Affinity has announced that the latest version of its free app is its “biggest photo editing update yet,” making the included Raw editor more powerful and easy to use.

In its press release, Canva, which owns Affinity, says it added “nine new color, sharpening, and detail adjustments” to the app’s Raw development process. It’s also added a Presets system, letting you easily save the changes you’ve made to one Raw file, then apply them across others that you’re editing. You can also use presets across various types of photos, including panoramas, focus stacks and more.

Mitchell Clark

The app can also attempt to deal with tricky corrections, such as getting the white balance right in scenes that have mixed lighting and attempting to reduce motion blur.

Canva has also added a variety of other tools to Affinity’s Raw editing panel. It gains spline-based hue and saturation curves and color-based adjustments, as well as new options for its object selection tool.

Finally, Affinity now has a “Studio” – basically a pre-configured arrangement of windows and tools – for editing astrophotography. It gives you easy access to tools to separate the stars from the background or to remove the background entirely, and to stretch the photo to “reveal faint detail while preserving important highlights.”

All of this is on top of all the things Affinity already does. Around a year ago, Canva folded Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher all into one app, promising that it would be “completely free, forever.” This has, so far, remained true, though you will need a subscription to use some of the app’s AI features. And while the tool can’t replace library management tools like Capture One or Lightroom, for someone who just needs to edit the occasional Raw and doesn’t want to pay for Photoshop to do so, it’s now more capable than ever.

The changes come as part of the 3.3 update to Affinity, which is free to download from Canva. Existing users will be prompted to update the next time they open the app.

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Sony’s new FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS are built around a simple premise: bring G Master optics and autofocus to wildlife and sports shooters who don’t want to carry a massive lens all day. At $2,700 and $3,700, they also cost a fraction of Sony’s existing 400mm F2.8 and 600mm F4 primes, which run around $12,000 and $13,000.

Both weigh under a kilogram — 994g and 995g (both 2.2 lbs) respectively, excluding the tripod foot — and share the same 108mm barrel diameter. They’re so close in size and feel that it’s easy to pick up one thinking you’ve grabbed the other. Sony claims both are the lightest super-telephoto primes in their class, and the numbers bear that out.

Dale Baskin

Sony provided both lenses to us ahead of the announcement, and we’ve been using them for a couple of weeks. In this article, we’ll walk you through the key areas of their designs.

Optics

Dale Baskin

Optically, the lenses are very similar. The 400mm comprises 22 elements in 16 groups, and the 600mm uses 24 elements in 17 groups. Both share the same core glass: three Super ED elements and one ED element. According to Sony, the shared Super ED elements are what keep chromatic aberration in check across both focal lengths.

In fact, the optical designs are so similar – the 600mm adds two elements and substitutes a third – that it can almost be thought of as a 400mm lens with a built-in teleconverter. The minimum focus distance is identical at 2.5m, but the aperture isn’t quite proportional: a true 1.5x converter would make F4.5 become F6.75, whereas the 600mm manages to achieve F6.3, so it’s close to the idea without being a literal case of it.

Both lenses feature a single front lens element design, rather than a multi-element front group, which Sony credits for pushing the center of gravity back toward the camera body for better balance, and both include an 11-blade circular aperture, which it claims will help render more natural bokeh (check out our sample galleries below for real-world examples).

Dale Baskin

The two lenses also work with Sony’s SEL14TC 1.4x and SEL20TC 2.0x teleconverters. The 400mm extends to 560mm F6.3 or 800mm F9; the 600mm goes to 840mm F9 or 1200mm F13. The 600mm’s maximum magnification of 0.25x also nudges ahead of the 400mm’s 0.18x, despite both sharing a 2.5m (8.2 ft) minimum focus distance.

Autofocus

Dale Baskin

Each lens uses two XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors, one driving each focus group. Sony claims both can maintain focus tracking at up to 120 fps on the a9 III and support subject tracking during 4K 120p video recording.

We used the lenses with a Sony a7 V body, so we weren’t able to put the 120 fps tracking to the test, but the camera maintained tracking at its maximum 30 fps burst rate.

Dale Baskin

Autofocus is quick and snappy. The only moment it felt sluggish was when switching from a subject very close up to one very far away, which isn’t unusual for a super-telephoto, and exactly the scenario the focus limiter is designed for – we’ll get to that in a moment.

Sony’s subject detection worked well with both lenses. Whether tracking a bird or a large mammal, the system tracked subjects like glue, and only in rare cases would one of the lenses fall behind in maintaining focus.

On-lens controls

Dale Baskin

Both lenses include an AF/MF switch, a full-time DMF (direct manual focus) ON/OFF switch, a focus range limiter with two settings (full range and ∞–7m), an OSS ON/OFF switch and an OSS mode switch.

The lenses support three stabilization modes: Mode 1 for normal camera shake, Mode 2 for panning, and Mode 3, which Sony says minimizes framing disturbance for fast or irregularly moving subjects. I confess that I didn’t think about what OSS mode the lenses were in when shooting subjects like birds, leaving them in Mode 1, which seemed to work fine, though it’s possible a more experienced bird photographer would notice the difference.

The limiter’s ∞–7m setting keeps the AF system from hunting through closer distances; it proved particularly useful when photographing an animal through grass or foliage between me and the subject, ignoring close-in distractions so the AF system could lock on to what I actually intended.

Dale Baskin

Four focus hold buttons are distributed around the barrel on both lenses, and all are customizable. A function ring sits just behind them and can be assigned a range of camera settings.

The manual focus ring is nice and deep, giving plenty of surface to grip and turn. Both lenses support full-time DMF, so there’s no mode-switching required to take over focusing mid-shot. In fact, I ran into several shooting situations where a quick twist of the focus ring to bring a partly obscured subject into focus was the fastest way to get the camera’s subject detection system to lock onto a subject, like a bird, which it then began tracking.

Design and build

Dale Baskin

Both lenses are effectively the same size, sharing a 108mm barrel diameter and a 95mm front filter thread. Where they differ by a small amount is in length: the 400mm measures 242mm; the 600mm is 263mm — a difference of just 21mm.

Sony claims dust and moisture resistance through sealed seams, silicone rubber gaskets around buttons and switches, a sealed lens mount ring and a fluorine-coated front element. In my own use, the 400mm held up to one very wet day of shooting with steady rain for about 3 hours. The lens was visibly wet on the outside and showed no signs of water reaching the interior. It wasn’t a controlled test, but that anecdotal experience lends credence to Sony’s claims.

Dale Baskin

The tripod foot is removable on both, using a twist-lock mechanism that makes attaching or removing it quick and easy. A soft carrying case is included with each lens, and it’s one thing that felt a little bit wanting; it feels like a one-size-fits-all case designed to accommodate larger lenses, leaving a fair amount of room for the lenses to move around inside.

The one thing that really stands out when using both lenses is how little weight sits toward the front. The balance point falls well back toward the camera, which makes handholding for extended periods more comfortable than the physical size might suggest.

Lightest in class

Dale Baskin

Sony claims both lenses are the lightest super-telephoto primes in their class. The natural comparison is Nikon’s Z 400mm F4.5 VR S and Z 600mm F6.3 VR S, which tip the scales at 1160g (2.6 lbs) and 1390g (3.1 lbs), respectively, both excluding the tripod collar. That makes the Sony 400mm around 14% lighter than its Nikon counterpart and the 600mm roughly 28% lighter, which is a meaningful gap at the 600mm end.

Nikon’s lenses have been well received, so it’s easy to see why Sony would want equivalents in its own lineup. But Sony isn’t competing only on weight: Nikon’s 400mm F4.5 sells for around $3,500 while its 600mm F6.3 sells for $5,200, so Sony is undercutting Nikon on price as well. For photographers already invested in Nikon, that’s unlikely to justify a system change once bodies, accessories and the other complications of switching are accounted for, but for Sony shooters, or anyone who hasn’t fully committed to a system, the options look very different than they did a week ago.

Compared to Sony’s faster 400mm and 600mm primes

Sony already makes faster primes at both focal lengths: the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS and the FE 600mm F4 GM OSS, which offer roughly a 1.3-stop aperture advantage over the new models, and retail for much higher prices, around $12,000 and $13,000, respectively.

The weight savings of the new lenses — not to mention the cost — are substantial in both cases. They represent a trade-off: faster aperture vs. a lightweight, more mobile design. Those who need to capture photos in any setting with fast shutter speeds, like indoor sports (think: gymnastics), have a real reason to favor Sony’s F2.8 and F4 primes. But if you can trade one and a third stops for a lens that comes in under a kilogram and fits in your daypack, the new 400mm and 600mm GM lenses make a clear case.

Sample galleries

We expect one of the most common applications for both new lenses to be wildlife photography, so we’ve primarily built our sample galleries around this use case. Most of the photos you see in these galleries were shot at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Bison Range in Montana, and at the Oregon Zoo.

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. 

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.

Sony has announced the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS. The company claims that both are the lightest super-telephoto lenses in their class, promising superb sharpness in a compact package.

The two lenses have a lot in common, including using a lightweight construction. The 400mm weighs 994 g (2.2 lbs), with the 600mm coming in at only a single gram more. For comparison, Nikon’s 400mm F4.5 and 600mm F6.3 are both over 1000g. They are also especially light compared to Sony’s faster 400mm and 600mm lenses.

Each lens uses two of Sony’s linear motors, with one for each focus group. Sony says both lenses provide fast and precise autofocus, with the ability to maintain focus tracking at up to 120 fps or during 4K 120p recording.

The 400mm F4.5 and 600mm F6.3 are each compatible with teleconverters, providing even more reach when needed. They both feature an 11-blade aperture diaphragm and are compatible with 95mm filters.

The on-lens controls are consistent between each lens, too. They feature 4 focus hold buttons around the barrel and a customizable function ring. There’s a focus range limiter (full range and infinity to 7m) and full-time manual focus override. A switch enables three different stabilization modes: one for normal camera shake, one for panning and one designed to keep the viewfinder image more stable while tracking fast, erratically moving subjects.

The lenses are dust and moisture-resistant, with sealed seams and silicone rubber gaskets around the switches and buttons, plus a sealed lens mount ring. The front elements feature a fluorine coating to repel oil and water. The lenses include a removable tripod foot.

Sony

The main physical difference between the 400mm and 600mm, besides focal length and aperture range, is the optical design. The 400mm features 22 elements in 16 groups, while the 600mm comprises 24 elements in 17 groups. However, both utilize 3 Super ED elements and 1 ED element.

Both lenses also feature a design with only a single front lens element. Sony says this helps keep the overall weight down, and also shifts the weight towards the camera body for better balance when holding the setup and smoother panning. Naturally, Sony promises superb sharpness from both.

There’s also a $1000 price difference between the two. The FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS is listed at $2700, while the FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS is $3700. They are available for pre-order as of today, with initial orders expected to begin shipping in October.

Sample galleries

We expect one of the most common applications for both new lenses to be wildlife photography, so we’ve primarily built our sample galleries around this use case. Most of the photos you see in these galleries were shot at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Bison Range in Montana, and at the Oregon Zoo.

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. 

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.

Fujifilm is refreshing two of its Instax products with second-generation models. The Pal 2 is a complete redesign of the company’s tiny, playful, digital-only camera, while the Link Wide 2 is a subtly updated version of its portable, smartphone-connected photo printer that uses the larger Instax Wide film. Both are designed to work in conjunction, with the Pal 2 capturing images that users can then print with the Link Wide 2.

The original Pal, launched in 2023, was a palm-sized camera that looked like an even more miniature Instax Mini. It offered no controls beyond a shutter button and had no display. Notably, it arrived roughly two years before Kodak’s viral Charmera keychain camera helped propel tiny digital cameras into the spotlight, and Fujifilm has acknowledged that the camera was divisive. “When we introduced the original Pal in 2024, some consumers weren’t sure what to make of it,” said Bing Liem, division president, Imaging Division, Fujifilm North America Corporation, in the press release for the launch.

In light of that, and citing customer feedback, Fujifilm took the Pal 2 in a different direction. The new version is still palm-sized, but it looks like a classic analog camera, sporting a long, rectangular shape instead of the bubbly Instax Mini-esque design. It now also sports an optical viewfinder, helping users frame their shots instead of relying on blind luck, and keeps the flash from the original for illuminating subjects.

Fujifilm

The Pal 2 features a one-inch LCD screen on the top, which lets you review your photos or adjust various settings and controls. That includes the ability to switch between the Pal 2’s five filter themes, with each offering a further six adjustments. It also lets you switch between Instax Mini, Square or Wide instant film and frameless formats before printing, so you can better visualize how your print will look.

Fujifilm has also added a new shooting mode, called Animation. The new mode captures 10 frames and turns them into a flipbook-style animation. There’s a switch on top of the camera that lets you quickly switch between single-photo and Animation mode.

Fujifilm

The Pal 2 uses a 10.7MP Type 1/3.06 (13.4 mm²) CMOS sensor. While that’s a fair bit bigger than the 4.9MP Type 1/5 (6.4 mm²) found in the original, it’s still quite small, even compared to what you’d find in a compact or phone. It features a 28mm equivalent lens with an F2.2 aperture, and objects as close as 8cm in front of it will be in focus. It offers a self-timer and exposure compensation from -2.0 to +2.0 EV. The camera weighs just 41g (1.4 oz).

As a digital-only camera, the Pal 2 doesn’t take film like most other Instax cameras. You can, however, print with the Instax Link series, Instax Mini LiPlay or Instax Mini Evo devices either from the Instax Pal app or directly from the camera. The camera features integrated storage that can hold up to 100 photos at a time, and it’s also compatible with microSD cards.

Fujifilm

Along with the new camera, Fujifilm also announced the Instax Link Wide 2. This is more of an incremental update than a complete refresh, and most of the original’s features are retained. In fact, the changes all come from the app. It adds a Photo Mixer feature that lets users select images from their camera roll and, by tapping the “Mix it” button, generate multiple collage-style layouts to choose from. Users can remix these up to five times, and then make custom edits before printing or sharing images online.

The app supports numerous frames, filters, emojis, color modes and text, along with 1600 in-app stickers to customize prints. Lastly, users can add QR codes to the Instax Wide photos to share links, locations, hidden messages or sound clips. As the name suggests, it uses Instax Wide instant film, which produces photos that are roughly 7.62 cm x 12.7 cm (3” x 5”).

The Instax Pal 2 will be available in late September in either white or black/silver for $170. That’s substantially more expensive than the Charmera, though that doesn’t offer Bluetooth connectivity and features a smaller 1.8MP Type 1/4 (9.7 mm²) sensor.

The Instax Link Wide 2 will also be available in late September for $180 and comes in two colors, Duo Beige or Duo Blue.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm Instax Pal 2

• $170 at B&H

Fujifilm

Fujifilm Instax Link Wide 2

• $180 at B&H