The Thypoch's first autofocus lens is an F2.8 for full-frame. Photo: Mitchell Clark

Over the past few weeks, lens maker Thypoch has been teasing the release of its first autofocus lens. But rather than entering the world of autofocus with a prime, as many of its peers have done, it's introducing the first China-designed and developed zoom for full-frame. And it's an F2.8 zoom, at that.

How has the company gone from making M-mount manual-focus primes to an F2.8 zoom for full-frame? Quickly, says the company's Go-to-Market manager, Xavier Luo.
"The project began at the end of 2024," he tells me: "and it's taken almost a whole year to make the lens ready for large-scale manufacturing."

"In China, this would be considered quite a long time," he says, when I express surprise at the short timescale.

I ask him to expand on why the company decided to jump straight to zoom lenses, and why this particular specification. "We are very good at making zoom lenses," he tells me: "we have a cinema lens background and already make dozens of [manual focus] zooms. Two times, three times, even ten times zooms for full-frame, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds, so we have a lot of experience."

"It's taken almost a whole year to make the lens ready for large-scale manufacturing"

And, there's a degree of pride at stake, too, he suggests: “There’s strong anticipation across Asian markets, with Chinese users in particular eager to gain a wider choice of lenses, because the Chinese brands’ prime lenses have become more and more competitive both in terms of price and optic performance. These people are hoping to get a some kind of zoom product in the market so that maybe people can buy a zoom lens with a prime lens price."

Why 24-50mm?

The company settled on a 24-50mm as its first product for a number of reasons, Luo tells us:

"We know it has a lot of controversial points." he says: "The core value of the zoom lens is zoom, right? So people are arguing [about] that in the Sony 24-50mm comments. But we noticed that people are getting more and more focused on a lightweight lifestyle in recent years. People are trying to get more lightweight cameras, lightweight bags and lightweight everything. A 24-50mm can cover the daily use, or for your travel."

Shenzhen Dongzheng Optical Technology has already made a range of manual focus cinema zooms under its DZOFilm brand name. Image: DZOFilm

The other critical factor was that they believed this range would let them make a better lens. "[we didn't want to be] too ambitious, and make a 24-70, that kind of zoom lens," Luo tells us.

"When making zoom lenses, the biggest difficulties is to have a well-controlled distortion and at the same time have a really good sharpness," he says: "We think making a 24-50 means we can control it really well both in terms of sharpness and other [factors, such as] spherical aberration and distortion."

Some of this comes from it taking a different approach: "If you shoot with the Sony 24-50mm original lens with in Raw you may notice that it has in-body distortion correction," he says: "Third-party zoom lenses can be limited by the body communication protocol."

"We think [Sony] has a more open attitude towards third parties"

"In-body distortion correction means you have a perfect JPEG file but you don't have that in the Raw file. So for optical designers, it gives convenience: they don't have to worry too much about distortion, and that's a big deal, because they have only focus on the sharpness side. But for us, it's totally different: our designers have to look at both factors."

"We asked Sony, but we didn't get any official confirmation," he tells us: "we actually want to pay the protocol license fee, but we couldn't get any official reply. We think they have a more open attitude towards third parties."

Challenges

We asked what the biggest challenge was of developing an autofocus zoom for the first time: the optical design or the mechanical design. "It's the physical design," Luo tells us: " more specifically, it's the software and electronic parts because in the autofocus lens domain, the level of the electronic and software decides the maximum optic performance in the lens."

Unlike the Sony 24-50mm F2.8, Thypoch's design features internal zoom and does not requre any software distortion correction. Photo: Mitchell Clark

"It's totally reversed, compared with manual lenses," he says: "with manual lenses, the optic performance leads the mechanical design. But, you know, [for autofocus] it's totally different: it depends on how much weight the lens motor can drive and the precision it can deliver."

The company developed its own STM motors for the task. "I think still 90% of lenses use STM focus motor," he says. The company spent a lot of time working on making sure focus speed was competitive, and that focus is precise and doesn't hunt in video. "we tested the autofocus precision in a lot of scenarios and to make sure [it performed well] whether people are using it for photography or video."

Internal zoom

As well as a design with no software distortion correction, there's another obvious difference between Sony's 24-50mm F2.8 and Thypoch's lens, despite the similar dimensions and weight: the Voyager 24-50mm is an internal zoom design.

This has a benefit beyond just retaining the lenses' compact dimensions, says Luo: "it's better for people who are trying to make vlogs or short video, when they are using the lens on gimbals or even if they are [working] handheld."

The logic of E-mount

For now, the company is focused on the E mount for two reasons, we're told: "We think Sony E-mount has the biggest user group, and [we think] this lens fits the Sony Alpha users' interests. But we are still waiting to see what's happening in this industry, but our focus is just on E-mount right now."

"Our focus is just on E-mount right now"

But also, given the recent history of other manufacturers taking non-licensees to court, "Sony has a more open mind for third-party lenses."

Thypoch hasn't revealed all the details of the 24-50mm F2.8 yet. It's already publicly teased that the lens is coming, and shown it at the NAB trade show in Las Vegas. We're hoping this means we don't have to wait too long for the rest of the details, including the price, to be made public.

"I think when we reveal the price, people will be surprised by the high quality performance ratio of this product."

---

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm F2.8 Sample gallery

We've been shooting with the Thypoch 24-50mm F2.8 and have produced this gallery of sample images. As always, you can download the Raw files, to see how it performs.

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

Film photography photo challenge

The theme for our April Editor's photo challenge was "Film Photography."

This month, we returned to the analog roots of photography: film. DPReview photographers made every grain count, with photos ranging from the serious to the whimsical. What made this challenge even more interesting was the fantastic variety of cameras used to capture this month's images!

As always, we received many more great photos than we can feature 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'd like to participate in other photo challenges, you can visit our Challenges page to see currently open or upcoming challenges, or to vote in a recently closed challenge.

Speed from the past

Photographer: RacingManiac

Photographer's statement: I found a box of color slides I shot back in 2006. It was never digitized, and it was basically just an experiment as I was getting into photography. I decided to try to digitize them using a DIY method. The race was an American Le Mans race at Mosport, Canada.

The camera was a Minolta Maxxum 7, probably with a Minolta AF 300 F4 G APO. The "scanning" was done with a Sony a7 IV and a Minolta 50mm F2.8 Macro, using an LED light to backlight the slide, then post-processed in DxO PhotoLab.

Film: Fujifilm Velvia 100

Equipment: Minolta Maxxum 7 + Minolta AF 300mm F4 G APO

Tiny dancers

Photographer: swald

Photographer's statement: While traveling in the old Soviet Union with a small group, I was able to visit a small ballet school in St. Petersburg. The young dancers were very excited to perform for us.

Film: Kodak T-Max 400 film

Equipment: Asahi Pentax Spotmatic + Super-Takumar 35mm

Veins of light

Photographer: Vincent DP

Photographer's statement: A long exposure of city traffic on Rue de la Loi, Brussels, at blue hour. The saturation from the Kodak Ektar film makes the cool blues and vibrant reds pop. This is the heart of Brussels' European Quarter, with veins of light running to the horizon.

Shot with a medium-format Altissa Box camera made in the early 1950's that I inherited from my grandfather, with an ND filter duct-taped on. I developed the film at home.

Film: Kodak Ektar 100

Equipment: Altissa Box + Altissar Periskop

Wrestling

Photographer: Champ42e

Photographer's statement: Shooting at ringside in Roanoke, Virginia, I experienced my first and only professional wrestling match, shooting for a long-gone local magazine. I had to dodge several wrestlers flying over the ropes.

I used an on-camera flash. The negative was scanned using an iPhone 13 Pro with a homemade negative holder/camera mount.

Film: Kodak Tri-X 400

Equipment: Olympus XA-2

Robert Plant 1977 – Led Zeppelin

Photographer: vbuhay

Photographer's statement: Best concert of my life. Led Zeppelin, April 30, 1977, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. A shot of Robert Plant singing one of their iconic songs, "Stairway to Heaven." One of the frames from that photo shoot was chosen by the band and published in their only book. I was paid for the shot and given a photo credit; my name appears in the book.

Shot handheld, fully manual, I guessed on the focus and exposure since I could not see the performer due to the large crowd at the front of the stage. I made the shot by shooting overhead without looking through the viewfinder and got lucky.

Film: Not specified

Equipment: Vivitar SL220 SLR + Vivitar 135mm F3.5

Renault 5 GT Turbo

Photographer: horvat

Photographer's statement: Although this photo was taken only last year, I did my best to create it in the "period-correct" fashion. The location was Zagreb-Fair, with Yugoslav-era brutalist architecture, to suit the French hot hatchback from the '80s.

Film: Kodak Ektar 100

Equipment: Nikon F65 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.8G

Calf roping

Photographer: Apochroma

Photographer's statement: This was my first rodeo, both as photographer and spectator. The thing about this rodeo was the location, a purposely picturesque arena built at the Old Tucson Studios, a movie set for westerns popular in the '50 and '60s. Having played and watched sports, I knew what to expect, plus the arena was not large, meaning with the Canon EOS 300mm f2.8 lens, the events were easy to focus on. Walking around with a big white lens, everyone assumed I was a pro, which I was not, but faked it. The camera was a Canon EOS 10s.

Film: Kodak Tri-X 400 exposed at ISO 320

Equipment: Canon EOS 10s + Canon EOS 300mm F2.8

Ski jump

Photographer: BenGauthier

Photographer's statement: A son of mine in the French Alps in 1992. It was difficult at that time to shoot quickly! I had someone telling me when the jumper (my son) reached the top of the small hill.

Film: Not specified

Equipment: Canon ELPH

Venice gondoliers

Photographer: rpjallan

Photographer's statement: I believe this is one of the best photos I have ever taken. This was taken in 1985 in Venice, on a Pentax ME Super with, I think, a 50mm F1.7 lens. I saw these guys having a chat as I was crossing the bridge. I framed the shot, then shouted "Hey" and took the photo. Scanned on my Nikon Coolscan LS9000.

Film: Ilford XP1 400 Chromogenic B&W

Equipment: Pentax ME Super + SMC Pentax M 50mm F1.7

Europan

Photographer: adlerblack

Photographer's statement: Film is an "antiquated," finicky, and less flexible medium when compared to digital. But as someone who enjoys photography for the process itself more than the end result, those restrictions, uncertainties, and quirks are exactly what draw me to film in the first place. This photo, which is my favorite I have shot on film to date, is a perfect example of all of the above.

Shot near Times Square, my Canon A-1 experienced a film advance fault for the first time, resulting in an unintended partial double exposure of two shots meant to be separate. The end result is far more interesting than either of the shots would have been on their own, and never would have been possible if I hadn't fallen in love with a 47-year-old camera that costs me $1 every time I press the shutter. But hey, who's counting when they sometimes turn out like this?

Film: CineStill 800T

Equipment: Canon A-1 + Canon FD 35mm F3.5

Icelandic waterfall

Photographer: GeffBourke

Photographer's statement: This waterscape was taken on a photo tour trip in 2017 to the southern region of Iceland. Our participants all shot digital, while I made it a challenge to shoot only medium format film on this trip. I went with 30 rolls of Ilford Delta 400 120 film and used a Hasselblad 501c and 80mm lens. I also used a Sekonic meter and spot metered on the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows, then calculated with a 10-stop filter attached. I don't remember the exposure time now, but it was a couple of minutes.

Film: Ilford Delta 400

Equipment: Hasselblad 501c + Hasselblad 80mm

Rostiger Nagel, Senftenberg, Germany

Photographer: Andreas Stueckl

Photographer's statement: This black-and-white analog photograph captures the interior staircase of the Rostiger Nagel, or "Rusty Nail," a landmark viewing tower in Lauchhammer, Germany. It symbolizes the transformation of a former industrial mining region. From a low angle, the structure dissolves into an abstract interplay of lines, shadows, and geometry. The repeating steps and intersecting beams create a disorienting spatial rhythm, reminiscent of M.C. Escher's impossible architectures.

Film: Kentmere 100

Equipment: Pentax ME Super + Pentax SMC M 28mm F2.8

Jacob's Ladder at Glacier National Park

Photographer: Landscape Lover

Photographer's statement: I was driving in Glacier National Park when I came across this scene of Jacob's Ladder over Lake Sherburne. I thought at the time that this would be the most spectacular scene that I would ever encounter. I told myself that I had to get this picture right. I think that I did. To this day, I have never come across a view that was this dramatic.

Film: Kodacolor VR 200

Equipment: Mamiya Sekor 500 dtl + Mamiya Sekor 50mm

Annecy-le-Vieux

Photographer: OdeonPhoto

Photographer's statement: I was strolling through the old town of Annecy, France, when I spotted this spot high up. But something was missing, so I waited until this man appeared. This photo is an 11x14 print from the '70s that I have hanging on a wall. Since I couldn't scan it, I took a picture of it with my Nikon D90. At that time, I had a black Nikon F, which I was very proud of, with a micro Nikkor 55mm and a 24mm Nikon lens.

Film: Kodak Plus-X

Equipment: Nikon F + Nikkor 24mm F2.8

Grandpa Floyd at age 93

Photographer: James5601

Photographer's statement: While visiting my paternal grandfather at his home in Arlington, Massachusetts, in late May of 1981, I asked to take a photograph of him. He was pleased with my request and sat in his reading chair with the portrait of his mother on the wall behind his right shoulder. She died in 1910 when the first automobile in Huntingdon, Tennessee, scared the horse that was pulling her carriage, and it bolted, throwing her to the ground. A few months after this photo was taken, he moved to a retirement home and lived until the age of 95.

I took this photo with my trusty Canon FTb and probably a Canon 50mm F1.8 lens. No flash; light from a large window to Floyd's left provided fill light. I used slide film, probably Kodachrome, speed unknown. To produce this digital file, I photographed the slide with a Sony a7R III and a Tamron 24mm F2.8 lens as a backlight. I made color balance and highlight/shadow adjustments to the file to correct for a purplish hue and to normalize contrast.

Film: Slide film (probably Kodachrome)

Equipment: Canon FTb + Canon 50mm F1.8 lens

Analog divers

Photographer: StefCande

Photographer's statement: I live in the south of France. And not far from my place are a bunch of open submarine caves where you can paddle inside and ride through them. This time I carried my mostly waterproof Nikonos V with me, and my black and white film to go. It's quite dark inside, and the silhouette effect makes it look like a drawing.

Film: Shot on Kodak Tri-X 400

Equipment: Nikon Nikonos V + Nikonos 35mm F2.5

Statue of Liberty

Photographer: ronphoto

Photographer's statement: For the 1986 centennial and restoration celebration of the Statue of Liberty, I set up on the roof of my apartment in Brooklyn, NY.

Shot using Bulb mode at F8. A Black card was raised and lowered while the shutter was open. About two, three or four bursts were recorded without bumping the camera.

Film: Ektachrome 400

Equipment: Nikon F2 + Spiratone 600mm

Pods

Photographer: GrantsImages

Photographer's statement: Milkweed pods are one of my favorite subjects for still life. Shot on my back deck to allow the fluff to fly where it will. Wind helps to create an interesting and dynamic composition.

Film: Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100

Equipment: Mamiya RZ67 Pro II

The glory days of film

Photographer: Fabian from Swizzy Land

Photographer's statement: This photo was shot back in 2013, when film was out of fashion and buying a Hasselblad 500CM with an 80mm lens was quite cheap. I remember that I paid 500 Euros for the set and went out to Prague to capture the beauty of the city. I decided to use slide film because I wanted to be able to hold these colorful little 6x6 slides in my hands and look at them against the light.

Digitized with a Sony a7 IV and a Cinestill CS Light source.

Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100

Equipment: Hasselblad 500 C/M + Hasselblad 80mm F2.8 CF T* Carl Zeiss Planar

River gazing

Photographer: Loose_Canon

Photographer's statement: Last December, I was in Florence. Crossing one of the bridges, I noticed a young woman gazing out over the river. Quietly, I stood behind her and caught this moody frame.

Film: Ilford Delta 100

Equipment: Leica M2 + 35mm

I've gotten used to this camera over the last six years, but I recently learned I'm missing out on some things. Photo: Abby Ferguson

Cameras from the last handful of years are remarkably good. Most models can produce strong images, handle challenging lighting conditions and reliably get subjects in focus. Overall, they can make it simpler to get more images you like with less work. It's easy to look at what's available today and think: what's left to improve?

That said, my job puts me in an unusual position. I regularly get the opportunity to test new cameras, which means I'm constantly comparing them against my personal reference point: a Sony a7 III, a camera I've owned for six years, and that's now an eight-year-old model. Recently, I had a few weeks with the Sony a7 V, the a7 III's successor's successor, and used it the same way I use my own camera, photographing my pets, still life setups, a baseball game and a portrait session.

What I found is that the gap I'd assumed was negligible is, in certain areas, more significant than I expected. There are things about the latest generation I didn't want to give back. Certain aspects made me aware of what my eight-year-old model lacks compared to what more recent cameras bring to the table.

Image quality

Image quality gains over the past few years are only really visible in extreme situations, such as high contrast scenes, when you look closely. Photo: Abby Ferguson

Let's start with the most subtle and, therefore, most inconsequential change: image quality. While we may no longer be seeing giant leaps in image quality as we were at the beginning stages of digital photography, companies are still striving to bring improvements to the table. Often this takes the form of slight bumps in dynamic range, giving you a bit more flexibility when editing.

As expected, my most recent experience moving from an old mirrorless to a brand-new one wasn't a massive step up in image quality. In fact, it was very, very subtle. I had a few instances of photographing high-contrast and low-light situations where I saw a tiny bit more range, enabling me to get a little more from my files than I could have with my older device. But it was something I had to look closely for, not something that slapped me in the face with its obviousness. Will it matter in the day-to-day or for most shoots? Not really. But is it nice to have for certain situations? Sure.

Autofocus

Autofocus is one area that shows the most drastic changes when moving from an old camera to a new one. The fact that I was able to get in-focus shots in this darkroom without much frustration was huge. Photo: Abby Ferguson

The more substantial upgrade on modern cameras is the autofocus system. This was especially evident when moving from my DSLR to mirrorless, which uses an entirely different autofocus system. And while the jump isn't as drastic when going from a relatively old mirrorless camera, like my a7 III, to a more recent one, it still was a noticeable change that will make it a disappointment to go back to the older model.

Of course, the autofocus improvement you experience when upgrading is going to depend entirely on the model you upgrade from and to, and on what sorts of things you shoot. But broadly speaking, brands have made a handful of improvements in recent years that can make a noticeable difference in real-life situations.

First and foremost, I found the autofocus to be more reliable, especially in tricky situations. I still had misses, don't get me wrong. But I was able to use the camera in less-than-ideal conditions and still get usable shots. For example, I took photographs in a makeshift darkroom lit only with a red LED light, and still got some images in focus with relative ease. My eight-year-old personal camera likely would have struggled substantially with that, and would have at the very least been hunting for focus much more.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Another area that made a difference for me was the added subject detection modes. In my case, I went from a measly two options (human and animal) to a healthy list that includes specific types of animals and vehicles. Even more appreciated, though, is the automatic subject detection setting.

I photograph a range of subjects, with frequent switching between human portraits, my pets and still life scenes. My personal camera requires I fiddle with autofocus settings a fair amount when switching subjects in order to get reliable results. That's far from the case on the new model I used, though, and I was able to just leave it set to automatic and not think about it again. Plus, the subject detection is generally more successful at finding a subject (even with my black pets) and of sticking on them even as they move. My a7 III consistently fails at keeping a subject in focus as they move, so this is a big win for me.

Ergonomics and UI

I am going to miss the smoother exposure compensation dial greatly. Photo: Abby Ferguson

I know some people who refuse to buy the first generation of any type of product. Their thought process is that the brand has too many kinks to work out, and the later generations will show advancements that make the product actually worth using.

Cameras aren't an exception to the rule, and as each model comes along, brands iterate on its design, attempting to make the ergonomics and user interface better each time. Ergonomics are inherently personal, so new designs won't always be a win for you in particular. But refinements in these areas are generally useful and can make the camera more pleasant to hold and use, especially for long periods of time.

In my case, it came down to simple things that I only noticed after living with the camera for a few days and then going back to my older model. For example, the a7 V's exposure compensation dial rotates with much less resistance than my a7 III, making it easier to use quickly in the middle of a shoot. Because of that, I used it far more often, helping me dial in my shots more in-camera than I did previously.

On the UI front, the menus were more logical. That meant I didn't avoid them nearly as much as I had in the past. Instead of just dealing with annoying things because I didn't want to find the setting in the menus, I confidently went and adjusted what I needed to when I needed to, even if it was in the middle of a portrait session. All-in-all, the camera got in my way less, so I could focus more on the shoot.

Rear display

Being able to change the rear display position beyond tilt is hugely appreciated for my workflow. Photo: Mitchell Clark

Camera technology involves many parts that are also used in other devices, so improvements in those parts over the past few years have naturally made their way into cameras. Electronic displays, which we see on the rear screens and in EVFs of our cameras, are a great example of this.

I never thought I had complaints about the quality of the rear display on my personal camera, but after using something newer, it's one of the things I realized I was missing out on. It features a higher resolution and has a bit more contrast, making it easier for me to judge details and focus on the back of the camera. It's also brighter, which means I could see those things more easily when at a session in bright, open sunlight. The colors also look a bit nicer.

Simply put, it makes my images look a little better on the back of the camera. While that doesn't change the actual files at all, it is a confidence builder while in the midst of a shoot, and that's never a bad thing in my book.

A bigger upgrade for me, though, is the updated rear display form factor. Many companies have switched to articulating and fully tilting screens, which provide greater flexibility. I shoot a lot of vertical images, and I also put myself in awkward positions for photos on a regular basis. On my older camera, the tilt-only screen was useful for low shots, but that's really it. The newer rear displays allow me to adjust in just about any way I need to, making it easier for me to get the shots I want without fully contorting my body.

A new "good enough"

All of this isn't to say that all new cameras are inherently better than old ones. Or that you can't produce anything good with old cameras (I'd like to think my work shows that you can, but maybe that's my ego talking). I'm not here to tell everyone using an old camera that they need to upgrade as soon as possible.

And yet... using a recent camera made me aware of the (now apparent) shortcomings of my older model. There are improvements that don't really affect me because of my way of working (video specs, burst shooting features, etc.), but there are some that will be genuinely hard to live without now that I know how good it can be.

The DPReview homepage as it appears today.

After more than 25 years, DPReview is getting a completely new website. Here's what you need to know.

---

When DPReview first lit up the internet in 1998, the tech world was bracing for Y2K, computers used CRT monitors, and early digital camera owners waited minutes to upload a photo over a 56k modem. In the quarter century since, a lot has changed.

One thing that hasn't changed quite so dramatically, though, is our website. We've occasionally added features or applied a fresh coat of paint, but the changes have been evolutionary rather than transformative. That consistency was a feature, not a bug; we've never wanted to do a major site redesign unless we were confident it could preserve the core DPReview experience.

That time has come. We're in the final stages of building a completely new DPReview from the ground up, and years of reader feedback have shaped our thinking about what the new site needs to be.

What's changing

We all love nostalgia, but just like CompactFlash cards, it's time to leave some of our best-of-the-early-2000s web interfaces behind.

"We're in the final stages of building a completely new DPReview from the ground up..."

DPReview will be getting a new look and feel built for the modern web, designed to work great on both desktop and mobile devices. If you're a desktop user, you can look forward to faster load times, easier navigation, and a more modern experience.

If you're a mobile user, you'll no longer have to revert to our desktop site to see certain pages. Additionally, we've updated some of our favorite site tools that have never worked well on mobile devices and optimized them for mobile use, including our image comparison tool, product comparison tool and sample galleries.

Under the hood, we're leaving much of our legacy infrastructure behind. In its place, we'll be moving to a modern, widely supported codebase that will make it easier to develop new features and that we can confidently invest in well into the future.

What's not changing

Our editorial mandate is not changing. That means we're not going to change what we cover or how we cover it. We're committed to giving you the same camera reviews, tech explainers, opinion pieces, and photography stories DPReview is known for, written by the same people you've come to trust.

"Our editorial mandate is not changing."

Our community forums will also remain unchanged. Many of you will recall that we had to move our forums to a new platform in 2025 to ensure their continued operation. Other than some minor cosmetic updates to align with the new site design, the core forum experience will stay the same.

When is this happening?

We plan to roll out the new site within the next several weeks. As we get closer to launch we'll share interim updates, and maybe even some sneak peeks, so you can get a sense of what to expect.

The DPReview homepage in 2012. Although the site has received some facelifts over the years, the basic format is recognizable.

In the spirit of keeping you informed, there's one near-term change worth flagging. Our Challenges system is built around a structured timeline with phases for announcements, submissions, and voting. Since we don't want to disrupt challenges that may be in progress at the moment we move to the new system, we will be temporarily freezing the ability to start new challenges beginning on April 25th; challenges already underway will complete normally. A new Challenges system is coming, and we'll share more details on timing as we get closer.

Back to the future

A lot has changed since 1998. Many of you have been part of our community for much – or even all – of that history, and have experienced that change alongside us. That kind of loyalty isn't something we take lightly, and it's a big reason why getting this right matters to us.

"We plan to roll out the new site within the next several weeks."

We also want to be realistic. This is a massive project. Not only are we building new things, we're also migrating over 25 years of history and tens of thousands of articles to a completely new system. There will be a few things that won't be ready right out of the gate, and we'll make sure to address those as quickly as possible after launch. Additionally, despite plenty of testing, there will almost certainly be some unexpected bugs when the new site goes live, and we hope you'll be patient with us as we squash them with our tripod legs.

But it's going to be worth it: a more attractive, easier to navigate, more photo-focused website, representing a huge commitment to the site's future. We're excited to launch this new chapter in DPReview's history, and we think you're going to like what's coming.

---

FAQs

Is the current site broken? If not, why change?

Not broken, but overdue. The site has been running on the same aging codebase for over 25 years, and maintaining it has become increasingly costly and limiting. Moving DPReview onto a modern shared platform with our sister site Gear Patrol means we can invest in new features and improvements far more efficiently than we could on legacy infrastructure while keeping DPReview's editorial identity fully intact. The old system was a ceiling. This removes it.

Will this affect DPReview's editorial content?

Our editorial mandate isn't changing. We'll continue to bring you the same authoritative, unbiased coverage of cameras and photography you've come to depend on, written by the same people.

When can I see what the new site looks like?

We hope to share some sneak peeks in the weeks leading up to launch. You'll be able to see the full site on launch day.

Will the new site be faster?

Yes, the new site will be faster and more reliable for most things. That said, some functions are limited by factors outside our control. Downloading a large sample image, for example, still depends on your connection speed. We can make the site faster, but we can't speed up the entire internet :)

Will the review archive and the camera and lens databases be available at launch?

Yes. We are migrating all our existing content, including articles, reviews and the camera and lens databases.

Will the site still be optimized for desktop users with large monitors?

Absolutely. While mobile is an important part of the new design, we have no intention of short-changing desktop users. We love big, beautiful photos, and if you're on a large monitor, we want you to get the full benefit of that experience.

Will my saved bookmarks still work?

Yes, existing bookmarks will continue to work.

Why do you need to freeze the Challenges system?

The current Challenges system will not be carried over to the new site – we're building a new one that will launch after the site goes live. To avoid any challenges starting under the old system that can't be completed during the transition, we're freezing new challenge creation on April 25th. Any challenges already underway will complete normally before the switchover.

Will this affect the forums?

The new website will not change how our forums work. There may be minor cosmetic updates to align with the new site design, but the forum experience will remain fundamentally the same.

Will the new site have ads?

Yes. Advertising is one of the ways we fund DPReview's operations, and that won't change with the new site.

Will my account and post history be preserved?

Yes. Your account, comments, forum posts, and history will all carry over to the new site.

Will there be further updates after launch?

This is the beginning, not the end. We'll continue to make improvements after launch, and the new codebase will make it significantly easier to introduce new tools and features going forward.

How can I provide feedback?

You can leave a comment below or reach us at community@dpreview.com. Once the new site is live, we'll have a dedicated area of our forums where you can ask questions, discuss the changes, and share feedback.

Image: Harman Photo

Harman is a name that, for many, is synonymous with black and white film. After all, it's the company behind the staple monochrome brands Ilford and Kentmere. However, in 2023, parent company Harman Technology launched Harman Photo, a color film label, with Phoenix 200 as its first completely in-house color film.

Now, the brand has released a short documentary that walks through the process of developing a new color film and its goals moving forward. It's a really fascinating look into the R&D process for film companies, and offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their equipment and lab spaces. It also is neat to see (and hear from) some of the individuals behind this work.

To start, the team walks through the difficulty of color film in particular. "For a black and white film, there's a lot fewer layers, and it's very heavily silver-driven. When we are talking about color film, there's a lot more chemicals involved because we have to get the various layers of color that we need," says Giles Branthwaite, Sales & Marketing Director of Harman Technology.

Harman Photo developed these from scratch, too. "Our emulsions for color film are nothing like what we've done before. Everything that we do, every layer that we put on, every new model of film that we do is new from the ground up. There are no recipes for what we are creating. It's all coming out of the minds of R&D as we speak," says Greg Summers, Managing Director of Harman Technology.

"It's still not where we ultimately want to be."

It was also exciting to hear about the company's long-term goals, of which there are plenty. There have been two iterations of its Phoenix film, but they won't be stopping there. "It's still not where we ultimately want to be," says Branthwaite, a sentiment echoed by others featured in the video. They also specify that some tweaks weren't quite ready for Phoenix II, but will be ready soon, citing halation, sharpness, granularity and speed as some of the areas that will see improvements.

"There's some very experimental stuff coming soon. It's going to shock people."

Beyond the existing lineup, the video also teased that more films are on the way, and ones that we won't expect. "There's some very experimental stuff coming soon. It's going to shock people," says Josie Cowap, Lab Technician. Long term, they want to offer a "full range of products, full range of speeds, potentially different segments of the market," says Branthwaite. "As a brand, we want to be different. A little bit alternative, a little bit out there."

Image: Harman Photo

Greater availability could also be on the horizon. "We're anticipating our volumes will grow," says Branthwaite. The team walks through some of the investments made in the production facility, specifically the finishing line, where they spool all the film and package it. "These machines cannot be bought. We've had to design them, get them manufactured, put them together, so they really are bespoke," says Branthwaite.

So much investment in the facility is a good thing for us film fans. "This actually gives somebody hope that analog film will be around for the next 10, 20, 30 years going forward," says someone who works in the factory but wasn't named in the video. Indeed, as a film photographer, the whole story gives me hope for the film industry in the years to come.

Sudsville Laundry Fujifilm GFX100S w/ Fujinon GF63mm f/2.8 R WR | F10.0 | 1/20 sec | ISO 500 Photo: Scott Pilla

Scott Pilla (known as spilla in the forums) has a love of the night. His photography journey began with a peaceful walk around his university. Over the years that followed, he came to appreciate how that time of day can make a difference in one's photography.

"I started photography in undergrad at Cornell University, where I was interested in film photography. I spent years photographing landscapes and nature with a variety of gear. However, I didn't really find my own style until I got older and became a dad. I had no time during the day or to travel, and this is when night photography and I found each other."

"It was an escape, a time when I could be calm and unhurried. Gradually, it became the basis of most of my work. I also enjoy the technical challenge of capturing very high dynamic range night scenes, and editing them so they feel natural and tactile."

This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.

Have your photography featured on the DPReview homepage! Find out how.

Laundromat in Edgemere Fujifilm GFX100S w/ Fujinon GF45mm f/2.8 R WR | F7.1 | 1/15 sec | ISO 500 Photo: Scott Pilla

Meet Scott Pilla (spilla)

Home base: Baltimore, USA

Favorite camera and lens: Scott Pilla’s go-to setup includes the Fujifilm GFX100S camera, praised for its incredible detail and dynamic range, especially in low light. He pairs it with the Fujifilm GF45/2.8 lens, which delivers sharp, natural rendering and resists flare, making it ideal for his night photography and atmospheric shots.

What's in Scott's bag

• Primary cameras: Fujifilm GFX100S
• Lenses:
  • Fujifilm GF30/3.5
  • Fujifilm GF45/2.8
  • Fujifilm GF63/2.8
  • Laowa 20/4 Shift
• Support gear: Scott uses an FLM CP30-L4 tripod with a RRS BH-55 head for most shots, though he often shoots handheld, even in low-light conditions. He’s also equipped with a range of accessories for fine-tuning composition and stability.
• Camera bags: He finds the Think Tank Mindshift Photocross backpack especially useful for its comfort and side-access design, which makes it easy to grab gear quickly when shooting in dynamic conditions.

Scott's camera bag Photo: Scott Pilla

If you had to pick one favorite item from your gear, what is it and why?

"I love my Fuji GF45/2.8 lens. It renders beautifully and cleanly and is good at resisting flares, making it the perfect night lens."

"I also always carry a tripod (FLM CP30-L4, RRS BH-55 head), but often shoot hand-held. Since I'm often out in the weather, a few microfiber cloths are a must to keep the lens dry. That, and a good pair of gloves. I use the Think Tank Mindshift Photocross backpack. It's comfortable, and I like the side access; it's helpful when you need to get the gear quickly."

The Nautilus diner in Timonium, MD, USA Fujifilm GFX100S w/ Fujinon GF45mm f/2.8 R WR | F3.2 | 1/6 sec | ISO 500 Photo: Scott Pilla

What interesting environments and scenes do you shoot in?

"I mostly photograph the area in and around Baltimore, MD. I maintain a list of potential subjects and hit them up when the conditions are right. I also have a series of photographs from central Pennsylvania, near where my wife grew up. We often travel there to visit my wife's parents, and I am exploring that area as well. For example, I have a series from Fantasy Island, the abandoned strip club in Duncannon, PA."

"I find inspiration in mundane things, slices of life that are transformed into something unexpected. I am often out shooting in the weather – fog, snow, rain. My family knows that if it's a foggy night, I'll be home late for breakfast (but I'll bring donuts from Fenwick Bakery). I'm always looking for interesting interactions between natural atmosphere and artificial light."

National Auto Fujifilm GFX100S w/ Fujinon GF45mm f/2.8 R WR | F8.0 | 1/10 sec | ISO 500 Photo: Scott Pilla

What's a great night scene that seems almost too simple but jumps out once it's captured on camera?

"I took a photograph of National Auto at the start of a snowstorm. The structure's color caught my eye, and then I was drawn in by the details – the empty chairs in the window, the neon sign partway through construction, the cone and chain buried in the snow. This was a business transitioning from one thing to another, getting covered up by the natural world. I went for a straight-on composition, simplifying the scene. I took the shot handheld at 1/10s to capture the falling snow through the street lights like little pen flourishes, adding texture."

For eager photographers to capture it all, what would you suggest?

"In editing, I intentionally chose not to perfectly correct the perspective, leaving the building just a little wonky, which, to me, was part of its charm. I do my main editing in Lightroom, then apply film simulations using Dehancer to emulate some of the color and feel of film photography."

World Ends Today Fujifilm GFX100S w/ Fujinon GF45mm f/2.8 R WR | F5.0 | 1/13 sec | ISO 500 Photo: Scott Pilla

Scott really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. You can also find Scott's work on his photography website. Thanks, Scott, for being featured!

If you'd like to share your photography, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!

---

Editor's note: This article continues a series, 'What's in your bag?', highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you're selected for a feature, we'll be in touch with next steps.

Submit your photos and story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

Photo: Viltrox

Viltrox has announced a new version of its AF 35mm F1.2 Lab lens for Sony E-mount. The AF 35mm F1.2 Lab N FE remains the same as the first-generation model, with the exception of one omission: the display.

The first iteration of the 35mm Lab lens, featured a somewhat chunky rectangular display on the top of the lens. Viltrox has used this type of display on a handful of lenses, which stick out slightly and break up the smooth lines of the lens. Ditching the display results in a cleaner, more streamlined design.

Image: viltrox

Nikon made a similar move with two of its lenses. The Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 and 70-200mm F2.8 both featured a display on the first generation, but Nikon ditched it in the second-gen versions. Nikon also made those models substantially lighter, but that isn't the case with the VIltrox lens. Viltrox shaved off roughly 10 grams (0.3 oz) by removing the screen, but that's it.

Beyond lacking a display, the lens remains exactly the same as the first version. It offers an aperture ring that can be clicked and de-clicked, AF/MF switch, and two customizable buttons. Optically, it is the same lens as the one we tested out earlier this year. If you want to get an idea of how it performs, or just want to see some cool pictures form Japan, check out this article.

The screenless AF 35mm F1.2 Lab N FE will be available alongside the original, so you can choose if you want the screen or not. It keeps the same $999 price as well, and it is available for purchase now.

Photo: Jared Sanders

Photographing rocket launches presents distinct challenges; you get one shot at a seconds-long window, the environment is extreme and the flexibility for creativity is limited. Photographer Jared Sanders has made this his specialty, and for Artemis II, the first crewed Moon mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, the pressure was unlike anything he had experienced before.

Despite that pressure, Sanders came home with some striking images and videos of the launch, including an unplanned moment of a newly engaged couple celebrating in front of his lens. To learn about what it takes to create images worthy of the moment, we sat down with Sanders to talk about his background, gear, logistics and more.

From visual effects to the launch pad

Sanders didn't start his career photographing rockets or even using a camera at all. Instead, he went to school for visual effects in 2008 and went straight to California after graduating to work for VFX studios, where he was far from any camera work or filming. That changed when he started working for a rare end-to-end studio – one that pitched, produced and delivered its own projects – and became a visual effects supervisor.

For the first time, he was on set alongside directors and camera operators. "There was no pressure on me to be part of the production in that capacity, but I was still able to absorb all of that knowledge," he said. "Instantly, I was hooked."

"It turned out all the knowledge that I had learned over the years actually was useful"

In 2017, Sanders wanted something different and co-founded a creative marketing agency with a friend. With just two employees and clients to serve, there was no budget to hire a photographer, so Sanders handled the visuals himself. "It turned out all the knowledge that I had learned over the years actually was useful," he told me. "The skill set that I had from working in the studio of how to light things and properly pitch, how to write and direct a project, all that started coming together."

During the pandemic, a second child, a parting of ways with his business partner and a desire to get out of Los Angeles sent him back to the Florida Space Coast, where he had grown up. Starting from scratch, he looked around for what he could capture consistently without traveling far. "I grew up here, I knew about rocket launches, and during this whole time, it had started ramping up with SpaceX, especially," he said. "I was like, I really want to start shooting rocket launches."

Getting access, getting it wrong

Getting to the press site involves some logistics, including buses and a security check of gear. Photo: Jared Sanders

With that goal in mind, Sanders reached out to local photographers to ask about getting access to NASA and how they take their shots. Those photographers pointed him toward Space Explored, a space-focused publication in the 9to5Mac network that was looking for photographers and videographers. He pitched himself, got the green light, and went through NASA's formal media credentialing process.

Access is one thing, but the harder part is getting the shots. His earliest attempts were off-site long-exposure shots from the beach, trying to capture the rocket's arc across a four-minute exposure. Keeping the camera perfectly still for that long, firing at the right moment and waiting while the screen blacks out during exposure and processing made for a steep introduction. "The rocket's gone, and you're like, did I get it?" he said. Frequently, the answer was no.

Photographing launches at night is especially difficult due to the extreme contrast, as shown in this image of the Artemis I launch. Photo: Jared Sanders

Sanders told me that rocket photography has a few big challenges: the short duration of the event and the intensity of the plume. "Even as an experienced photographer, the thing that is really tricky with rockets that I have I've never experienced with anything else... is the speed because you only get one shot at it per attempt," he said. "You get this 30-second arc, and then it's sort of out of sight."

"It's so bright. At nighttime, especially, you're literally exposing for night and the sun at the same time."

The engine plume also complicates things. "It's so bright. At nighttime, especially, you're literally exposing for night and the sun at the same time. So you have to pick and choose your battle," he explained. "Obviously, camera technology has gotten a lot better. So you can sort of fix some of that with modern technology. But at the same time, you're going to lose something in that battle. You're going to lose either your highlights or you're going to lose your shadows. It's just what are you gonna pick?"

For photographers shooting from public sites rather than the press site, location is most of the creative work. From the press lawn, though, everyone is pointing in roughly the same direction across the same arc, three and a half miles from the pad. "It's so hard to make your stuff look different from any other photographer out there," he said. "You either get lucky and pick a spot no one else has, or you figure out a way to treat your footage and photos so they look just a little bit different."

Sanders also photographed the astronauts walking out to the rocket, using his Super 8 camera. Photos: Jared Sanders

Most photographers at the press sites are there capturing typical news shots, which means very minimal color correction and editing. It's what press wires need, but he had the flexibility to try something else. "I edit my rocket photos the way I would edit my normal photography," he said. "The coloring just looks a little bit different. It may lean a little more toward the normal color palette I'd use for my landscape photos or whatever other photos I'd be taking in that series."

Sanders has also brought film to launches to create something different. For Artemis II, he said he was the only person at the press site recording video with Super 8 film. He put a roll of Kodak 500T through the camera, which he recently sent off and is waiting to see if it worked out. "Those are the kind of things that I try to do differently, to set myself a little bit apart from the other photographers."

Remote cameras and technical details

Sanders didn't have remote cameras for Artemis II, but he did have remote setups for the first Artemis launch. Photos: Jared Sanders

Remote cameras come with their own logistical challenges. NASA buses credentialed photographers out to preset zones about a half mile from the pad, where cameras are left unattended until after the launch. Sanders explained that focus is locked manually, and most photographers use sound-activated triggers (Sanders and many others use Miops), which fire the camera the moment the rocket's acoustics reach them.

For a mission like Artemis, installing remote cameras means journeying to the Cape multiple days before launch. "You have to go through a whole security check with your camera gear," he told me. "Then you get on the bus. So it's like a whole day event to get out there and set the cameras up." If the mission gets scrubbed, you'll have to go back out to pick up your gear and set it up all over again at a different date.

"You're still within a half mile of the rocket. I've seen a lot of pitted lenses from like fuel or just debris."

Protecting the camera is also critical. Sanders said you have to bag the camera or have it in a box so that it doesn't get rained on, and he also uses hand warmers to keep the intense Florida humidity out. There's also a physical risk to the gear from the launch itself. "You're definitely putting your gear at risk," Sanders said. "You're still within a half mile of the rocket. I've seen a lot of pitted lenses from like fuel or just debris."

Sanders knew he would lose highlight detail on the plume, but was more concerned with balancing the exposure of the clouds and rocket. Photo: Jared Sanders

In terms of camera settings, Sanders explained that some photographers use aperture priority and let the camera adapt to rapidly changing light. He, however, shoots full manual, preferring greater control and a more consistent sequence of exposures that he can cut together almost like a time-lapse. Choosing the exact settings comes down to the priorities of each shot. For the remote cameras, "that's where you're like, 'Okay, I really want to see detail in the engines and the flames,'" Sanders explained.

The shots from the press sites, which are farther from the launch, serve different purposes. "When you're far away, to me it's more about the story you're telling with the scenery and where you are," he said. That might mean letting the brightest parts of the engines and plume lose detail. "Even from my still shots, I think that the exhaust and the engines were a little bit blown out... The clouds were really nice that day, and I wanted to make sure you could see the clouds and the rocket contrast against the sky."

The setup for Artemis II

Sanders went into the Artemis II launch with a specific plan and an extensive kit in tow to execute. He arrived at the press site with six cameras: a Red Komodo X for a landscape-oriented video, a Nikon ZR for a portrait-oriented video, a Fujifilm GFX 100 II with a 500mm lens for stills, a 360° camera and Insta360 Ace Pro 2 for behind-the-scenes footage and the Super 8 setup on a tripod (which differed slightly from his plan laid out in the video above).

Sanders also packed two lenses for his video cameras: a 1995 parfocal broadcast lens and a Tamron 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD. He put the Tamron on his Komodo and planned to use the broadcast lens on the ZR. However, when he arrived on site, he discovered that Nikon had a tent with gear available for anyone to borrow for the launch.

He walked over just to check it out, without any intention of borrowing anything, since he already had so much gear with him. But the Nikon representative mentioned he had the 600mm F4 with him. "It's like a $16,000 lens, and I was like, well, I gotta use it because I'm not gonna buy this lens ever, and I'm not going to rent it. So, I'm going to use it," he said.

When the unplanned makes the shot

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jared Sanders (@hyprlyte)

That 600mm ended up being the key to getting a clip that stood out from the rest, which you can see above (it was also what got my attention and sparked this interview). He knew he had a wide view covered with the Komodo, so he wanted something different from the ZR with the 600mm lens. "I have this prime lens. It's going to have tons of compression. I can at least get some people in the foreground," he explained. "It would be cool to see some scale of the rocket. And that was my main intention." So he set up the camera at a distance from one of the angles that people usually shoot from and chose a low-angle shot looking up.

The rest of the shot was pure serendipity. "I pointed it up, and these people walked in front, and I had no idea anybody was going to be there just yet. But when these people walk in front, they start hugging, and the rocket's right in between them," Sanders recounted. "I'm like, 'Oh, oh my gosh.' If they're there hugging when this thing goes off, that's going to be pretty cool."

Sanders has shot enough previous launches to know that people always react to the wall of sound, and said that the first Artemis launch was especially crazy. So he had high hopes for a cool reaction if they stayed in front of his camera, but it was still a wait-and-see situation. "The press site's really big, so I'm probably like a football field away from the camera where I'm actually shooting," he told me. "I run over at like six minutes to go, and I hit record, hoping I have a full battery. And I was recording at 6K Raw, so I was like 'oh my gosh, I hope it doesn't run out of memory.'"

Three behind-the-scenes images from the launch. You can see a behind-the-scenes video here. Photos: Jared Sanders

He went back to his main spot and captured the launch with the other cameras, taking only a brief moment to look through the viewfinder to revel in the view without taking photos. When he went back to the ZR and reviewed the footage, he saw that the couple who had been hugging before the launch were jumping and cheering during the launch right in front of his camera.

"It ended up being a story within a story."

While everyone else rushed to get their clips and photos up as soon as possible, Sanders opted to go home, spend time with his family and then color grade, finally getting the video up around midnight. He assumed he missed the magical window, but the video blew up on Instagram. At some point, the woman in the video was tagged. She reached out and told him that she and her fiancé are both in the space program, and that they had just gotten engaged at the Artemis II rollout. She even asked if she could use the footage in their wedding video (to which he said yes). "It ended up being a story within a story," he said.

There's also more of that clip that he hasn't released yet: after the rocket clears the frame, the two of them standing still, hands together, staring up at the dissipating plume. "They're like two kids seeing Disney for the first time," he said. He plans to put a reel together around it eventually. For now, it's sitting on a hard drive; it's the kind of footage, he said, that makes you want to back it up in fifteen places.

---

You can see more of Sanders's work at his website, on his YouTube channel or on his Instagram account.

Minamata (2020) movie trailer cover Image: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Featured films are not necessarily the first thing you consider when selecting a topic for a photography discussion, but we did just that last week when asking our community about their favorite photography-related shows and movies. We were blown away (a bad pun intended, related to the suggested movie, Blowup) by the wide range of results.

Our Reviews Editor, Mitchel Clark, got the jump on the community by suggesting the documentary Side By Side (2012):

"Oh boy, a chance to promote one of my favorite documentaries, 2012's Side By Side. Keanu Reeves talks to a bunch of filmmakers about how the movie industry is transitioning from film to digital, and goes into the pros and cons of each. Obviously, 14 years later, there's been a lot of progress made, especially on the digital side, but I still think it's a fascinating watch." - Mitchell

Check out the top suggestions below, and then let us know in the comments what your favorite photography-related show or movie is!

Movies

Lee (2023) film poster Image: Brouhaha Entertainment and Juggle Films

Morris Trichon: "My favorite Photography movie is Blowup, released in 1966. Blowup had a significant effect on me, and so I wanted to minor in photography. I was majoring in Aerospace Engineering. My advisor would not sign off, telling me I would spend too much time in the darkroom and probably flunk out of engineering and become a starving photographer. In the end, I completed my engineering degree, but have been involved in photography my entire life. Thank you, Blowup."

Swerky: "Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window with James Stewart in his chair and his Exakta VX 35mm SLR."

AbrasiveReducer: "Pecker. The problem is, most movies about photography show the impossible, like prints developing instantly under bright red safelights (bleach & redevelop) or handheld cameras doing surveillance from a quarter mile away, which is then enlarged to show a person's name tag. Even Sony can't do that."

Progman: "The 2024 film Civil War was chilling when it first came out, and even more so when rewatched more recently, given the current political climate. Seeing war photographers putting themselves in harm’s way, and experiencing the accumulated trauma they experience, is moving."

Shows and Documentaries

Ansel Adams (2002) documentary poster Image: Steeplechase Films and Sierra Club Productions

Tunnan: "War Photographer is an Oscar-nominated documentary following James Nachtwey shooting on location and in the darkroom. It is a fascinating film showing his approach to his life and work. I saw it in the cinema 25 years ago when I was just starting out as a press photographer, and although my career has never taken me to war, the film was a great inspiration. While researching this reply, I noticed it has been uploaded to YouTube, so I would give it a watch."

Don Sata: "Sebastiao Salgado's The Salt of the Earth. A beautiful retrospective documentary on the greatest photographer ever."

Lensmate: "Music Through the Lens is an eye-opening, six-part, thrill ride through the amazing world of music photography."

Kodachrome (2017) movie poster Image: 21 Laps Entertainment

There were many other great show and movie recommendations shared in the forums. You'll have no shortage of nostalgic photography-related content to watch.

Keep ready for the next Question of the week to participate in this series. New questions are posted here on the homepage and in the forums every other week. We can't wait to read and share your stories!

Share your favorite photography-related shows and movies!

The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2, pictured on an S1II body Photo: Richard Butler

Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 40mm F2, a small, fast lens for L-mount that recalls its much-loved 20mm F1.7 prime for Micro Four Thirds.

The lens gives a fractionally-wider-than-normal field of view on full frame sensors and has been designed to match the dimensions of the 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 kit zoom for the S9, in its retracted, carry-around state.

Panasonic described it to us as "more of a muffin lens than a pancake."

The $400 lens features seven elements in six groups, with three of those elements being aspherics. Its relatively modest price results in a 7-blade aperture design, but despite this, sees seals deployed at all the key points around the lens to provide dust, splash and freeze resistance down to -10°C (14°F).

Likewise, while Panasonic has avoided the cost of including a lens hood (and the costs of designing one to match it), it's made sure to include a lens function button on the side of the barrel. The focus ring has the usual options to control focus throw and focus direction, or act as a control ring.

The S 40mm F2.0 weighs just 144g (5.1oz). It accepts the same 62mm filters as the 18-40mm and its front element has a fluorine coating.

The 40mm F2 will be available from Early June at a recommended price of $399, exc sales tax.

Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2.0 sample gallery

We've been shooting with the 40mm for a while and, even paired with an S1RII, found it plays a big part in making the camera/lens combination more carryable.

While a distortion correction profile is embedded in the lens, and we've applied it to the images in the gallery, its effects are extremely subtle. The lens is not utilizing high levels of correction.

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.

Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2 specifications

Image: DxO

Software company DxO has announced the ninth iteration of Nik Collection, its suite of seven creative editing plugins. Nik Collection 9 introduces updated masking tools and new filters for photographers looking to add creative finishing touches to their images.

The most notable update is the addition of more advanced masking tools via the Local Adjustments toolbar. In Nik Collection 8, DxO added the ability to import Photoshop's AI-powered selections (such as Select Subject), but otherwise, selection tools remained rather simple and required direct user input. Now, the company has added AI-powered masking to Nik Collection apps, no Photoshop or manual selections required.

One of the newly added masking tools promises to select parts of a scene based on how far they were from the camera. Image: DxO

The updated AI masks come in two different forms. First, users can select subjects and objects, just like they can in Photoshop. There's also the new Depth Mask option, which uses AI to create a depth map, allowing users to make adjustments to specific areas based on the distance from the camera. Because it's AI-powered, it works without embedded distance data from the camera.

Both types of masking rely on local processing, so images stay on the user's computer. They can be fully adjusted and fine-tuned as needed. To aid with that, DxO added new Mask Overlays that make it easier to see where a mask is. Masks can also be copied and pasted from one filter to another, saving time from having to reselect that same area for a different adjustment.

Halation filter	Blending Modes
Glass Effect	Chromatic Shift

Nik Collection 9 also features three new filters. The Chromatic Shift option recreates the look of ink misalignment from magazine days, with full control over the direction and level of shift and the colors shifted. The Glass Effect filter makes it look like your subject is behind a sheet of textured glass, and the Halation filter aims to replicate the look of the glowing highlights characteristic of certain film stocks.

DxO is also giving users more control over how those filters interact with the image. It has added 18 different blending modes to Color Efex and Analog Efex, which will be a familiar option to Photoshop users. There's also a new Preset Hover Preview option, providing instant, real-time previews of presets without clicking back and forth between the options.

A new Color Grading menu aims to make it easier to adjust the colors in a photo. Image DxO

Lastly, there is now a color grading menu, which keeps all color controls in a single color wheel. Users can select three points for highlights, shadows and midtones, adjusting the color of each area. Additionally, a slider below the color wheel shows the color grade from shadows to highlights and allows users to shift all tones at once.

DxO's Nik Collection 9 is available for download now. It costs $180 for a new perpetual license, or $100 for those upgrading from Nik Collection 7 or 8.

Image: Apple

After months of swirling rumors, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that he'll be stepping down from the position later this year. He's been in the role since 2011, after being named as successor to co-founder Steve Jobs.

Replacing him will be John Ternus, who is currently senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, responsible for leading the teams that make the hardware for the iPhone, iPad, Mac and more. In his letter, Cook describes Ternus as "a brilliant engineer and thinker who has spent the past 25 years building the Apple products our users love so much, obsessed with every detail, focused on every possible way we can make something better, bolder, more beautiful, and more meaningful."

Of course, a transition this big isn't happening in a day; Cook will remain as head of the company until September 1st, 2026, and will continue on as executive chairman. (That does mean there's a chance Ternus is the one to announce the next iPhone, as those typically debut in September; a monumental task in your first few weeks as CEO.)

Apple is a massive player in the camera industry

While Apple is, at its core, a computer and phone company, it's also a massive player in the camera industry thanks to the iPhone. When Tim Cook became CEO, the company's flagship product was the iPhone 4, a phone with a single camera taking single-shot exposures that was nevertheless just beginning to have an impact on the sales of compact cameras. Since then, smartphones have largely taken over that market, now sporting much larger sensors, advanced multi-shot stacking and several camera modules to provide a selection of focal lengths.

We'll have to wait and see if Ternus' background in hardware leads him to make different decisions than Cook, who came from the operations and logistics side of the company. And any high-level changes in the iPhone as a camera, or the Mac as an editing platform, won't be immediately obvious starting with their next versions. But over a few years, we'll start to see the impact of having a new person in charge of what is one of the world's largest camera companies.

Image: Viltrox

Viltrox has announced two new full-frame lenses, a 35mm F1.8 and a 55mm F1.8. The lenses are part of its Evo lineup, which it pitches as providing essential focal lengths that are sharp edge-to-edge.

The company says the lenses have apochromatic optical designs to control the color fringing that comes from chromatic aberration. The 35mm has 13 elements in 10 groups with 2 ED elements, 3 HR lenses and 1 UA element and can focus as close as 0.34m (13.4"). The 55mm, meanwhile, is made up of 13 elements in 9 groups with a similar mix of special glass as the 35mm, minus one HR lens. It can focus as close as 0.43m (16.9"). The company says the UA element used in the lenses is the same one that's found in its flagship Lab series of lenses. Both lenses have 9-bladed apertures.

The lenses have all the controls we expect from mid-range primes. We plan to produce a sample gallery with the 55mm F1.8 soon. Photo: Mitchell Clark

Both lenses use an STM motor for autofocus. They also share a similar list of physical features: a customizable FN button, a switch to change the aperture ring from clicked to declicked, and an AF/MF switch. They also have a rubber seal on the lens mount for weather resistance, and a coating on the front lens to repel water and smudges.

The 35mm lens weighs 355g (12.5oz) for E-mount – around 20g more for Z mount – and the Sony version of the 55mm lens weighs 370g (13oz), with the same delta for Nikon. Both are relatively compact at around 76mm long and have 58mm filters.

While Viltrox has long offered both F1.8 35mm and 50mm options that were similarly lightweight and compact, it's nice to see the company build out its Evo line, especially given that it's aiming to offer quite impressive optical designs. The one somewhat disappointing aspect of the launch is mount availability: both modes will be available for Sony E and, somewhat surprisingly, given recent patent litigation, Nikon Z. It would've been nice to see it also launch for L-mount, or to at least get some hint on whether it'll be available on it in the future.

The AF 35mm F1.8 Evo (also known as the AF 35mm F1.8 II) retails for $395, and the AF 55m F1.8 Evo costs $370. They're available now.

---

Viltrox AF 35mm F1.8 II Evo

Viltrox AF 55mm F1.8 Evo

Viltrox 35mm F1.8 Evo specifications:

Viltrox 55mm F1.8 Evo specifications:

Image: GoPro

Last week, GoPro announced the Mission 1 series, a lineup of what the company says are "compact cinema cameras" with Type 1 sensors, the ability to shoot 4K/120 open gate and, on one of them, a Micro Four Thirds mount. But a key part of the story was missing: the price.

Thankfully, GoPro has just announced it, earlier than expected. The standard Mission 1 will retail for $599, while the Mission 1 Pro and Mission 1 Pro ILS will both sell for $699 (though, of course, it's bring your own lens with the latter). If you pay for the company's subscription service, which includes the ability to automatically upload footage from your camera to the cloud, you can get $100 off the MSRP of one of the cameras, or up to $150 off one of the accessory bundles.

If you want to get the full story on the cameras, you can read our coverage here. The prices, added to the fact that the cameras were announced at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, and that the camera's maximum bitrate was designed to meet Netflix's requirements, suggest that the Mission 1 series is less consumer-oriented than the Hero series; the Hero 13 Black retails for around $430. They also put the Mission 1 Pro ILS in competition with some other video-focused, APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, such as the Canon EOS R50V and Nikon Z30.

The company has started accepting preorders on its site for the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro, which will be available starting May 28th. The version with the lens mount is still set to arrive in "Q3 2026."

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show is in full swing, and Nikon has joined in, releasing a YouTube video teasing new Z Cinema glass. The video, which is also co-branded with Red, also heralds "a new Nikkor chapter."

The lens(es?) is only shown in shadow, but behind it, videos of older Nikon lenses are projected. Notably, it seems like the footage largely depicts wide-angle lenses, including a fisheye model and a 12-24mm; whether that's a hint or a coincidence, we'll have to wait and see. The video also shows cinema-styled controls, an autofocus/manual focus switch, and a line of lenses, which could hint that what's being announced is a series, rather than a single option.

Whatever Nikon ends up announcing – currently, the video and its description contain no mention of a date – it's interesting to see that the company is working on expanding its options for pro video. It already teased late last year that it was working on cinema-focused lenses, and has released a very video-focused lens in the Z 28-135mm F4 PZ power zoom.

Photos: Mitchell Clark

Thypoch is showing off a groundbreaking lens at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show this weekend: the Voyager 24-50mm F2.8, a full-frame autofocus zoom. It's not just a first for the brand; it's the first full-frame autofocus zoom lens we've seen from a Chinese manufacturer.

While this kind of lens has seemed like an inevitability for a while, as we've seen increasingly ambitious primes from the likes of Viltrox, Laowa and Sirui, it's a bit surprising that it's come from Thypoch. The company is mainly known for manual focus primes, though its sister brand, DZOFilm, does make a range of manual focus zooms focused on cinema users.

The company isn't releasing full details for the lens yet – though stay tuned – but you can tell just by looking at it that the goal was to make it relatively compact. It's around the same size as Sony's 24-50mm F2.8 G lens, though Thypoch's lens features an internally-zooming design: this is no clone. It also has a clicking aperture ring, a customizable function button and an AF/MF switch.

The Voyager 24-50mm F2.8 is relatively compact for a fast, full-frame zoom.

The brand teased this lens on Instagram a few weeks ago, but its public unveiling is exciting, as it means it's one step closer to launching. We've seen Chinese manufacturers offer very decent budget prime lenses, and even come into their own with more advanced optics, becoming a competitive force driving the traditional players to come up with interesting offerings. If the same happens for zoom lenses, 2025 may not hold the title of the most interesting year for lenses for that much longer.

We've been able to spend some time with the lens and get some sample images with it, which you can check out below. We'll go more in-depth into image quality in a future article. For now, the high-level overview is that we found it to be relatively impressive, though we noticed some softness at the edges (especially when shooting wide open) and a propensity to flare under bright lighting.

We were impressed by its build quality; the aperture ring is satisfying to turn, and the rubber coating on the zoom and focus rings makes it very easy to handle.

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

Thank you to Sony for the loan of a Sony a7R V to capture this gallery. All images were processed using our standard lens workflow in Capture One, with no vignetting correction applied.

While video is becoming increasingly popular, and cameras' video features continue to become more sophisticated, there are still plenty of photographers who simply aren't interested in it.

And, in a time where cameras are already so good that the improvements on the photo side tend to be incremental, rather than groundbreaking, it can look like manufacturers are only interested in expanding their video capabilities.

This has, perhaps understandably, led to frustration among sections of the photography community. But it can also lead to the belief that a photo-only camera would be cheaper, which is not generally the case.

Generally, manufacturers only develop separate models if they believe there is a distinct audience to target, which is why, for instance, Nikon's ZR cinema/vlogging crossover camera is intentionally missing some features that would make it more appealing to someone that might otherwise buy a Z6III. Wheras, conversely, a stills-only version of the Z6III would compete for the same audience, leaving people to choose between a full-featured hybrid and a camera with the same components but artificially restricted.

Click here to read a fuller explanation of why taking video out of your camera wouldn't make it less expensive.

This weekend, the National Association of Broadcasters show (NAB) is in full swing. While announcements stemming from it typically focus on professional video, there were a surprising number of announcements this year that may appeal to photographers and camera enthusiasts, including Canon's use of an emerging sensor technology, GoPro releasing a camera with a Micro Four Thirds mount and BlackMagic adding photo editing to Davinci Resolve.

Richard, Dale and Mitchell sat down to discuss these announcements and what impact they may have on the future of photography.

Photo: Getty Images

AI has been a hot topic on the forums for a while now. Recently, members have asked us to develop clear guidelines for the fair, well-defined use of AI tools in the forums, especially when they involve the community's photography.

We're at the early draft stage of this process. Our goal is to craft a simple policy that defines best practices and clear boundaries. As with many major community policy updates around new technologies and tools, rather than just announcing a set of guidelines out of the blue, we want to create them with our community's input and ensure your voices are heard.

If you are part of our forum community or would like an excuse to join one of the many discussions there, please visit our AI thread and tell us what you think.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Share your opinion on AI use in our forums

Photo: Mitchell Clark

A camera companion app can unlock convenience and useful creative controls, provided it actually works well. Every major brand now offers at least one such app, promising remote camera control, wireless image transfer, GPS sharing and more, but the reality is often a mix of useful features and flaky connections.

In this piece, we're taking a closer look at Sony's latest effort – the Creators' App – to see how far things have come from the early, frustrating days of camera apps. The Creators' App supports models going back to the a7S III and is the default for newer bodies. The previous‑generation Imaging Edge Mobile app also works with many of the same cameras, but its newest supported body is the a1 II, so we will be focusing on the Creators' App here.

Index:

• Connectivity and reliability
• Transfer, editing and sharing tools
• Remote control and live view
• GPS sharing
• Firmware and maintenance features

I used the Google Pixel 10a for all of my testing, but my colleague reports a similar experience on an iPhone 15 Pro, except where otherwise noted. Your experience and options may differ depending on your device.

Connectivity and reliability

To do most things in the app, you'll need to use a Wi-Fi connection.

Connecting a camera to the Creators' App for the first time is straightforward and very quick, so it's feasible to do even if you're in a rush. The process uses a Bluetooth connection for initial pairing, along with basic functions like camera status and firmware updates when you open the app each subsequent time.

Most features, though, require either a Wi-Fi connection or a physical USB-C tether between your phone and camera. Using a USB-C cable provides a faster, more stable connection for file importing or camera control than a wireless one, but it also defeats the app's purpose in some use cases, so I've focused on Wi-Fi for my testing. Tapping the "Remote Shooting" or "Import" options will trigger a pop-up that asks which connection type you want to use. This will pop up each time unless you tap the box to "Use Wi-Fi connection from next time."

Left: The pop-up on the left will show up every time you connect to your camera via Wi-Fi unless you disable it. Right: The connection process isn't very speedy.

When you connect via Wi-Fi for the first time on Android phones, you'll see a message from your phone's system informing you that the Creators' App wants to use a temporary Wi-Fi network. Selecting "Connect" will disconnect your phone from any other Wi-Fi networks and pair it with the camera's network.

Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi connection process takes much longer than Bluetooth pairing. Over the course of my testing, it took roughly 16 seconds to connect each time (occasionally faster or slower), which is just long enough to be annoying. The Wi-Fi connection will remain active as long as you remain in the app, or you can end the connection by tapping "Connected via Wi-Fi" just below the camera name.

You can opt to keep the camera connected to your phone even if you leave the app, saving you connection time if you are going back and forth.

If you are going to be in and out of the app during a session and don't want to wait for it to reconnect each time, you can choose to stay connected even when you close the app via the gear icon in the top right corner. Staying connected lets you access the remote control or image transfer options nearly instantly, but it also means that, as long as your camera is on, your phone won't be connected to any other Wi-Fi networks.

The connection was mostly reliable, though there were a few occasions when it dropped unexpectedly, or the camera failed to connect to my Android phone. There was one instance that happened multiple times in a row. These were rare, though, so it didn't drastically impede my use of the app.

Transfer, editing and sharing tools

If you want to transfer Raw files, you'll need to change the "Image Size for Importing" option to "Original," even if you turned Raw on for the import target option.

Many look to companion apps to make sharing photos and videos faster and easier. The Creators' App supports those tools, with options for image and video transfer, cloud syncing and sharing.

On the image transfer side of things, you can choose whether to import 'JPEG and HEIF,' Raw or Raw + JPEG / Raw + HEIF. There are a few important things to note here. First, the camera can't output HEIF and JPEG at the same time, so despite the "and," you'll only be importing one of those.

It's also important to be aware that the app has a setting called 'Image Size for Importing,' which defaults to resizing synced files to less than 2MP. At that setting, the app converts the Raw file to a resized JPEG, and downsizes JPEGs, no matter what you have your file types set to. If you don't change this to 'Original,' you're not actually getting full‑resolution or Raw files.

From left to right: the camera's main folder, images taken on one particular date and the view with one image selected.

When importing photos, the app helpfully organizes your images into folders for each date, so that you aren't looking at a massive wall of images. Once in a date, you can select individual files or select all with the checkbox at the top of the display. You can also tap on an image to see it larger and import from there, but, annoyingly, you'll still need to treat it like you are selecting it by tapping the box in the top left and 'Import' at the bottom.

Differential import will upload any images taken since your last upload without requiring you to select any files.

If you want to simplify the transfer process, the app also offers a "differential import" option, which is essentially a smart sync. With this enabled, when you tap to import files, it transfers all new files that aren't already on your phone. This will prevent you from uploading duplicates of files, and it also serves as a step towards an automatic upload, so you don't have to select individual files. Of course, if you don't want everything on your phone, I wouldn't recommend turning this on.

Photos transferred relatively quickly, even when moving a batch of 30 or so Raw files at once. It's not as fast as using a quality card reader, but it didn't keep me waiting long. I didn't transfer any long videos, but short clips transferred quickly, too. I also didn't have any issues with the connection dropping when transferring batches of images. However, if I wanted to transfer a full shoot of hundreds of images (even just JPEGs), I would likely use a USB-C connection or a card reader to avoid potential issues and speed up the process. For a handful of images here and there, though, it worked very well.

There aren't many options for video transfer settings.

There are only a few options for video imports. If you shoot with proxy recording turned on, you can choose whether to import only the proxy, only the original or both. The only other video import setting is related to Sony's Shot Mark feature, which allows you to drop in-camera markers on video clips to flag important moments. If you've used Shot Mark, you can choose to have the imported clip cut around it (with options for 15-, 30-, or 60-second clips) or not cut at all.

Within the image transfer page, you'll find limited features. You see star ratings applied in-camera and view basic EXIF information. Those same tools are all that's available in the gallery page of the Creators' App, too, but you can add star ratings here instead of only being able to see them. The only other additions are a sharing option that lets you share to apps on your phone, an upload button where you can choose to upload images to a designated folder and a delete button.

There are no editing features, so you'll need to bring your images or videos into a different app for editing if that's part of your workflow. However, there is a menu for managing Look Up Tables, or LUTs, letting you upload the color profiles to your camera from your phone. Unlike some other camera apps, however, Sony doesn't offer a marketplace of LUTs within the app, so you'll need to find those elsewhere and download them to your phone before transferring to the camera.

Remote control and live view

The remote control function gives you control over a lot of settings.

Another reason many people want a camera app is for remote camera controls, and the Sony Creators' app does indeed offer those. Its list of controls is robust, including all the basics you'd expect, like camera mode, shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation. You can also toggle between photo and video modes and change many other settings, including focus mode, drive mode, D-Range Optimizer, metering, pre-capture flash, image size, file format, movie file format, touch functions and many more.

While there are plenty of controls for the promise of easy remote shooting, the functionality and reliability are hit-or-miss. At times, it all runs smoothly with very responsive changes. The live view image accurately reflects what the camera is pointed at, it looks natural when I adjust what's in the frame, and the focus changes rapidly when I tap on my phone's display. In short, it works just how I would hope a remote control app would work.

However, that's not always the situation. On a few occasions, live view was incredibly laggy. When that's the case, unless you're photographing still life scenes, it wouldn't be usable, and even then, it would be quite frustrating. The exposure controls can also be slow to actually adjust to your changes at times, resulting in a fair amount of waiting around.

While most of the touch functions work, the "Touch Focus" option has only worked once for me.

Oddly, I haven't been able to get the tap-to-focus feature to work again after my first attempt. It simply never changes the focus point, so that feature is completely unusable for me. Despite that, the other touch functions do seem to work as expected, including the ability to tap on the live view window to set auto exposure.

We didn't experience the same lag and slowness with the iOS version of the app, and tap-to-focus worked as intended.

GPS sharing

You can share your phone's location with your camera to attach GPS information to your images.

The Creators' App enables GPS sharing, which means you can share your phone's GPS information with the camera. That way, you can have locations attached to your images and videos, since cameras lack integrated GPS.

While the GPS sharing feature works seamlessly, it is a bit hidden. To find it, scroll down on the 'Cameras' page of the app and tap on the 'Others' menu option. From there, select 'Setup' and 'Location Information Linkage.' You will have to change some phone permissions to allow the camera to pull location info, but it's very straightforward and quick.

Firmware and maintenance features

Firmware updates are easy with the Creators' App

There are also some maintenance features available in the Creators' App. If there are firmware updates available, the app will let you download and install them via your phone. It was very fast and easy to update firmware via the app, which means I would be much more likely to keep it updated than if I had to download it to my computer and jump through the required hoops for that process.

The Creators' App also lets you save your camera's settings either to your phone or the Creators' Cloud, and then apply those settings to a camera. That way, if you need to reset your camera, you have all of your settings available and won't need to remember what you usually use for each menu item. It could be a big time- and headache-saver. Saving settings only took a matter of seconds, too, so it's very convenient. Unfortunately, you can only apply settings to the same camera model, so, for example, you wouldn't be able to transfer settings from the a7 V to the a7 IV.

Lastly, Sony sometimes offers updates and new features via licenses rather than traditional firmware updates. The app doesn't provide the ability to create those licenses, however, so you'll need to obtain or purchase them through your Sony Creators' Cloud account on the website, and then use the app's License Management menu to install and activate the license on the camera.