Our guess yesterday about what Polaroid was gearing up to release was correct, but we didn’t expect just how big this launch would be. As we surmised, Polaroid has released a Pokémon-themed Go Gen 3 camera, but the launch also includes two additional cameras, three special packs of film and three accessories. Polaroid calls it its biggest collaboration yet, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, the hugely popular franchise that spans video games, anime and trading cards.

Polaroid

The core of the launch is three limited-edition cameras, which cover both the full-size Polaroid Now Gen 3 and the tiny Go Gen 3, which was released earlier this summer. The Now Gen 3 version, which takes full-size i-Type film, takes the styling of a Poké Ball, with bold red, white and black colors. 

Polaroid

For those who want something a bit more character-focused, the Go Gen 3 is available in a Pikachu-styled version with a bold yellow body and a hand strap shaped like Pikachu’s lightning-bolt tail. Or you can go for the Sylveon Edition, which features that Pokémon’s soft pink, blue and white colors. All three cameras also feature Poké Ball-shaped shutter buttons for an added thematic touch. 

Polaroid

The cameras aren’t all, either. If you already own a Polaroid camera, you don’t have to miss out on the fun, as the company also released three limited-edition packs of film, one full-sized i-Type and two packs of the smaller Go film. The i-Type film, like the camera, is more broadly Pokémon themed, with frames that feature iconic characters like Charmander, Clefairy and Squirtle. The Go film matches the theme of each of the Go cameras, with one pack focused on Sylveon and the other for Pikachu. Each pack comes with custom dark slides designed around the collaboration as well. 

Polaroid

Finally, Polaroid also has three accessories for Pokémon fans. There’s a Polaroid Go Poké Ball camera case and Poké Ball photo album for photos from the Go, along with a Pokémon edition camera strap, which is compatible with both the Now Gen 3 and Go Gen 3.

Polaroid

The Polaroid Now Gen 3 Pokémon costs $140, while the Go Gen 3 Pikachu and Sylveon editions are $100, all of which represent a $10 premium over the standard versions. Likewise, the limited-edition film is slightly more expensive, with the i-Type coming in at $23 and the Go film at $25 for a double pack. 

The Polaroid x Pokémon collection is only available in limited quantities, though Polaroid didn’t provide any specifics about how many are available. Pre-orders open August 25, with a full release on October 5. 

Photo editing software company ON1 has announced a new version of its standalone, AI-powered noise reduction software, NoNoise AI 2027. The company also says it’s updated the TackSharp AI deblurring models in NoNoise AI for sharper images with less noise. 

One of the standout features of ON1 NoNoise AI 2027 is the addition of a model selector that matches a particular AI model to the subject of the photographs. ON1 says that it built the models for the situations when photographers are most frequently dealing with noise. That includes astrophotography, portraits and wildlife, though there’s also a general model and one made for ISOs greater than 128,000. Additionally, it offers a film scan-specific model, which presumably will maintain some natural film grain. 

ON1

ON1 says that the models will remove noise while retaining texture and details such as feathers, fur and starlight, resulting in a cleaner, more natural image that doesn’t look smoothed over. While you can select the model manually, it will also automatically match the right option to your subject. 

The 2027 release also brings an updated TackSharp AI, its deblurring engine that promises to make images that were slightly soft look in focus without adding noise or artifacts. As with the noise reduction, TackSharp AI provides access to the model selector. It also provides access to automatic subject and background masking to sharpen or reduce noise in specific areas, and native support for Windows PCs that use Arm-based processors. ON1 has also added expanded Raw file support for more than 30 camera models, though it didn’t specify which ones. 

ON1

ON1 NoNoise AI 2027 is available for pre-order today for $70 ($50 for ON1 owners) and will be available in late September 2026. As with previous versions, it is available for Mac and Windows and can be used as a standalone app or as a plugin for Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Capture One and more. The 2027 version is also included in the ON1 Photo Studio Subscription.

American street photographer Richard Bram has spent more than four decades finding small gestures and stories in public spaces. In a recent episode of the Eyeshot 50mm podcast, Bram reflects on his self-taught route into photography and his creative philosophy, resulting in a wide-ranging conversation that offers interesting insights and practical advice for anyone trying to improve their photography, particularly on the street.

One of the things that stood out to me most was Bram’s view on what takes an image from reality to fiction and how important context is. “I think when you click a shutter, it goes from reality to fiction just automatically,” he says. “Reality is four dimensions because there’s time. A rectangle is three dimensions, so it’s frozen, it’s pulled out, it’s completely out of context.” 

I also found it interesting that he points photographers toward painting as a resource for understanding light. Studying how painters from different eras constructed light and shadow, he suggests, can sharpen your ability to read and use available light on the street in ways that photography tutorials rarely cover.

The conversation is aimed at street photographers, but the ideas apply to anyone interested in photography, no matter what the genre. Whether you shoot portraits, landscapes or anything in between, Bram’s perspectives are useful challenges if you’re looking to improve your photography. There are many more fascinating thoughts throughout the conversation that I didn’t cover here, making it well worth listening to.  

The finalists for Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 have been announced, featuring images that highlight the complexity and diversity of the world’s oceans. Presented by Oceanographic and Blancpain, the contest is now in its seventh year and showcases work across seven categories.

What sets this year’s iteration apart is a new category: Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds, which is dedicated to the ocean’s smallest inhabitants. Other categories include Adventure, Wildlife, Fine Art, Conservation Impact, Conservation Hope and Human Connection. The 2026 shortlist is among the most geographically and thematically varied the competition has fielded.

Will Harrison, the competition’s founder and director, said: “These photographs don’t just capture what’s beneath the surface; they surface the stories our planet most needs us to hear. As the pressures on our ocean grow, so does the importance of the artists who bear witness to them. This year’s finalists have produced work of extraordinary depth and courage, and we’re proud that Ocean Photographer of the Year continues to be the platform where those stories reach the world.”

Below is a small selection of the finalists. The full set of finalists across all seven categories is available on the Ocean Photographer of the Year winners gallery. Category winners and the overall Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 will be announced in September 2026.

Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds

Mitsuna Kawai

Photographer: Mitsuna Kawai

Caption: A ribbonfish rises vertically through the dark waters of Osezaki, Japan. Its long, silver body and delicate fins are adapted for life in the open ocean. This image was captured during a winter blackwater dive. Around the ribbonfish, a swarm of salps – small, jelly-like animals that feed on tiny particles in the ocean – creates a glimpse of life moving through the deep sea.

Technical details: Canon EOS R10 | Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM @ 18mm | F9 | 1/160 sec | ISO 200

Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds

Steven Lopez

Photographer: Steven Lopez

Caption: A close view of a giant black sea bass reveals tiny parasitic copepods clustered around its eye in a Catalina Island kelp forest. Once misidentified on other hosts, these copepods are now known to have a specific relationship with this threatened fish. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the giant black sea bass was nearly extinct in Southern California but is now recovering through protection efforts. This image highlights how even a giant predator can support a hidden community of much smaller organisms

Technical details: Not available

Wildlife

Rafael Fernandez Caballero

Photographer: Matty Smith

Caption: In the Pacific waters of Mexico, this photograph captures the aftermath of a successful orca hunt. Nearly an hour after a pod separated a humpback whale calf from its mother, the orcas resurfaced carrying their prey between them. The event reveals the cooperative hunting strategies of orcas, where multiple individuals work together to isolate and subdue large prey. What the image doesn’t show is that after the kill, other scavengers, including silky sharks, were drawn to the remains, showing how one event can influence an entire marine food web.

Technical details: Nikon Z9 | Nikon AF-S Fisheye 8-15mm F3.5-4.5E ED @ 14mm | F9 |1/320 | ISO 800

Wildlife

Yuta Shigeno

Photographer: Yuta Shigeno

Caption: This photograph captures a male cardinalfish releasing the larvae he has been brooding inside his mouth. Although this species is common in Japanese waters, the image reveals a rarely noticed stage of its life cycle. The male carries and protects the developing eggs for around a week, eating little or nothing during this period. The larvae are released over several events, with the first release containing the largest number.

Technical details: Nikon Z8 | Nikon Nikkor Z MC 105mm F2.8 VR S | F18 | 1/200 sec | ISO 500

Conservation Impact

Celia Kujala

Photographer: Celia Kujala

Caption: A California sea lion has plastic netting tightly wrapped around her neck. This is a stark reminder of the lasting impacts of marine plastic pollution. The wound had already cut deep into her skin, yet rescuing her was impossible because of her location within a crowded colony. Images like this reveal the hidden cost of discarded waste and give a face to an often-unseen crisis. The catchlight in her eye creates an intimate connection that is difficult to ignore.

Technical details: Nikon D500 | Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR | F9 | 1/500 sec | ISO 500

Conservation Impact

Daniel Taylor

Photographer: Daniel Taylor

Caption: A silky shark circles helplessly after taking bait from an illegal longline, its fate sealed by a steel hook and heavy line designed to prevent escape. Photographed less than 48 hours after Baja California’s seasonal shark fishing ban ended, the image reveals a hidden reality unfolding far from shore. A small group of pilot fish remains beside the shark, highlighting how the loss of one animal can ripple through an entire ecosystem.

Technical details: Not available

Conservation Hope

Francesca Page

Photographer: Francesca Page

Caption: Thousands of juvenile European lobsters are raised at the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow, Cornwall, UK, before being released into the wild. By protecting the young lobsters during their most vulnerable stage, the Hatchery greatly improves their chances of survival. Here, these baby lobsters are being transferred into the space-efficient AquaHive system, an innovative hatchery design where each unit holds around 4,000 juveniles, safely separated across individual trays to prevent cannibalism.

Technical details: Sony a7 IV | Sony E 70-180mm F2.8 @ 111mm | F13 | 1/250 sec | ISO 400

Conservation Hope

Daniel Edmond Sullivan Jr.

Photographer: Daniel Edmond Sullivan Jr.

Caption: Thirty days after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire claimed 102 lives, thousands gathered off West Maui for a traditional Hawaiian paddle-out ceremony. Surfers and families formed a circle on the ocean, linking hands and releasing leis in memory of those lost. Photographed from above, the image captures a community transforming grief into a shared expression of love, remembrance and connection to the sea.

Technical details: Hasselblad L2D-20c | 24mm equiv | F2.8 | 1/640 sec | ISO 200

Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean

Rui Duarte

Photographer: Rui Duarte

Caption: Volunteers, surfers, lifeguards and conservation groups work together to refloat stranded short-finned pilot whales. While many animals initially returned to the sea, the pod stranded again further along the coast, highlighting the complexity of mass strandings. The image captures compassion in action, but it also reflects how wildlife rescue continues to evolve. In the months that followed, international experts trained the local community in safer, science-based stranding response techniques, strengthening future rescue efforts.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D IV | Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM @ 26mm | F6.3 | 1/640 sec | ISO 400

Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean

Qingsheng Sun

Photographer: Qingsheng Sun

Caption: Thousands of fish-farming cages stretch across the sea, connected by floating walkways and small wooden huts to form a vast floating community. Extending for kilometers, this carefully organized aquaculture network supports local livelihoods while transforming the coastal landscape.

Technical details: Not available

Adventure

Ben Thouard

Photographer: Ben Thouard

Caption: A surfer races through the barrel of Teahupoʻo, French Polynesia, photographed from beneath the wave using a slow shutter speed. Rather than freezing the action, the technique blurs the rushing water while keeping the surfer as the focal point, conveying the incredible speed inside the wave. Teahupoʻo is a busy surf spot, yet the photographer has managed to capture an isolated surfer at this iconic location.

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 | Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM | F12 | 1/10 sec | ISO 50

Adventure

Daan Verhoeven

Photographer: Daan Verhoeven

Caption: Freediver Arnaud Jerald descends into Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas during a successful world record attempt at the Vertical Blue competition. Photographed from more than 30 meters below, the image captures the scale of one of the world’s deepest marine sinkholes. Crystal-clear water, sunlight and drifting sand combined to create a rare view of this remarkable moment.

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 | Canon EF 11-24mm F4L USM @ 11mm | F5/6 1/250 sec | ISO 100

Fine Art

Chelsea Mayer

Photographer: Chelsea Mayer

Caption: A pod of short-beaked common dolphins swims beneath the bow of a ship off the coast of southern California. Dolphins are known to ride the pressure wave created by moving vessels, using it to travel with little effort in a behavior known as bow riding. Calm seas and exceptional water clarity reveal the dolphins’ markings, while the reflection of the white, yellow and blue paint from the National Geographic Venture creates a psychedelic, abstract image.

Technical details: Not available

Fine Art

John Kowitz

Photographer: John Kowitz

Caption: Five-spotted eagle rays glide above the sandy seabed, their dark bodies and white markings contrasting against the pale background. These rays often travel together while searching for prey, using electroreceptors to detect hidden mollusks and crustaceans beneath the sand. Photographed during a dive in search of manta rays, this formation appeared during the journey back to shore.

Technical details: Sony a1 | Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM @ 16mm | F5.6 | 1/160 sec | ISO 125

Rumors and vague teasers have been suggesting for months now that Insta360 is developing a mirrorless camera. Now, the company’s CEO, Jingkang “JK” Liu, has confirmed that not one, but two mirrorless cameras are in development. Liu even added that one will apparently have a shape not considered before. 

The confirmation came from an interview with Mynavi News in conjunction with Insta360’s flagship store opening in Asakusa, Japan. This isn’t the first time the company has hinted at a mirrorless camera, though. In January 2026, Liu posted on Weibo with the phrase ‘Heading towards new focal lengths,’ which started the mirrorless speculation. 

In the interview, Liu gave slightly more details than that initial vague teaser. “At this point, there’s only so much we can say, but we are developing two types of mirrorless cameras,” Liu said. While he wasn’t able to provide many details, he did drop one hint that certainly seems intriguing:  “One of them will have a surprising shape that you’ve never even considered before.” 

When asked why Insta360 decided to tackle an ILC, Liu explained that the goal is “to make it easy for people who don’t know how to use interchangeable-lens cameras to use them by introducing new technologies and AI.” Given that the company has introduced plenty of AI-based features in its app and cameras, it isn’t surprising that it’s thinking about AI for an ILC, either. We’ve seen one take on extensive use of AI in an ILC with the Caira camera, which takes a notably AI-forward approach to ILC design. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see in terms of specifics on how Insta360 plans on implementing this.

GoPro

Insta360 isn’t the only action camera company eyeing the ILC market. GoPro has already announced the Mission 1 Pro ILS, its own interchangeable-lens camera. However, that camera uses a Type 1 sensor and a mount that accepts Micro Four Thirds lenses, but it can’t electronically communicate with them, limiting which models it’ll work with, and making it a manual focus-only affair. Insta360’s rumored models, by contrast, appear to target a genuine Micro Four Thirds system.

Liu didn’t share any further details about the cameras, though leaked images circulating online suggest a Micro Four Thirds mount, with details covered by both RedShark News and TechRadar. There have also been suggestions that the name of the camera will be the Z One. Given Nikon’s well-established Z system, this seems an interesting choice. 

Liu shared that Insta360 may be able to show a prototype at CP+ in February 2027, so it could be a while before we learn more. 

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Insta360 has announced the X6, its latest flagship 360 camera. It boasts quite a few updates, including Type 1/1.1 (101 mm²) square sensors, native 8K/50 with 10-bit color, in-camera Dolby Vision and a new body design. The camera also marks 10 years of 360-degree cameras for the company.

Sensors and processing

Insta360

At the core of the X6 are two custom square Type 1/1.1 (101 mm²) Sony sensors (one for each lens). Insta360 says they are 33% larger than the Type 1/1.28 (76 mm²) sensors found in the X5. The lenses keep the same F2.0 aperture as the predecessor, but Insta360 says the larger sensors mean the cameras will perform better in challenging lighting situations, such as low light and backlight.

Insta360 says the camera has 500% more computing power than the X5, while using 35% less power, thanks it is new 8-core processor. Each sensor also has a dedicated image processing chip, and the company says this power lets it produce cleaner images while increasing battery life.

Also new on the X6 is in-camera Dolby Vision, which Insta360 says is a first on a 360 camera. This format captures dynamic metadata, allowing compatible displays to adjust their brightness, contrast and color response, frame-by-frame, to deliver better HDR results. You can also record in the company’s 10-bit I-Log profile to get more latitude in post.

Video and capabilities

Insta360 frames the X6 as a 3-in-1 device, aimed at serving content creators for more than just 360-degree video needs. Because of the native 8K/50 resolution captured upfront, its in-camera reframing and subject-tracking capture mode can track subjects and reframe to flat 4K after the fact without locking in a composition at the time of shooting. In single-lens mode, the camera is capable of traditional action camera footage up to 5K/60 or 4K/120 for slow motion.

While primarily meant for video, the X6 can take still photos, too. It can output 120MP 360 photos with a 2:1 aspect ratio, or 42MP flat photos with a square aspect ratio.

Design and durability

Insta360

The X6 features a new design, with a noticeably shorter body than previous Insta360 X-series cameras, though it’s still not as squat as the DJI Osmo 360 or GoPro Max2 360. To accommodate the new build, Insta360 did away with the buttons at the bottom of the camera.

It features a 2.32″ OLED display, which can achieve 1200 nits peak brightness. Insta360 also says you can fast-charge the battery from empty to 80% in 24 minutes, though you probably won’t have to do that as often; it can record 140 minutes of 8K/30 footage on a charge, 47 more than the X5 at equivalent settings.

The promised durability is also improved, with an IP68 rating and waterproofing to 20m (66′) without a case, 5m (16′) more than its predecessor. You can also pair it with the company’s dive housing for depths up to 60m (197′). Insta360 says its replaceable lenses are now even more scratch-resistant and 60% cheaper to replace than the previous generation. The camera is rated for temperatures from -20℃ to 40℃ (-4°F to 104°F). It ships with 64GB of storage, though only 47GB of that is usable.

AI editing and cloud tools

One of the practical advantages of shooting 360-degree footage is that you capture everything around you and decide on framing later. While the flexibility is nice, it can be overwhelming to edit. Insta360 is aiming to make editing footage easier with a set of AI tools designed to automate processing of the 360 footage. Those modes are powered by PanoMind, which Insta360 says is the first 360-native AI model. The company claims it can better understand the full spherical scene thanks to its training on 10,000 hours of footage across more than 30 scenarios.

PanoMind drives its new AI Director, which builds a highlight edit on the camera itself rather than the cloud when you plug it in to charge. That footage is then sent to the Insta360 app for further adjustments. A separate cloud-side tool called Moments Pro, built with Google Gemini, lets users describe the edit they want by setting subject, mood, style and timeframe.

Accessories and availability

Insta360

The X6 works with more than 100 accessories and shares the magnetic mounting ecosystem with the X5, X4 and Ace series, meaning creators who own multiple Insta360 cameras don’t need to buy separate accessories. These include a Power Selfie Stick that adds a promised 180 minutes of runtime, a Foldable Selfie Stick Remote that features a joystick for gimbal camera-like use, a dedicated motorcycle mount and a charging case.

The camera also offers activity-specific features like a holographic speed overlay and automatic license plate blur for motorcyclists, as well as cycling stats overlays from Garmin and Apple Watch.

The Insta360 X6 goes on sale August 12 at the Insta360 official store, Amazon and authorized retailers for a starting price of $700 for the standard bundle.

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