't design this camera with too much respect to the X100."

Part of the reasoning is that the GFX100RF is a much more expensive camera than the X100VI, which means it needs to feel more premium. "At the beginning, when we discussed how we should design the camera, we already knew about the price point. So this camera should be more luxurious to match the price point," said Oishi.

"Milled aluminum is the top end of manufacturing"

A major factor in its luxury design is the top plate, which is milled out of a single block of aluminum—it's the first time Fujifilm has used this type of manufacturing process. "Milled aluminum is the top end of manufacturing," said Oishi. Because you're milling from the block, you can have a lot of unique designs—more flexible designs," said Igarashi. Oishi agreed, saying, "With milling, we can develop any complicated, complex shape."

A display at Fujikina showing the stages of production for the GFX100RF's milled aluminum top plate. Photo: Mitchell Clark

Later, during the Fujikina event, Yoneda told us that turning an aluminum ingot into a GFX100RF top plate takes around five hours. Even the side of the hot shoe mount is milled. "It has many special parts," said Oishi.

The company also redesigned the lens hood, creating an adapter ring that only goes one way, which the rectangular hood then attaches to normally. "With the X100VI, it just attaches by screwing on, which can be quite tough to align. This one has tabs affixed on the lens," so it aligns perfectly every time.

... while still being as compact as possible

"This is not an interchangeable lens, so we can be kind of flexible on the design of the sensor and the lenses," said Yoneda. "So the rear element of the lens is really close to the sensor, which is almost covering the sensor size. That's one of the reasons we can create such a small lens."

"We actually have considered several options for the focal length and aperture, and this was what we can make the most compact lens with the best image quality." It also lets you get away with hand-holding the camera at lower shutter speeds, which is important given the camera's lack of stabilization for the sensor or lens. Unsurprisingly, the exclusions were made to make the camera as small as possible – the company said that adding IBIS would've made the camera noticeably larger and heavier.

Photo: Richard Butler

And if you want a closer field of view? "Since it has the 102-megapixel sensor, we can use the digital teleconverter for the telephoto side," said Yoneda.

As for whether the GFX100RF will ever get add-on optical lenses to change its field of view, similar to those for the X100 series, the company says it thinks the digital teleconverter is the way. "At this moment, we think that because of the 102MP, the digital teleconverter works," said Yoneda. "But depending on the users' feedback, we can, of course, consider any possibility of the wide-angle and teleconverter."

On the aspect ratio dial

The aspect ratio dial has ten options – the nine aspect ratios the camera supports, and a "C" setting that lets you control it with one of the camera's control dials. Photo: Richard Butler

One of the most prominent features of the GFX100RF is its large dial for controlling the aspect ratio of your JPEGs. While the company's GFX cameras have long let you emulate aspect ratios from some of its most famous medium format film cameras, this is the first one with a dedicated physical control for it. "I think this analog dial is kind of a connection between the digital technology and the film cameras we have," said Igarashi.

"We are trying to grab new customers with respect to our medium format cameras," said Yoneda. "So we thought this camera was the best one to install that kind of homage to those cameras."

"We are trying to grab new customers with respect to our medium format cameras"

It's also part of the company's philosophy of helping you produce pleasing images straight out of camera. "We wanted to offer to use this to change the aspect ratio not in post-processing, but when you're starting out with the subject," said Yoneda.

As for why it's a dial? "Actually, I wrote the nine types of format vertically," said Oishi. "And when we discussed how the user should choose between these formats... in a menu, it's quite tough. Even assigning it to a function dial or button or something like that... hmm. And then someone said, 'If we can implement it as a dial, is it easier?' And everybody said, 'Oh yeah, that's it!'"

Why there's no hybrid viewfinder on the GFX100RF

The GFX100RF uses an OLED EVF with 0.84x equiv. magnification. Photo: Richard Butler

Several of Fujifilm's photo-focused cameras feature a hybrid viewfinder, which can act as both an optical viewfinder with an electronic overlay or as a purely electronic one. While it doesn't allow for true rangefinder focusing, it does provide a rangefinder-like experience... which is why we were initially confused that the company didn't include it on a camera whose name explicitly refers to a rangefinder design.

According to Yoneda, there are good reasons for it. "The hybrid viewfinder's structure is a little bit complicated, which means the magnification would be much smaller for such a high-resolution camera," he said. Those differences weren't just theoretical, either. "Of course, we created mockups with the hybrid viewfinder installed."

"Another reason is the digital teleconverter. If it comes with an OVF, we'd have to cover 20mm of range when using the teleconverter, which would make the guide-lines much smaller. So, from a practical point of view, we decided to install the EVF."

Will the GFX100RF get support for content credentials?

At its X Summit event announcing the camera, Fujifilm also mentioned that it had begun testing tools for dealing with content credentials, which can help authenticate a photo as being real versus AI-generated and can also provide a record of how a photo was edited. The company is part of the Content Authenticity Initiative and the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity.

"We are still developing and investigating how to implement the CAI and the C2PA," said Oishi. "Unfortunately, we haven't decided on the final specification yet. But we believe this is a very important thing for photography."

"We have to, as an industry, come up with a standard"

As for whether the tech will come to existing cameras like the GFX100RF, Oishi says it depends on the details. "If we have to pay to implement it, or if users have to pay... not so many will want it. Then it'll only be for professional agencies or something," he said. "But if it is free, then we can manage the picture generation – what is real photography? And that is quite important."

"I think, of course, that will become more and more important, so we can't ignore it," said Igarashi. "So we have to, as an industry, come up with a standard. And be aligned, so we can at least define what AI is and photography is, and we can separate the images that we create."

To him, it's not necessarily about AI versus photography; it's about transparency. "We're not saying AI is not good or anything. It's just knowing what has been done through the process; I think that's important."

Interview conducted by Mitchell Clark at the Fujifilm X Summit in Prague, Czech Republic. Answers edited for flow.

The Nikon Z5II is a full-frame mirrorless camera built around a 24MP BSI CMOS sensor. It's an update to Nikon's entry-level full-frame Z5 and is essentially a version of the Zf that trades retro styling for a more conventional design.

Key Features

• 24MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
• In-body image stabilization, rated up to 7.5EV
• Autofocus subject detection with support for 9 subject types
• 11 fps Raw w/ mechanical shutter
• 30fps JPEG-only mode with pre-release capture
• 3.69M dot 60Hz EVF with 3000-nit peak brightness
• 4K/30 full-width, 60p w/ 1.5x crop
• 10-bit N-Log or N-Raw capture
• Dual UHS-II card slots
• Downloadable color mode presets via Imaging Cloud

The Z5II will be available in April and will retail for $1699 – a $300 increase over its predecessor in absolute terms, though a very similar price when considering inflation and its greater ambitions. Kits will also be available with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens for $1999, or with a 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for $2499.

Index:

• What's new
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Initial impressions
• Sample gallery
• Specifications
• Press Release

What's new

A new old sensor

The Z5II's sensor is one we know well, as it features in cameras like the Zf and Z6 II. While it's certainly not state-of-the-art, it's historically performed excellently and offers noticeably faster readout speeds than the non-BSI sensor found in the original Z5, which hailed from the early 2010s.

That'll be most noticeable in video modes – its readout speeds are still slow enough that you likely won't want to use e-shutter mode unless you really need to shoot silently or are doing JPEG-only bursts where it drops to its faster, 12-bit readout mode. However, the Z5II supports much faster burst rates than its predecessor, shooting in Raw at up to 11fps with its mechanical shutter, where the original topped out at 4.5fps.

Hybrid abilities

The Z5II is a much more capable video camera than its predecessor, which could only manage shooting at 4K/30 with a substantial 1.7x crop. The new model, meanwhile, can shoot full-width 4K at up to 30fp and 120fps in 1080p for slow-motion shooting, double what the Z5 was capable of.

It also has a slate of advanced video features such as a product-priority focus mode, electronic stabilization, 10-bit N-Log, waveform monitors and even N-Raw. While the Z5II's target audience likely won't find much use for those later modes, it's hard to complain about their inclusion.

However, while its sensor has good readout speeds, it isn't anything near as fast as the one on the more expensive Z6III. That means you'll see more rolling shutter in full-width 4K, and will have to deal with a 1.5x crop if you want to shoot 60p, though the Z5II is at least capable of the higher framerate.

Latest-gen processor

The Z5II has Nikon's latest processor, the same one that powers cameras like the Z8 and Z6III. That means it largely has the same autofocus capabilities as those more expensive models. It supports the same subject recognition types – the Z5 only recognizes humans and animals, while the Z5II can also detect birds, cars, bicycles, motorcycles, trains and planes.

It also gains a 30fps JPEG-only mode, which supports pre-burst capture. The Z6III's faster sensor gives it a leg up in this area, though: it can shoot full-resolution JPEGs at up to 60fps and can hit 120fps by dropping down to an APS-C crop.

The company also claims the Z5II supports more advanced noise reduction, putting out cleaner JPEGs at high ISOs, and has added an AF-A mode, where the camera decides whether to use single or continuous autofocus.

A bright viewfinder and a more flexible screen

Nikon says the Z5II's viewfinder can reach a brightness of up to 3000 nits, which should help when shooting in harsh daylight. The company doesn't quote brightness figures for the Z5's EVF, though it otherwise has similar specs – both cameras use a 3.69M dot display running at 60Hz.

There are also some changes to the Z5II's LCD. At 3.2", it's the same size as the Z5's, but it's higher resolution and fully articulated, while the original's screen was limited to tilt adjustments.

How it compares

While the Z5II isn't as cheap as its predecessor, it is still among the least expensive full-frame ILCs ever released. Some other cameras on that list, like the original Z5 and Canon's EOS R8, are among its competitors.

At $2000, Panasonic's S5II has a substantially higher MSRP than those cameras and, before the Z5II, offered a more complete package than any full-frame camera in the sub-$2000 range. The S9, which is based around the same sensor, is closer in price to the Z5II but is aimed at a more video-focused audience, as it lacks both an EVF and a mechanical shutter. Given that, it didn't feel as appropriate for this list. While the S5II frequently goes on sale, street prices for cameras drop relative to their MSRPs – a camera that starts off at $1700 is likely to end up significantly cheaper than one that started life at $2000.

The one exception to that rule is if a camera sticks around long enough to get a permanent price cut to reposition it when its replacement arrives. That's essentially what's happened with Sony's a7 III, which was originally released in 2018. It shows its age in many ways but is still in a similar class to the other cameras in this comparison.

With the upgrades it gains over its predecessor, the Z5II has become one of the most complete full-frame options for under $2000. You're not giving up IBIS, battery life and an autofocus joystick like you would be with the EOS R8, and you're not giving up an EVF and dual top-plate control dials like with the Panasonic S9. It's relatively evenly matched with the S5II, though we've generally found Nikon's autofocus performance to be more reliable.

The a7 III may still seem like a worthy competitor on paper, especially considering that Nikon and Canon can't match E-mount's wide range of lenses. However, other brands have caught up to its once class-leading autofocus system, and its menus were dated and annoying to use even back in 2018. The once enthusiast-focused Sony is really showing its age.

Body and Handling

The Z5II's design is relatively unchanged from its predecessor, though that isn't a complaint. It has a standard mode dial with three custom slots, as well as two top-plate dials for controlling your exposure settings. The camera also comes with a wide variety of buttons, including two customizable ones on the front near the lens mount.

Nikon has added its Picture Control button, which debuted with the Z50II and lets you easily control your JPEG color mode. While the Z5II comes with Nikon's classic range of color modes built-in, you can also download more via the company's Nikon Imaging Cloud service and create or customize your own using the company's desktop software.

Out of camera JPEG, shot using the 'Deeptone Monochrome' color mode. Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S | F5.6 | 1/2000 sec | ISO 100 Photo: Mitchell Clark

This setup provides a fair amount of flexibility and control over the look of your out-of-camera JPEGs, though it doesn't come with the freedom and enormous back-catalog of the industry-standard LUTs that companies like Panasonic let you use.

Handling

The Z5II is a solid camera with a deep grip, which fits well in the hand. It's sturdy – Nikon says the front, back and top covers are made from magnesium alloy – and sealed against moisture and dust. We shot our sample gallery in light to medium rain with no issues.

The control layout is the same one that Nikon has used across much of its Z lineup – anyone familiar with the original Z5 or Z6 series will be instantly familiar with it. Most of the buttons on the back are generally easy to access while shooting, as is the autofocus joystick. The Z5II also supports using portions of its touchscreen to control the autofocus point. The one button that can be difficult to reach in general use is the Picture Control button, as its position on the top plate will likely require you to re-adjust your grip to hit it.

Viewfinder

The Z5II's viewfinder is high-resolution and has a relatively high magnification, but where it really sets itself apart from the crowd is in brightness. It has a peak brightness of 3000 nits, which means it should still be clearly visible, even on a bright, sunny day.

The panel runs at 60Hz. While that's not as fast as the 120Hz mode found on Nikon's higher-end cameras, it should be responsive enough for all but the most fast-paced situations.

Screen

The Z5II features a large, high-resolution, fully-articulated display. While it doesn't provide stills shooters with the ability to tilt up or down in a single motion, once you flip it out, you can use it at pretty much any angle. It also lets you monitor video you're taking of yourself, an essential feature for anyone looking to try their hand at vlogging.

Ports and slots

Again, the Z5II's port selection remains largely unchanged from its predecessor's. It retains the dual UHS-II SD card slots, headphone and microphone jacks, USB-C socket and micro HDMI port. Overall, it's hard to find fault with this selection.

Battery

The Z5II uses the same 16Wh EN-EL15c battery as many of Nikon's other full-frame cameras. It's CIPA-rated to get around 330 shots on a single charge. While you can generally expect to get a fair bit more than the literal number of rated shots, the rating provides a consistent benchmark we can use to measure cameras against each other.

We'd consider a rating around 300 to be acceptable for a day of shooting or a weekend where you're occasionally taking photos, but anything more, and you'll probably want to keep an extra battery or USB-C battery bank at hand.

If you routinely have marathon shooting sessions, the Z5II can be fitted with the sold-separately MB-N14 battery grip, the same that's used for cameras like the Z6 II and Z6III. It should roughly double your battery life and lets you hot-swap in a fresh battery without cutting power to your camera.

Initial Impressions

The Z5II seems like an extremely calculated move in that it fits precisely into Nikon's lineup and the full-frame camera market as a whole. It's a budget-ish model that gives you one or two good reasons to pay a bit more for it than its competitors while not being so good as to dissuade those with deeper pockets from buying a more expensive model like the Z6III.

It's one of the most remarkably complete full-frame cameras that you can get for under $2000, and that makes it easily fit into a flowchart. Care about video and shooting fast-moving subjects? That rules out the Z5. Want IBIS? The EOS R8's out. Want a viewfinder, mechanical shutter and modern menus? Well, that leaves the Z5II. But what if you just have to have full-width 4K/60p, faster burst rates and an even better viewfinder? Well, Nikon will be more than happy to sell you a Z6III for $700 more.

Of course, there are more options if you're willing to consider other sensor sizes. Fujifilm's APS-C X-T5 is a similar class of camera, and the lenses for it are generally going to be less expensive if budget is a big concern for you. Nikon sells the APS-C Z50II, which has surprisingly similar capabilities, is smaller and is almost $800 cheaper. For those set on full-frame, though, the Z5II remains a very well-rounded entry point.

The Z5II is a much more ambitious camera than its predecessor

It's easy to overstate the importance of the price bump from the Z5 to the Z5II. The original was the second cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera ever released, and its successor is coming out after several years of high inflation at a time when the economy doesn't seem to be doing so well. It's also a much more ambitious camera; it's extremely similar to the Z6 II, which launched for $2000 in 2020, except it comes with a better viewfinder and vastly improved autofocus. Sure, people will wish all that was available for the same price the Z5 launched at (or less), but the reality is that even with its higher MSRP, the Z5II is still one of the least expensive full-frame mirrorless cameras at launch.

The one final wrinkle is the Nikon Zf, a camera that is, by all important metrics, the same as the Z5II but with a higher price tag. It comes with a style that the rest of the cameras we've talked about today can't match; it looks like a classic film SLR with all the dedicated dials, but it can also be used like a modern twin-dial mirrorless camera.

Some people won't care about or for that design, and that's great – they can get the Z5II and never think about the Zf again. Others will care about that and pay extra to get it – or wish they could and feel slightly bad about it. Either way, it's the one competitor that requires an emotional decision, not a logical one.

Pre-Production 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: Viltrox

Yesterday, Viltrox had some fun with April Fool's Day and announced a lens in its Air lineup that was, well, literally air. But today, the company has revealed a real addition to the Air series of compact and lightweight lenses. The AF 50mm F2.0 Air was initially announced and displayed at CP+, though details were extremely slim at that point. Now, though, things are more official, with full details available.

The AF 50mm F2.0 Air is available for Z-mount and E-mount. It joins the 20mm F2.8 and 40mm F2.5 full-frame lenses already in the lineup, along with 25mm F1.7, 35mm F1.7 and 56mm F1.7 APS-C Air lenses. The 50mm focal length, affectionately called the nifty fifty in the photography world, is a versatile option. It's ideal for everything from street photography and travel to portraits and more.

Image: Viltrox

Viltrox's take on this classic focal length is compact and lightweight, with the E-mount model weighing 205g (7.2oz) and the Z-mount version weighing slightly more at 220g (7.8oz). The optical design features thirteen elements in nine groups, which include three ED lenses, four high-refractive elements, and one aspherical element with HD nano-coating. Viltrox says it will provide "vivid, distortion-free images."

The lens offers an aperture range of F2.0 to F16 and it features a nine-blade aperture, resulting in what Viltrox says is "stunning bokeh." An STM motor drives autofocus, which works with eye and face detection, promises minimal focus breathing and supports in-body image stabilization. It can focus as close as 0.51m (20").

The Viltrox AF 50mm F2.0 Air is available today. It's currently on sale for $183, though it will cost $199 at full price.

Buy now:

Photo: Richard Butler

Some years ago, when I was relatively new to the camera industry, I wrote a post for DPReview's short-lived blog, suggesting it was high time someone re-thought the way camera interfaces work.

I used Apple as an example of a company making inroads into an established market by developing a completely different way to interact with a device. I had no idea, back then, just how much impact the iPhone would go on to have, of course. The iPhone 3G, the first to offer competitive communication speeds, had only been launched a few months earlier and it seemed impossible that the likes of Nokia would be swept away by a relatively small computer company.

I explicitly wasn't advocating for cameras to move to a smartphone-style touch interface, more for a blank-sheet reconsideration of what a camera needs to provide and how best to prioritize those things.

When I wrote a blog post in 2008 asking for an Apple-style re-think of the way cameras operate, I had no idea just how significant the iPhone would go on to become. Rendering: Apple

Sixteen years later, no one's really attempted it. A lot of cameras still operate like film cameras with a dizzying array of digital functions clumsily added on top. Most manufacturers haven't significantly re-thought menu systems originally designed for 20-or-so options despite them now having to accommodate around 100. Arguably none of them work well at this point: the difference is in just how badly they cope.

The result is cameras that are only really usable by people who've spent quite a lot of time learning how to use them, which is why I quietly seethe every time I hear a camera being described as 'intuitive.' Photography's core elements are complex enough that there'll always be something of a learning curve, but there's probably a middle-ground between a smartphone that does everything from focus and exposure to adaptive processing for you and a camera that operates like a 1980s SLR with a text-based choose-you-own-adventure computer game glued to the back.

Small steps

There has been some innovation since then, of course: Pentax created the TAv (time and aperture priority) exposure mode that has now become commonplace in the form of allowing Auto ISO while in Manual exposure mode. And its Hyper Program mode where you could override its aperture or shutter speed decisions while retaining a high degree of automation.

Likewise, Canon introduced its Flexible Priority exposure mode (along with the disappointingly useless M-Fn swipe bar) on the EOS R, which let you select which of aperture value, shutter speed and ISO you controlled and which were automated, on-the-fly. I'll confess I never quite managed to get my head 'round using it quickly enough for it to be beneficial.

The Sigma BF is not the answer

With its dedicated settings screen, the Sigma BF represents a radical new approach to camera operation. Photo: Richard Butler

The Sigma BF is one of the most radical attempts I've witnessed to re-think how a camera operates. That's why I've put so much time into making videos about it over the past few weeks: because it's so different to anything you might have used before that it's hard to appreciate without seeing it in action.

To be absolutely clear: it is not the future of photography. It's a fascinating, back-to-fundamentals way of controlling a camera that makes you really think about shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation (and by extension, ISO), in a way I've found quite inspiring. However, it engenders (perhaps even enforces) a slow, contemplative way of shooting that wouldn't be appropriate for most photography or most photographers.

I'll admit when I first heard the underlying specs of the BF I was worried Sigma had somehow taken five years to make a more limited version of the fp, which would appear to be a complete waste of everyone's time. But when I got to actually use it, the interface turned out to make it one of the most interesting cameras I've used in years. Again, not as an all-round, do-anything camera: even if you added a mechanical shutter, it wouldn't be that. But as an attractive device for documenting the world, it's strangely compelling.

All about the detail

Whatever you might think about the BF, a little bit of time spent using it reveals just how much thought has gone into its interface. Learning to operate each function one at a time through the dedicated settings display, then using the main LCD solely for composition and focus, with no incomprehensible icons distracting you, is unexpectedly engaging.

Whereas on the single-dial Panasonic S9 I find myself constantly frustrated, pressing buttons, cursing and wishing for a second control dial, on the BF I've found myself intentionally passing the aperture control back to the camera's single dial. It's difficult to rationalize, and yet, it makes sense when the camera is in your hand.

There are two details that have jumped out at me. The first is that: when you half-press the shutter, just as you're about to take your shot, the BF switches the dial's function to exposure compensation. It's a lovely little touch: it assumes you've selected the aperture and/or shutter speed you want, creatively, but makes it easy to give it a little tweak at the last moment, if needed.

It just works

But the detail that really stood out to me is the way White Balance is handled. Not something you might usually notice or pay attention to, but the way it's handled on the BF is so clever that it makes you realize how much thought has gone into it.

When you first turn the camera on, the White Balance icons are arranged in order of color temperature, so that you can scroll from correcting too much orange light to correcting too much blue. That's standard enough.

Custom White Balance presets get saved along the white balance continuum in the menus. You can tap the trash icon to delete them.

But what jumped out at me is what happens when you set a custom white balance. For this you have to bring up the 10-setting function menu to access the Custom WB option, but whatever value it records is then saved as a preset, in sequence along the color temperature spectrum.

So if you set a custom white balance that isn't quite as cooling as the Incandescent preset, that custom preset will now appear between the Incandescent and Fluorescent settings as you scroll through your white balance options. If you find you no longer need that preset, you can delete it.

Becuase the custom presets appear in sequence, they can be easily selected from the dedicated settings screen at the top corner of the camera. The two presets displayed in Kelvin are custom settings I've created. Animation: Richard Butler

Manually defined white balance values are treated a little differently: they still appear in their relative position on the scale, but have to be selected from the function menu because, once selected, the rear dial adjusts their value, rather than jumping between presets. I was annoyed by this inconsistency at first, but it makes sense that you're more likely to want to constantly fine-tune a white balance value you've chosen yourself, rather than setting from a grey card.

Ultimately, the handling of white balance is a tiny little detail for a setting most people don't regularly interact with, but a detail that's redolent of the degree of consideration that's gone into ensuring the BF can be operated using a screen that displays a single parameter at a time.

There's still need for revolution

As I hope I've made clear, I'm not saying the Sigma BF is the iPhone of the camera industry: far from it. But sixteen or so years after asking for it, it's lovely to see someone willing to radically rethink how a camera could work. And I want to acknowledge Sigma and whoever designed the BF's White Balance system for doing so.

Image: Adobe

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is still a few days away, but Adobe has announced updates coming for video users in anticipation of the annual trade show. Most of the changes are focused on Adobe Premiere Pro. The latest features, all of which have already been available in beta, aim to streamline the editing process even more with the help of various AI-based tools. Frame.io is also getting a few updates, making collaborating and controlling your files easier.

Adobe Premiere Pro updates

Image: Adobe

One of the more exciting beta tools that is getting general availability is Generative Extend. Powered by Adobe Firefly, Generative Extend uses AI to create a few extra frames when clips are just a bit too short. Firefly essentially uses the audio and video from your clip as a prompt and adds a few frames. It's ideal for holding on to a character reaction for an extra beat, extending sound effects or cutting an awkward gesture or facial expression right at the end of a clip.

DPReview's Mitchell Clark tested Generative Extend when it was announced at Adobe Max last year and was quite impressed. At the time, there were quite a few limitations, but luckily, Adobe addressed those. Now that it's moving out of beta, it works with up to 4K video and also works on vertical videos. It also works in the background, so you can keep editing while it processes.

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Adobe says Generative Extend is safe for commercial use and that appropriate Content Credentials are embedded in the file. Adobe has also said that your content remains your own and is not used to train these AI models. The tool is free to use for now, though, after a "limited time" (Adobe didn't provide any more detail), Generative Extend will require Firefly generative credits. Pricing will vary based on the format, frame rate and resolution of your video.

Media Intelligence, an AI-powered search tool, is also coming out of beta. A search panel in the upper right-hand corner of Premiere Pro allows users to search for everything in one spot, with the AI recognizing the content of your clips, including objects, locations, camera angles and more. Adobe released the beta version of Media Intelligence and the AI-powered search panel in January, but now there will be full access to the feature.

Image: Adobe

Media Intelligence allows you to search using natural language, and it will find any matching visuals, spoken words or even embedded metadata. The AI recognition happens locally, so no internet is required. It promises to significantly speed up the editing workflow for those who need to pull from large libraries or are working on big projects.

Image: Adobe

Caption Translation, yet another January beta release, is also coming out of beta. This tool allows for AI-powered multilingual caption generation, saving users quite a bit of time when translating captions. It currently supports 27 languages and can be accessed in the Text Panel. You can even display multiple visible caption tracks simultaneously for greater flexibility.

Finally, a non-AI-based tool is also on the list of beta features going mainstream. Adobe's new Color Management feature allows users to transform Log and Raw from nearly any camera to SDR and HDR without LUTs. Adobe says it is a simple and approachable feature with six presets that any video editor can use, no matter their experience level. It also says it will be easier to match videos from different cameras and to define the look and feel of your videos.

All of the new Premiere Pro features are generally available today.

Adobe Frame.io updates

Frame.io is Adobe's take on collaborative media management. Last fall, Adobe added Lightroom integration for the platform, making it more usable for those who need access to more than just video work. Now, the company has added more tools for collaboration. Many of the tools are only available (or applicable) to larger teams, but there are some useful features even for smaller collaborations.

An example of the watermarking tool in Frame.io Image: Adobe

Admins now have the option to create brand templates that any user can apply, making it easier for teams to create consistent content with a branded visual identity. It's also possible to protect work-in-progress content with custom watermarks, though you'll need a Pro, Team or Enterprise account to use those.

While you may want to share your files with collaborators, you don't necessarily need everyone to have editing or even commenting access. Adobe has added restricted folders, which allow you to keep things organized while protecting sensitive assets and discussions. These folders will allow you to set customizable permissions, changing who has access to view, comment or edit.

The Frame.io features are generally available today.

Image: Falcam

Working with lights can be challenging for many reasons, but partly because of the manual adjustments necessary as you dial in your setup or when changing your lighting. Accessory maker Falcam, a sub-brand of Ulanzi, aims to take some of that work out of the equation with its latest release, the Move LightGo.

The Move LightGo essentially adds a motorized head to your light stand, giving you remote access to angle adjustments. The device mounts to the light stand and attaches to the front of the light via Bowens mount. Unfortunately, lights with other mounts aren't compatible with the Move LightGo.

Image: Falcam

Once attached, you can control the Move LightGo with a wired remote (included), a wireless remote with up to 30m (98.4') of range (for purchase separately), or an app with up to 10m (32.8') of range. It supports dual-axis movement with 170 degrees of tilt and 450 degrees of panning. Having the option to rotate and tilt the light without having to physically be near it could save a lot of time. Perhaps even more helpful, though, is the option for remote adjustment when the light stand is extended and out of arm's reach.

Falcam explains that the Move LightGo even adds tilt capabilities. Most light setups can't adjust a full 170 degrees with certain lighting modifiers attached because the stand gets in the way. However, since the Move LightGo extends the light away from the stand, it allows for extra tilt when working with larger modifiers.

The MoveLight Go Wireless Remote. Image: Falcam

The Move LightGo allows users to assign unique numbers to each unit, so if they have multiple, they can control each one individually. You can also save and recall preset light positions for even faster adjustments. It also features screw holes and Arri location holes for adding additional accessories.

The device requires power, but it is compatible with multiple power solutions. That includes AC power input with USB-C connection (a standard power cable is included), power-sharing modules or a V-mount battery or power bank. Falcam sells two power adapter modules – the Move LightGo Cannon 600 and DC 200 – both of which are available for purchase separately for $15. It can hold up to 6kg (13.2lbs) and weighs 1.68kg (3.7lbs).

The Move LightGo is available for purchase starting today for $249. It includes a wired controller, but from April 2nd to April 13th, Falcam is including a free wireless remote control with every Move LightGo order.

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