Image: Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design has unveiled its latest Ursa Cine camera, a 12K camera with support for interchangeable Arri PL, Arri LPL, Canon EF and Hasselblad lens mounts. It features a large sensor, propriety memory and a slew of industry-standard connections.

At the heart of the Ursa Cine 12K is a RGBW 36x24mm 12K sensor, which Blackmagic Design says can support resolutions from 4K to 12K. It also claims the sensor can capture 16 stops of dynamic range, the most ever for a Blackmagic Design camera. It can shoot open gate 12K from its full 3:2 region at up to 80p or from a 16:9 full-width region at up to 100p.

The Ursa Cine 12K uses the same RGBW pixel layout as the existing, smaller-sensor URSA Mini Pro 12K. This devotes half of its resolution to capturing luminance (detail) data and then divides the remaining pixels equally between red, green and blue. The array is specifically designed so that it can be sub-sampled to deliver 8K or 4K footage from 12K capture, without the need for cropping.

The other significant change is how the camera stores data. The camera comes with a propriety 'high-speed memory module,' a decision Blackmagic Design says they made to "eliminate all the problems of media cards" to ensure a more reliable and faster data pipeline. It comes with an 8TB module and can capture 4 hours of Blackmagic RAW in 12K or 20 hours in 4K. An additional 8TB modules will cost $1695, and a 16TB version is also being worked on. An optional 'Blackmagic Media Module CF' unit can also be used to add dual CFexpress slots.

Image: Blackmagic Design

To transfer footage from the module, there are docks for direct download, or you can utilize the camera's 10G ethernet port, Wi-Fi with SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) streaming, or the industry-standard Lemo and Fischer connections. Using the latter options, Blackmagic Design says the transfer rates are near real-time, which should aid remote viewing and logging of footage.

On the capture front, the camera uses 12K Blackmagic RAW and captures Full HD H.264 proxies simultaneously allowing faster cloud sync and post-production workflows. Various settings are supported, ranging from 12K/80p open gate to 8K/224p (2.4:1) and 4K/240p. In addition to its 3:2 open gate mode, it can shoot 16:9, 17:9, 2.4:1 and 6:5 anamorphic. There's also support for Super35 9K in the same aspect ratios, providing compatibility with older cinema lenses.

Not mentioned in the press release but teased in a video demo, Blackmagic shared it is working on a Ursa Cine 17K. The new camera won't be available until the end of 2024, and pricing has yet to be determined. The 17K version will use a 50.8x23.3mm sensor (essentially a wider version of the sensor in the 12K model), which makes it close in size to 65mm 5-perf film (23mm). The larger sensor rules out the use of the Canon EF mount, so the camera will likely use Arri PL and Hasselblad mounts.

The Ursa Cine 17K will be built around a '65mm format' sensor: essentially a wider version of the one in the 12K model. Image: Blackmagic Design

All current Ursa Cine 12K features will be carried over into the 17K version, except for built-in 2/4/6 stop ND filters. Blackmagic says the 17K sensor is too large for the ND filters to fit.

Pricing and availability

The Blackmagic Ursa Cine 12K is now available for $14,995. Accessories, such as a viewfinder, lens mounts, grips and rails, can be added as add-ons to customize your build. Blackmagic says initial shipments will be limited to "high-end customers."

Sigma owner and CEO Kazuto Yamaki, who spoke to us at the CP+ conference in Yokohama, early this spring. Photo: Richard Butler

"Unfortunately, we have not made any significant progress since last year," says Sigma owner and CEO Kazuto Yamaki, when asked about the planned full-frame Foveon camera. But he still believes in the project and discussed what such a camera could still offer.

"We made a prototype sensor but found some design errors," he says: "It worked but there are some issues, so we re-wrote the schematics and submitted them to the manufacturer and are waiting for the next generation of prototypes." This isn't quite a return to 'square one,' but it means there's still a long road ahead.

"We are still in the design phase for the image sensor," he acknowledges: "When it comes to the sensor, the manufacturing process is very important: we need to develop a new manufacturing process for the new sensor. But as far as that’s concerned, we’re still doing the research. So it may require additional time to complete the development of the new sensor."

"It may require additional time to complete the development of the new sensor"

The Foveon design, which Sigma now owns, collects charge at three different depths in the silicon of each pixel, with longer wavelengths of light able to penetrate further into the chip. This means full-color data can be derived at each pixel location rather than having to reconstruct the color information based on neighboring pixels, as happens with conventional 'Bayer' sensors. Yamaki says the company's thinking about the benefits of Foveon have changed.

"When we launched the SD9 and SD10 cameras featuring the first-generation Foveon sensor, we believed the biggest advantage was its resolution, because you can capture contrast data at every location. Thus we believed resolution was the key." he says: "Today there are so many very high pixel-count image sensors: 60MP so, resolution-wise there’s not so much difference."

But, despite the advances made elsewhere, Yamaki says there's still a benefit to the Foveon design "I’ve used a lot of Foveon sensor cameras, I’ve taken a bunch of pictures, and when I look back at those pictures, I find a noticeable difference," he says. And, he says, this appeal may stem from what might otherwise be seen as a disadvantage of the design.

"I've taken a bunch of pictures... when I look back at those pictures, I see the difference"

"It could be color because the Foveon sensor has lots of cross-talk between R, B and G," he suggests: "In contrast, Bayer sensors only capture R, B and G, so if you look at the spectral response a Bayer sensor has a very sharp response for each color, but when it comes to Foveon there’s lots of crosstalk and we amplify the images. There’s lots of cross-talk, meaning there’s lots of gradation between the colors R, B and G. When combined with very high resolution and lots of gradation in color, it creates a remarkably realistic, special look of quality that is challenging to describe."

The complexity of separating the color information that the sensor has captured is part of what makes noise such a challenge for the Foveon design, and this is likely to limit the market, Yamaki concedes:

"We are trying to make our cameras with the Foveon X3 sensor more user-friendly, but still, compared to the Bayer sensor cameras, it won’t be easy to use. We’re trying to improve the performance, but low-light performance can’t be as good as Bayer sensor. We will do our best to make a more easy-to-use camera, but still, a camera with Foveon sensor technology may not be the camera for everybody."

"A camera with Foveon sensor technology may not be the camera for everybody"

But this doesn't dissuade him. "Even if we successfully develop a new X3 sensor, we may not be able to sell tons of cameras. But I believe it will still mean a lot," he says: "despite significant technology advancements there hasn't been much progress in image quality in recent years. There’s a lot of progress in terms of burst rate or video functionality, but when you talk just about image quality, about resolution, tonality or dynamic range, there hasn’t been so much progress."

"If we release the Foveon X3 sensor today and people see the quality, it means a lot for the industry, that’s the reason I’m still passionate about the project."

This article was based on an interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan.

We have a winner for sensor Top Trumps: the LSST camera is the world's largest astronomy camera. It's more than 350 times the size of a full-frame sensor, for reference. Photo: Jacqueline Ramseyer Orrell/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

"Space," according to Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. "is big. Really Big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space."

It turns out the same is true of cameras made to map space. You may think your full-frame camera is big but that's nothing compared to the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) camera recently completed by the US Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

You may have seen it referred to as the size of a small car, but if anything that under-sells it. SLAC has essentially taken all the numbers you might recognize from photography, made each of them much, much bigger and then committed to a stitched time-lapse that it hopes will help to understand dark matter and dark energy.

Unlike many astro and space projects, LSST is recognizably a camera: it has a mechanical shutter, lenses and rear-mounting slot-in filters. Image: Chris Smith / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

We got some more details from Andy Rasmussen, SLAC staff physicist and LSST Camera Integration and Testing Scientist.

The LSST has a 3100 megapixel imaging surface. That surface is an array made up of 189 individual sensors, each of which is a 41 x 40mm 16.4MP CCD. Each of these sensors is larger than consumer-level medium format and when arranged together gives an imaging circle of 634mm (24.9"). That's a crop factor of 0.068x for those playing along at home.

The individual pixels are 10μm in size, making each one nearly three times the area of the pixels in a 24MP full-frame sensor or seven times the size of those in a 26MP APS-C, 61MP full-frame or 100MP 44 x 33 medium format model.

To utilize this vast sensor, the LSST has a lens with three elements, one of which is recognized by Guinness World Records as "the world’s largest high-performance optical lens ever fabricated." The front element is 1.57m in diameter (5.1 ft), with the other two a mere 1.2m (3.9 ft) and 72cm (2.4 ft) across. Behind this assembly can be slotted one of six 76cm (2.5 ft) filters that allow the camera to only capture specific wavelengths of light.

One of the six 76cm (2.5 ft) filters that are swapped over, typically once the camera has shot a set of images of the 1000 regions of the sky it captures. Photo: Jacqueline Ramseyer Orrell/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

This camera is then mounted as part of a telescope with a 10m effective focal length, giving a 3.5 degree diagonal angle of view (around a 682mm equiv lens, in full-frame terms). Rasmussen puts this in context: "the outer diameter of the primary mirror is 8.4 meters. Divide the two, and this is why the system operates at f/1.2."

That's f/0.08 equivalent (or around eight stops more light if you can't remember the multiples of the square root of two for numbers that small).

Each 16MP chip has sixteen readout channels leading to separate amplifiers, each of which is read-out at 500k px/sec, meaning that it takes two seconds. All 3216 channels are read-out simultaneously. The chips will be maintained at a temperature of -100°C (-148°F) to keep dark current down: Rasmussen quotes a figure of < 0.01 electrons / pixel / second.

But the camera won't just be used to capture phenomenally high-resolution images. Instead it'll be put to work shooting a timelapse series of stitched panos.

The sensor array under construction in 2020. Each of the sensors in the 3 x 3 array being installed is a 41 x 40mm chip. The final camera uses 189 of these imaging sensors, plus another 8 for positioning the camera, along with 8 wavefront sensors at the corners of the array. Photo: Farrin Abbott/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

The camera, which will be installed at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, will shoot a series of 30 second exposures (or pairs of 15 second exposures, depending on the noise consequences for the different wavelength bands) of around 1000 sections of the Southern sky. Each region will be photographed six times, typically using the same filter for all 1000 regions before switching to the next, over the course of about seven days.

This whole process will then be repeated around 1000 times over a ten-year period to create a timelapse that should allow scientists to better understand the expansion of the universe, as well as allowing the observation of events such as supernova explosions that occur during that time.

The sensors, created by Teledyne e2v, are sensitive to a very broad range of light "starting around 320nm where the atmosphere begins to be transparent," says Rasmussen: "all the way in the near-infrared where silicon becomes transparent (1050nm),"

The sensors, developed in around 2014, are 100μm thick: a trade-off between enhanced sensitivity to red light and the charge spread that occurs as you use deeper and deeper pixels.

No battery life figures were given, but the cost is reported as being around $168M.

Madagascar. A huge, wild, faraway Island. Even mentioning its name provokes an exotic, exciting feeling in my soul. I had wanted to visit Madagascar for many years before finally realizing my plans in 2022. It was one of the most wonderful trips I've done in recent years, one that stayed with me for a while. It included many adventures, diverse and exciting locations, new experiences and a heck of a lot of photography. Enough photography to be interesting (in my opinion, at least) even for the general photography crowd, not to mention nature photographers.

Madagascar may not be a beginner's destination in the sense that it poses some challenges to the traveler. My scouting trip included extremely long drives (one of them two days in total, during which we had to sleep in a guest house surrounded by a very tall metal wall...).

In some locations, sleeping conditions aren't on par with the expectations of the typical western tourist. The already-poor country was also badly hit by COVID-19, which left some of its better hotels permanently closed. It is currently recuperating and reinstating the tourism infrastructure, domestic flight schedule and higher-tier accommodation possibilities.

While it has more than its fair share of domestic problems, Madagascar is an absolute heaven for wildlife and landscape enthusiasts. In this series of articles, I'd like to tell you the story of my scouting trip to this magical island. I hope it gives you new insights and information about its sheer natural diversity and triggers your interest in visiting. While a Madagascar trip is not always easy or comfortable, it is extremely worth it for the adventurous soul.

Without further ado, let's move on to my first stop on the trip: Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Andasibe Park is located about 150 km (3-4 hours) east of Madagascar's capital of Antananarivo, near the small village of Andasibe. It consists mostly of a vast rain-forest, which is habitat to numerous species, many of them endemic, rare and endangered, among which 11 lemur species, including brown lemurs, Diademed sifaka lemur, wooly lemur and others. There are several chameleon species and numerous bird and insect species. Andasibe is especially known for its population of the largest lemur species, the Indri Indri.

In general, lemurs are quite hard to photograph. They are energetic, move around quickly and often, and are increasingly reluctant to get close to humans since feedings are being phased out (a wonderful thing in any other respect). They live in dense forests, so good viewings and compositions are few and far between. The photographer often has to chase the animal as it moves through the canopy, which can be challenging and exhausting, especially in the wet, muddy, humid environment. I got back to the lodge absolutely dirty with mud and plant material from head to toe every day.

An adult Indri Indri in the rain. Canon 5D4, Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 F6.3 | 1/500 sec | ISO 1600 | 516mm

Indri Indri (locally called Babakutu, which may be translated as "father of a little boy") is a diurnal tree-dwelling lemur. It lives in family groups, feeding mainly on leaves but also seeds, fruits and flowers. Photographically, the Indri Indri is a wonderful subject. The black and white fur (with hints of brown and grey) is starkly contrasted by its beautiful, large green eyes (and by the colors of its forest habitat). It is also very loud and often bursts into song, allowing easier detection and photography of the singing itself.

The only photographic disadvantage is that it chooses to stay high up in the canopy most of the time (other than when going to the toilet), which can harm the shooting angle; remember, as wildlife photographers, we usually prefer an eye-level vantage point. When you see an image of an Indri Indri at eye level, chances are it was shot during human feeding, which should be avoided and discouraged.

The song of Babakutu is made of high-pitched glissandos and can be heard from far away. In my opinion, it's pure joy to listen to. It's very much an arboreal equivalent of a whale's song. Canon 5D4, Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 F6.3 | 1/320 sec | ISO 3200 | 600mm

Besides the Indri Indri, there are several other beautiful lemur species in Andasibe.

Brown lemurs are some of the most common lemurs, but they're fun to photograph. They are also the most likely to climb to eye level, making them easier to capture. Canon 5D4, Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 F5 | 1/160 sec | ISO 3200 | 176mm

Eastern wooly lemur. Contrary to popular belief, they don't usually smoke illicit substances. More seriously, this lemur species is highly endangered due to rapid habitat loss. Canon 5D4, Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 F5.6 | 1/100 sec | ISO 800 | 277mm

The Diademed sifaka lemur is one of the largest and most colorful lemur species. Classified as critically endangered, population estimates for the species range between 6,000 and 10,000 individuals. Canon 5D4, Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 F6.3 | 1/1250 sec | ISO 3200 | 388mm

An eastern lesser bamboo lemur (also known as the gray bamboo lemur). These lemurs are extremely quick and nimble, jumping from branch to branch in the thick forest. They are also incredibly cute and furry. Canon 5D4, Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 F5.6 | 1/500 sec | ISO 3200 | 324mm

Malagasy chameleons are known for their striking colorations. I shot several species of chameleons on the trip, but the most beautiful one was the male Parson's chameleon, whose coloration was especially vibrant and eye-pleasing.

A close-up portrait of a male Parson's chameleon. Note the amazing coloration on the abdomen. Canon 5D4, Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 252mm, F5.6, 0.2 sec, ISO 100

Another close-up from a different angle. The horns are nicely visible here. Canon 5D4, Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 F5.6 | 1/250 sec | ISO 3200 | 244mm

In addition to the usual close-ups, I took one ultra-wide angle image with my 11-24mm to better show the chameleon's habitat. Canon 5D4, Canon 11-24mm F4 F11 | 1/4 sec | ISO 800 | 11mm

It's interesting to note that the female Parson's chameleon is comparatively dull in appearance. I guess the male is dressed to impress!

A female Parson's chameleon. Canon 5D4, Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 F5 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1600 | 155mm

In the next article in this series, I'll talk about shooting the Red Tsingy, a man-induced beautiful natural phenomenon, which was the next stop on my Madagascar trip.

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveler based in Israel. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates and to his YouTube channel.

If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Svalbard, Greenland, Madagascar, the Lofoten Islands, Namibia and Vietnam.

Erez also offers video tutorials discussing his images and explaining how he achieved them.

Selected Articles by Erez Marom:

• Landscape Composition - Balancing the weights
• Lava Frenzy: Shooting Fagradalsfjall Volcano
• Landscape Composition - Separation of Elements
• Parallelism in Landscape Photography
• Black Hole Sun: Shooting the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina
• Winds of Change: Shooting Changing landscapes
• Landscape Composition - Negative space
• Shooting Kīlauea Volcano, Part 1: How to Melt a Drone
• Whatever It Doesn't Take

Image: Atomos

Atomos has announced the Ninja Phone, a monitor and recorder that connects cameras with HDMI out ports to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The unit acts as a 'co-processor' to encode a camera's HDMI signal to 10-bit ProRes or H.265 and send the encoded video to the phone. There is also support for USB-C mic input.

A Ninja Phone iPhone app was also announced to control the unit. Through the app, users can control settings and file transfer between the Ninja Phone and their iPhone. The app will also allow for vertical video capture, live streaming and remote file uploading to cloud services. An encoded ProRes file can also be saved locally to the phone as a .mov file, allowing users to build some redundancy into their workflow by having the source camera and iPhone both save the same file.

There are some limits, however. Source camera output taps out at 1080/60p, meaning you can't send a 4K signal from a camera to the Ninja Phone.

No plans were shared for bringing the device to Andriod phones or other USB-C iPhones.

Atomos' announcement today spent considerable time gushing about the iPhone 15 Pro/Max display stats (2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG). Atomos has said the device leans on Apple's A17 chip to decode the video feed and display video with no latency, so it's unclear how dependent the Phone Ninja is on Apple's tech or if there are technical limits for if/when the Phone Ninja may come to other devices.

Pricing and availability

The Atomos Ninja Phone is expected to ship in June 2024 at an MSRP of $399. The unit will also require a $59 phone case, which Atomos says is needed to "ensure that the locking cable system can be deployed."

Press Release

DPReview Editors' Challenge results

Last week, we issued a challenge to the DPReview community to show us what you got. We wanted to see your best images from the North American total solar eclipse, and over 150 of you submitted!

We saw heaps of creativity and technical know-how on display. It was also interesting to see all the solar flares that matched among photos taken hundreds of miles apart. Before we dive in, a heartfelt thanks to everyone who submitted. We couldn't call out every image we liked and tried to restrain ourselves as best as possible (otherwise this article would be four times as long). We should also note that images are presented in no particular order other than to provide an engaging visual flow (so we don't end up with similar back-to-back photos). If you don't see your work here today, we encourage you to submit for our next challenge. We love seeing your work!

Also, a quick reminder to keep comments constructive and civil. To be blunt, it's one thing for editors to receive harsh comments, but it's another threshold to be rude to people not on our staff who want to make some images and share their work. Rule #1: Be nice. That's it, there is no rule #2.

Plane over eclipse with sunspots seen in Toronto at 02:35 PM EST, by philmar

It's not only one of the more descriptive titles we saw, but it's also a great image.

"Shot with a 10 Stop ND filter," philmar writes, "A plane fortuitously passed through the frame. I did notice plane until I reviewed my shots in Lightroom. Toronto experienced 99.95% of the eclipse but was under thick cloud except for about 20 minutes."

Created on Canon EOS R7 at 400mm with adjustments to color temperature, exposure, texture, clarity, vibrance and sharpening.

Untitled, by Morris0

Totality photographed through light clouds in Del Rio, Texas. Morris0 used a Fujifilm X-H2s with a Fujifilm XF 150-600mm lens. They said they previously used this lens to photograph the 2017 eclipse and "knew that the corona fits nicely at 600mm." The photo was also handheld, as Morris0 had left their tripod at home while racing to catch a flight to see the eclipse from a hotel in Del Rio, Texas.

"Experiencing totality is very special as it’s a stunning sight and you feel it get cold, the birds fly to their nests and everyone around expresses emotional outbursts. I was thrilled that we got to see the eclipse and felt that the clouds added to the look and experience."

"Photography is a passion as are nature and wildlife and blending them drives me. I’ve been a member of the DPReview community since about 2000 and have made many friends here. It has been a pleasure sharing my photos and knowledge with the community."

And then the frogs began to sing, by protapic

Captured at the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio, given the title, one imagines the false night tricked some amphibians that day. Captured on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 with Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 8-25mm F4 Pro.

Cloudy Eclipse, by Sam Eileen

Taken in Oneonta, NY, using a Canon EOS Rebel T6 (EOS 1300D) with a Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III lens.

"Edited solely in Photoshop 2023. Brightness & Contrast + 15 Slight curves Vibrance & Sat. +35 Smart sharpened w/ 30% noise reduction."

A truly once in a lifetime photo, by cwatson1982

To hear cwatson1982 tell it, this photo was cobbled together through grit and luck.

"We didn't seriously prepare ... I was shooting through an old adapted Nikon 70-210 F4 and a 1.4x teleconverter at 210mm (on a Panasonic Lumix GH6) and using an ND1000 filter," they wrote.

"To be completely honest, I was just shooting bracketed sets on a tripod at regular intervals hoping like most people to get some decent shots of the eclipse. I did not see the birds until after the capture; it was just a very happy accident. I exclaimed 'what are the odds of that?' ... I kind of feel like I used up all my luck for the year!"

We hope that's not true cwatson1982. We're only four months into the year! Wishing you more luck for the year ahead.

Darkness Above, Sunrise all Around, by JMLobert

It's a thing of beauty when you see a fisheye lens used well.

JMLobert paired a Nikon Z6 with a Sigma 8mm F3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye and pulled this eclipse image among the trees.

"Venus visible to the right of the sun and Jupiter to the left. While dark above, there is sunrise and sunset all around the viewer, 60 miles out. It's an eerie and wonderful experience when it suddenly gets dark, temperature drops and the wind stops."

The final image is a composite image made from multiple exposures.

"To accommodate the changing brightness, I bracketed 9 stops every 30 seconds and changed that bracket by 5 stops up, shortly before totality (then back shortly after). Totality is about 12 stops darker than the sunlit day, just a bit short of the 16 stop light loss going from day to night."

solarEclipse-3, by Wakawaka Studios

This scene with backlight clouds was taken just after totality, as the moon moves past the sun. It was taken in Frisco, Texas, with a Canon 5D Mark III and Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8 IS II USM lens.

Several adjustments were made in Lightroom: contrast -3, highlights -41, shadows +100, clarity +80 and sharpened.

eclipse 2024 Ohio, by deoreo

Taking a more environmental approach to the eclipse, deoreo opted for a wide angle Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN zoom to pair with a Sony a7R IIIa, outside their home in Akron, Ohio.

The best-laid plans, however, presented some challenges. "I completely underestimated how dark totality would be! I managed to get five photos but had to change ISO, f-stop, and shutter on the fly to get this image. The final image was processed with Photoshop
to lighten up the shadows."

Challenges aside, we asked them how they felt about the result. "I'm glad I was able to include my family in the photo. It will be fun to look back on it in the future to remember the moment, and where we were!"

Sanger Eclipse, by Facyn6

It seems this DPReview shutterbug figured who needs lens filters when you can just slap your eclipse-viewing glasses in front of the lens. It feels risky, but the result is rather nice and stands out amid fellow entries.

"I took this photo in the backyard of my home with eclipse glasses in front of the lens," Facyn6 wrote. "Only cropped for better composition. No any other edit."

Eclispe 2024, by Jason333

This was one of the few smartphone entries that caught our eye. It was created at Niagra Falls in Ontario, Canada, and was taken with a Samsung Note 20 Ultra 5G camera.

DLittle, by Phodougrapher

A partial solar eclipse, as seen from cloudy Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The image was made with a Nikon 1 V1 with an FT-1 adaptor, Nikon 70-200 and Nikon TC -14E II, for an effective focal length of 756mm. The image has been cropped and resized for sharpness in Adobe RAW.

NJ Eclipse 2024, by Holger Drallmeyer

We've seen a strong contingent of submissions from New Jersey in this photo challenge (does DPReview need to make a road trip out?). This submission comes to us from The Garden State, a 1-second exposure of clouds whipsing past the solar show.

Captured with a Canon EOS 6D and Sigma 150 - 500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens with a 16.5 stop ND Filter. Lightroom adjustments to exposure, highlights and shadows.

Untitled, by scottyinfrisco

Taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 using an eclipse filter. "I knew [I] needed the most reach, and this, with digital zoom, was the longest lens I had available."

"The image is SOOC JPEG on Standard Highest quality," wrote scottyinfrisco. "Image is completely unedited."

"I know gear drives this hobby, but never underestimate your own skill in making images."

Great advice and execution, scottyinfrisco; we couldn't agree more.

Untitled, by Kfsumo

Without a doubt, the most creative submission to the challenge. Kfsumo captured this image with a Ricoh GR III in macro mode pointed at a sheet of colored paper. The shadows on the paper were created holes in a metal umbrella above the paper.

The concept is the centuries-old camera obscure, and the execution is great. Well done!

Untitled, by BaronGreenback

Niagara Falls was under overcast conditions, but BaronGreenback still got a shot of the sun just before or after totality.

Taken on a Nikon D850 with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR lens.

Eclipse Stages, by NickMammone

A composite image created from 13 images captures the multiple stages of the eclipse.

NickMammone writes: "While the moment of totality is a spectacular moment, there is a lot more to this event than just those 2 minutes. I wanted to capture that in one picture. This is a combination of multiple photos from different stages of the Eclipse. All shot on the same camera, same lens, same location."

Lightroom edits were made to exposure, contrast, whites, blacks, highlights and color temperature. Level adjustments were also made to each picture to blend the edges into the black background.

Breaking Out from Totality, by dan7901

Solar flares are seen as the moon moves past the sun. Captured in Norwalk, Ohio, along the center of the path for totality, with almost four minutes of darkness.

dan7901 used a Nikon D500 with a Sigma 150-600mmlRig Fluid head AD-01 tripod, all equipment they use as self-described amateur wildlife photographers lens and a Smal. The timing was the biggest challenge they faced.

"In order to catch the solar prominences, I needed to remove the filter before the totality and keep the lens unfiltered for a very short time period after totality."

To help with this, they turned to an app that had countdowns for when the sun would enter and leave totality.

"Since I used the timing app, I really rested myself from taking photos during most of the totality period to enjoin the experience, and after the shots right after leaving the totality, I checked some of the shots, and felt satisfied and released!"

2024 solar eclipse from NJ, by kssharma

Cloud cover is always a concern for eclipse viewing, but kssharma took on the challenge by getting creative. A four-second exposure on their OM System OM-1 yielded this dramatic sky scene over Edison, New Jersey.

"The challenge was how to get an interesting eclipse pics as almost everyone would be taking similar pics," they wrote. "Since I love taking long exposure and my OM-1 allows it handheld I thought to give it a try to make the clouds dramatic instead of using high shutter speed to freeze it." From there, they edited the file to give some definition to the clouds, raise shadows and adjust the tonal curve in Photolab 7.

"Photography is my way to meditate. I love exploring small world around us which we can't see with our naked eyes. To the DPR I just want to say a huge THANK YOU! DPR itself and the members of the community have been a source of inspiration for me."

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who participated. Seriously, how amazing is it to see our fellow DPReview reader's work? To see all the entries for yourself and vote for your favorites, head over to the challenge now. The complete shooting specs and gear used for each photo in the challenge platform can also be found in the challenges gallery.

If you couldn't participate in this editors' challenge, keep an eye out for our next one. We'll be doing more during the year as we celebrate 25 years of DPReview. Speaking of which, do you have a suggestion for an Editors' challenge? In the comments, let us know what to do for our next one.

Image: Godox

Godox's latest flash, the $50 Lux Elf Retro, is a fully manual flash that weighs heavily on its design. It comes with a single-point hot shoe, making it compatible with most camera systems.

The flash is fully manual (it doesn't have TTL capability), so users will need to set their own exposure settings. Godox states that the flash has five stops of adjustable power, ranging from 1/16 through to full power. Godox says the Lux Elf Retro is capable of 400 flashes per charge. The flash is compact and weighs 96g (3.3 oz).

Buy now:

Controls are sparse. The rear of the flash houses all the manual controls: five levels of power (1/1 to 1/16) and two-mode options set the flash to fire when another flash fires or to ignore other flashes. There is also a flash sync port on the side of the unit.

Image: Godox

Unlike other Godox flashes, the Lux Elf Retro isn't multidirectional. You won’t be able to bounce the flash off the walls and ceilings; instead, you will only have the option to point it directly toward whatever your camera is pointed at. This might be fine if you simply want to illuminate your subject with direct flash; however, it won't suit anyone who enjoys being more creative with their light source.

Godox is no stranger to retro-style flashes. The company previously released the $95 Lux Cadet in 2023. At 2.5 seconds, the Lux Cadet has a quicker recycle time than the Lux Elf Retro, which recycles the flash in 3.6 seconds. The Lux Cadet also has two extra stops of power and a much larger 6.3Wh battery compared to the 2.6Wh battery in the Lux Elf Retro. Both can be recharged with a USB-C charging cable.

It’s worth knowing that the company also offers the TT350, which has manual and TTL modes and can be picked up for $85. Admittedly, it's not as stylish as the retro design of the Lux line.

Alongside its February launch of the highly anticipated X100VI, Fujifilm announced a special limited edition version of the camera, with only 300 units designated for distribution in the United States. Following a head-scratching process in which Fujifilm USA sold those units on its website, only to cancel many of the orders due to suspicious activity, followed by an announcement of a different plan to sell the cameras, we finally know where at least one of the units allocated to the US market ended up.

Fujifilm donated it to The Conservation Alliance, an organization founded in 1989 by outdoor industry leaders Patagonia, The North Face, REI, and Kelty, which funds and advocates for the protection of North America's wild places. The organization plans to auction the camera as a fundraiser, with proceeds going to support its mission, so it's an opportunity to acquire the camera while also donating to a good cause.

Fujifilm isn't flying solo on this project, with Peak Design and SmugMug jumping into the mix to support the effort. As a result, auction participants can bid on a package that includes the X100VI Limited Edition, a Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod, Everyday Backpack 30L, Capture Clip and Slide Lite camera strap, and 30-year memberships to both SmugMug Pro and Flickr Pro.

Before you pooh-pooh this as a way to get your hands on the Limited Edition X100VI, this could be an interesting approach to doing so, particularly if you're a SmugMug or Flickr user or have an interest in Peak Design products. In addition to the limited edition camera, which retails for $2,000, the combined retail value of the Peak Design products is $1,035. SmugMug and Flickr don't offer 30-year subscriptions, but if you were to prepay for 30 years of SmugMug Pro and Flickr Pro service at today's prices, it would total $13,535.

At the time of this writing, the highest bid for the package is $3,400, which hasn't met the auction's reserve price, and it will undoubtedly go up before the auction ends on April 24. But if you're a committed SmugMug Pro user with plans to use the service for years into the future, it might be an opportunity to lock in your service at a discount, depending on how high the bidding goes.

The auction's website doesn't mention any geographic restrictions, though if you're outside the US, there could be the additional cost of import duties to consider.

It would be a roundabout way of acquiring an X100VI Limited Edition camera. Still, for those who really want to get their hands on one, this presents one possible option – as long as you also value the other included products and services.

Editor's note: This review is based on Panasonic's April 2024 firmware update for the S5II (v3.0) and S5IIX (v2.0), which was provided to DPReview ahead of its public release.

90%

Overall score

Jump to conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S5II is the company's latest version of its mid-range full-frame stills and video mirrorless camera. It adds phase detection autofocus to its 24MP CMOS sensor and uses the L mount shared with Leica and Sigma.

A separate camera variant, the Lumix DC-S5IIX, is also available and includes a more extensive video feature set.

Key specifications

• 24MP BSI CMOS sensor with on-sensor phase detection
• Up to 30fps e-shutter shooting with C-AF and Raw capture
• 96MP multi-shot high-resolution mode
• 6K 3:2 open-gate video capture up to 30p (4:2:0 10-bit)
• 6K or DCI/UHD 4K from full sensor width up to 30p
• DCI/UHD 4K up to 60p (S35), unlimited record times and proxy option
• Dual conversion gain sensor with explicit 'Dual Native ISO' gain selection
• Pre-burst shooting mode (up to 1.5 seconds before the shutter is pressed)
• Cooling fan
• Twin UHS-II card slots
• Camera-to-Cloud integration with Frame.io
• Optional paid upgrade for Raw video output

Additional features on the S5IIX

• Raw video output
• Video recording to SSD over USB
• All-I compression modes
• Internal/SSD ProRes capture
• Wired/wireless IP streaming

The S5II has a recommended price of $1999 (€2199). The S5IIX commands a $200 (or €300) premium over the less video-centric version, with a suggested retail price of $2199 (€2499).

An optional paid upgrade for the S5II that adds Raw video output is available for $200/€200.

Index:

• What's new?
• How it compares
• Body and controls
• Image quality
• Video
• Sample video
• Autofocus
• Conclusion
• Sample gallery
• Specifications
• Press release

What's new?

Phase detection AF

The biggest news is the inclusion of on-sensor phase detection, a technology Panasonic has not previously used. Phase detection works by generating two views of the scene from slightly different perspectives (typically by forming separate images that 'look' through the left and right sides of the lens) and comparing them. Just as with human vision, which uses two eyes set apart from one another, this enables the camera to establish an understanding of distance and depth in the scene.

Comparing the two images lets the camera calculate how far it needs to drive focus to bring the two perspectives into alignment, at which point the aligned subject is in focus. This is especially valuable in video mode, as it allows the camera to refocus to a different distance without overshooting. It also, critically, means the camera can check that it's still in focus without having to move the lens. This means phase detection can be decisive in situations where it must hold focus, as it can confidently stay there.

Previous Panasonic models relied on the company’s Depth-from-Defocus (DFD) system, which used the out-of-focus characteristics of a lens to interpret depth and drive the AF system. DFD's main shortcoming was reliably predicting movement and driving the AF system to match. In principle, phase detect autofocus should provide more reliable performance, particularly in low light levels and backlit conditions and when dealing with multiple subjects (staying locked on your chosen subject better because it knows which one in the scene it is).

Subject recognition AF

The S5II’s subject recognition and tracking modes were significantly upgraded as part of the camera’s April 2024 firmware update. Combined with its newfound depth awareness, the S5II effectively gains the capabilities found on the more recent G9 II, including improved tracking performance and additional types of subjects that can be identified and tracked.

The camera is trained to recognize humans, animals, cars and motorcycles. Human detection can identify eyes, face and body (prioritized in that order) or just eyes and face; similarly, animal detection can identify eyes and body, or just bodies.

In each mode, the camera will start searching from your selected AF point and the area immediately around it, meaning It will focus on the specified subject type if it's found under your AF point. This system makes it possible to use the AF point to select an individual subject in a group. Note that when using wide-area AF, Face/Eye mode will choose to focus on someone facing the camera, not simply the nearest human it can detect.

Updated in-body image stabilization

Panasonic has also improved its image stabilization system, promising performance twice as effective as that of the S5. For its revised system it's adopted the branding 'Active IS,' though it hasn't been very specific about how these improvements have been achieved.

What the company has said is that its algorithms have been reworked and that the camera assesses camera motion more precisely. The Boost IS mode, which tries to cancel all movement for a tripod-like video look, is particularly impressive.

The April '24 firmware update added a new 'High' setting to the camera's electronic image stabilization system, intended to correct extreme levels of camera movement. It applies a 1.4x crop factor to video.

The stabilization system also underpins the eight-shot 96MP Handheld High Resolution mode. It includes an optional motion correction function that prevents artifacts from moving subjects in the scene.

New processor

At the heart of the S5II is a new processing engine, the first product of Panasonic's L² co-development project with Leica. The two companies shared know-how and resources to develop the new processor, which we'd expect to see in future Leica models, too.

While Panasonic says the sensor in the S5II is also new, from what we've seen, its performance appears to be similar to its non-phase-detect predecessor, which suggests that its newfound ability to shoot at up to 30fps in e-shutter mode is more about having a processor able to cope with this speed.

Built-in fan

The S5II includes a fan mechanism to allow video shooting for extended periods. The fan is at the top of the camera, with vents under the leading edge and along the sides of the viewfinder hump, drawing the heat up and out of the camera. As usual, the fan sits outside the body's sealed area, so the vents aren't a weak point for its dust and splash-resistant design.

The fan means the S5II can record for unlimited periods in most of its video modes, as tested by Panasonic at temperatures of 40°C (104°F). Panasonic points out that most of its rivals only quote figures for 22–25°C (72–77°F), which is significantly less demanding and less representative of average temperatures across much of the US.

Pre-burst shooting

The April 2024 firmware update adds a new shooting mode that captures a series of images in the buffer before the shutter button is pressed. Labeled 'SH PRE', the feature pre-captures 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 seconds of images at 30 frames per second using the electronic shutter. It's considered to be a burst shooting mode, with settings located in the Burst Shot Setting menu.

Video

The S5II builds on the video capabilities of the S5 despite using a sensor with similar ~21ms readout times for its 16:9 footage.

The most obvious addition to the camera's capabilities is the ability to shoot full sensor height 3:2 'open gate' video. This is available at up to 30p and provides the scope to crop into various aspect ratios or to pan around the frame in post. Alternatively, there are 6K options, either in UHD-style 16:9 aspect ratio or the DCI-like 1.89:1 format.

Beyond this are the full-width 4K modes (both DCI and UHD), which are taken from 6K capture. These are offered at up to 30p and up to 10-bit 4:2:2 encoding.

Panasonic's rivals have increasingly added 10-bit capture capability in this class, but the S5II goes beyond these with a range of support tools and features that aren't as commonplace amongst the competition so far.

Panasonic is still somewhat unique in this part of the market in providing the S5II with a waveform display and vectorscopes (though some recent Nikon models have also started to include waveforms). These are standard video-industry ways of understanding the tone and color distribution in the image, and they can be hugely valuable when setting exposure and white balance. Likewise, the S5II can express its exposure time in terms of shutter angle, which makes it easier to maintain a sensible exposure when switching between capture frame rates.

You may not notice them at first, but the finned vents of the fan on either side of the viewfinder show that the S5II is serious about video.

Syncro scan (the fine-tuning of exposure time to better sync with flickering light sources) is becoming more common, as are the option of four-channel audio capture and more video-focused settings display screens. The S5II's distinctly Arri-like screen, borrowed from Panasonic's Varicam line, is particularly clean and clear. Likewise, the ability to capture 4-channel audio (with an optional XLR adapter) is becoming more common, but the S5II includes options such as line-level input and dual input gain settings on its mic inputs that its rivals lack.

The S5II gains a couple of additional functions, including 'Full-range HLG' shooting. This ignores the upper and lower brightness limits imposed by the HLG standard, meaning you retain a little more flexibility in the edit. This is handy both if you have HLG as your final intended output or if you're using it as a Log-like intermediate step.

Anamorphic support

Tying in with the S5II's ability to capture open-gate and 4:3 APS-C footage is a good selection of tools to support shooting with anamorphic lenses. As on previous Panasonic models, the S5II can stretch the footage horizontally to give a real-time 'desqueezed' preview for a wide variety of squeeze factors. The camera can then plot safe-zone markers for various output aspect ratios over the top of this view, so you know you're capturing the action in a part of the frame that will be used in your final footage.

Telling the camera the squeeze ratio of your lens also allows the S5II to adjust its image stabilization system to accommodate the differing effective focal lengths of your vertical and horizontal capture, improving the stabilization performance.

LUT-applied shooting

The S5II gains the ability to import LUTs in the industry-standard .cube format (in addition to Panasonic's own .VLT type). It can store up to 10 LUTs and adds the ability to apply the LUT to the footage as you shoot. Doing so means you lose post-processing flexibility, putting greater emphasis on getting exposure and white balance right in-camera, but it lets you achieve the look you want straight out of the camera.

S5IIX features

The cameras' twin UHS-II SD card slots aren't sufficiently quick for recording the 4K ProRes modes offered by the S5IIX, so it can record directly to an external solid-state drive (SSD) over its USB port.

All the differences between the S5II and S5IIX relate to the latter's video capabilities. The X's body has a stealthy all-mono design with blacked-out 'Lumix' branding and no red accents on the control dials, but the two look the same in almost every other regard.

Under the hood, the S5IIX brings enhanced video modes that are better suited to post-production work.

• Raw video output
• Internal ProRes capture (422 and 422 HQ)
• All-I codecs
• USB-SSD output
• Direct wired and wireless streaming (per GH5 II)

S5II owners can buy an upgrade to add Raw video output for their camera, but it won't come with the other enhancements of the S5IIX. In the US, at least, the paid upgrade costs the same as the difference in cost between the two models, so if you think there's a chance you'll want these additional features, you're probably best off stretching your budget upfront to buy the S5IIX.

How it compares

Like the S5 before it, the S5II is clearly aimed at the same $2000-2500 mid-range full-frame audience. It's perhaps the most competitive segment of the market, packed with capable cameras that are adept at both stills and video shooting. This makes it difficult to stand out and means that real-world AF performance and usability become the difference between an impressive spec list and a great camera.

All four cameras are well specced, with only a few features helping set the models apart. Canon and Panasonic both offer rapid burst shooting rates, with the EOS R6 II achieving the faster rate with less rolling shutter and a pre-burst mode. The Canon and the Nikon lead the pack in terms of image stabilization rating, but this doesn't mean they offer the smoothest stabilization in video.

Image quality is broadly comparable, with the Sony offering slightly better detail capture at low ISO but slipping slightly behind in low light conditions. The Sony offers the most impressive battery life but also the weakest rolling shutter performance in video, making it more difficult than ever to choose between the four cameras.

The S5IIX offers a broader range of video capabilities than any of the other current models, at a lower introductory price than the Canon, and equal to the Sony.

Body and handling

The styling of the S5II is very much in keeping with that of the original model: it's a mid-sized, fairly squared-off design with a very distinct SLR-like shape (compared, say, to Nikon's Z-series cameras). Despite being the smaller model in the company's L-mount lineup, it has extensive external control points, including details such as a dedicated AF mode switch, that are unusual at this level.

Despite the familiar appearance, a lot has been redesigned or reworked. The most significant change is the addition of the fan to the camera's viewfinder hump. This is central to the camera's promises of video endurance, but is designed not to undermine the body's weather sealing.

Beyond this, the S5II gains a higher-resolution 3.68M-dot OLED viewfinder, an eight-way AF joystick (rather than the four-directional one on the original S5), and a full-sized HDMI port.

The S5II also sees its second card slot upgraded to the UHS-II standard, allowing the use of faster SD cards in both slots. Notably, even with the fastest V90-rated cards, UHS-II isn't fast enough to record all the S5IIX's video modes, with the most demanding of its All-I capture modes and all its 4K and 5.8K ProRes modes requiring the use of an external SSD. Panasonic says it has worked with third-party accessory makers to provide useful ways to attach popular SSDs to the camera.

There is enough commonality between the S5 and the Mark II that the new camera can still use the existing DMW-BGS5 battery grip, providing space for a second battery.

Battery

There's no separate charger with the S5II, but the Type 3.2 Gen 2 USB port can be used to charge, power or power and charge the camera.

The S5II continues to use the DMW-BLK22 battery from the previous version, which means it's also fully compatible with the same AC adaptor, DC coupler and dedicated battery chargers as the Mark I.

The S5II does not come with a charger. Instead, it uses the USB-PD standard to allow in-camera charging, operation or operation and charging when connected to high-current power sources.

The camera's battery life rating is somewhat disappointing, with 370 shots per charge, per CIPA standard testing methods. As always, these numbers tend to significantly underestimate how many shots you can typically expect (unless your shooting style is very energy-intensive). A 370 shot-per-charge rating will normally give you plenty of charge for a day's shooting, but you'll want to keep extra batteries or a USB power source at hand for intensive shoots. A power-saving mode gives a rating of 1,250 shots per charge for viewfinder shooting.

Image quality

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

The Panasonic S5II uses a 24MP BSI CMOS sensor, similar to many enthusiast-level full-frame cameras, so it's no surprise that its Raw resolution is on par with other cameras in this 24MP cohort, nor that the a7 IV pulls ahead by a small margin thanks to its slightly higher resolution. At moderately high ISOs, noise levels are roughly comparable to its 24MP peers, and at very high ISOs it edges out the R6 II by a hair. Notably, all the 24MP cameras outperform the a7 IV with respect to noise performance.

JPEG colors appear good, with punchy pinks and less saturated yellows (though there's perhaps a hint of green in there). Overall, the colors are pleasing, which is consistent with the images in our S5II and S5IIX sample galleries. The camera’s sharpening is a bit more aggressive than the Canon, resulting in some halos around the text, but similar to the Zf; the extra sharpening results in more apparent detail in some areas, like the foliage.

Noise reduction is well balanced at middle ISOs, smoothing away much of the visible noise but leaving enough to retain (and give the impression of) more detail than the Nikon or the Canon, as seen on the spools of thread or the paint brushes. The tradeoff is fractionally more noise in areas of solid color, though you have to look close to see it. The same holds at high ISOs, but in exchange, the camera doesn’t smooth away as much information in areas of fine detail, such as the fine threading on the Beatles patch. This remains the case even at very high ISOs.

The S5II and S5IIX produce pleasing colors and don't go overboard with noise reduction. Panasonic S 28-200mm F4-7.1 | F4.0 | 1/200 sec | ISO 12,800 Photo: Dale Baskin

Dynamic range

The S5II uses a very familiar sensor and its dynamic range is predictably excellent. You can pull a lot of detail out of the shadows at base ISO without noise becoming too intrusive, but its dual conversion gain design means that it's worth bumping things up to at least ISO 640 in low light. There are diminishing returns beyond that, so ISO 640 is a good place to stop if you're trying to retain highlights such as neon lights in low-light scenes.

Exposure latitude | ISO Invariance

Autofocus

The S5II is the first Panasonic mirrorless camera to benefit from phase-detect autofocus, so expectations are high. Fortunately, those expectations have mostly been met, but equally important to the shooting experience are the camera's improved subject recognition and tracking capabilities.

AF modes and controls are basically unchanged from previous Panasonic models; the camera includes single area, zone, wide area and tracking modes, along with pinpoint AF for precise focusing. The focus point can be set using the 8-way joystick, tap-to-focus, or using touchpad AF with the viewfinder to your eye.

Panasonic S 28-200mm F4-7.1 | F7.1 | 1/320 sec | ISO 800 Photo: Dale Baskin

Phase detection essentially solves the shortcomings associated with Panasonic's previous Depth from Defocus (DFD) system, real and perceived. Autofocus movements on the S5II are decisive: in most cases the system effectively predicts movement toward or away from the camera in both photo and video modes, and the user experience is more refined. Overall, it instills a higher level of confidence, bringing the S5II’s AF performance much closer to being on par with competing Sony, Canon and Nikon models.

While the AF system performs well, it's not infallible. During our tests, the camera sometimes failed to acquire focus or experienced a lag in acquiring focus on some subjects, throwing up a red box in the center of the viewfinder. This happened most frequently when a reasonably significant shift was required to bring the image into focus or in low-light situations that didn't challenge other cameras to the same degree.

Subject recognition

With subject recognition enabled, the camera will automatically highlight a recognizable subject as soon as your designated focus area comes within close proximity of it. This makes it easy to lock onto your subject quickly.

However, this presents one challenge: if you want to focus on something exceptionally close to a recognizable subject, you may need to turn off subject recognition to prevent the camera from jumping to the nearby subject, which can be done very quickly via the touchscreen. However, Panasonic's algorithm generally strikes a very good balance of sensitivity that will work correctly in most situations.

The S5II's updated subject detection menu (Firmware 3.0)

When using wide-area AF, the camera will highlight all the subjects it can identify within the frame, and a tap of the joystick will toggle between subjects. While this sounds good on paper, it's often less practical in practice: the time required to tap back and forth to your preferred subject is often longer than it would take to place your AF point over your desired subject in the first place to begin tracking.

The April ’24 firmware update promised improved subject recognition and our experience is consistent with that claim. Subject recognition was solid before the update, but the system is now faster at identifying and locking onto subjects and more tenacious at sticking with them. It’s still not quite at the level of class-leading subject tracking systems from Canon and Sony, but it’s very close.

Currently, subject recognition must be set to one category (humans, pets, cars, or motorcycles). There’s no catch-all setting that will attempt to identify both humans and animals, for example.

The S5II’s subject recognition and primary AF modes extend to video shooting and provide a similar level of performance.

Video

The S5II’s sensor has been around in various incarnations for a while, so its video performance is fairly predictable. However, it's Panasonic’s implementation of video modes and useful video tools that make the camera particularly interesting to video shooters.

The camera captures 6K video (including ‘open gate’ 6K that utilizes the entire 3:2 area of the sensor) and 4K video downsampled from 6K, using the full width of its sensor, and does so in10-bit color at frame rates up to 30p. It can also capture 4K/60p using an APS-C crop of its sensor. These are strong but no longer stand-out specs.

But equally as important, the S5II offers a robust feature set to support video capture, including Panasonic’s V-Log gamma profile, the ability to load custom LUTs into the camera, waveform and vectorscope tools for judging exposure and color, proxy recording, and a Camera-to-Cloud option.

The S5II can capture very detailed 4K video, downsampled from 6K, using the full width of its sensor. As we would expect, it produces results that are broadly similar to its 24MP peers. However, like other cameras based on the same sensor, the S5II must switch to an APS-C crop to capture 4K/60p footage. There's a small penalty in overall quality for doing so, but it's close enough that most viewers probably won't notice the difference in practice. However, this means the effective field of view of your lenses will change when shooting 60p – particularly challenging at the wide end – and that you'll encounter issues with noise more quickly in low light. This also puts the S5II at a disadvantage relative to the Canon R6 II, which can shoot 4K/60p using the full width of its sensor.

If you need more detail, you have the option to shoot 6K video (up to 30p), providing additional flexibility for post-processing even if you plan to deliver in 4K. Of course, the S5II also has the ultimate party trick of capturing ‘open gate’ footage that utilizes the entire 3:2 sensor for video capture, letting you crop and pan around the footage in post.

The S5II’s rolling shutter measures approximately 22ms: a solid number, but not stellar by today’s standards. As a result, there’s a risk that fast movement across the frame or reasonably quick pans with the camera will result in some horizontal skewing of vertical lines in the frame.

Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 | F1.8 | 1/640 sec | ISO 400 Photo: Chris Niccolls

Image stabilization

Panasonic’s new Active IS algorithm is impressive, stabilizing most hand-held shooting. Although we don’t have a quantitative way to check Panasonic’s claim that the system is twice as effective as the S5, performance has definitely improved. If needed, the S5II also includes electronic image stabilization (EIS), which results in a 1.1x crop. It’s noticeably more effective at eliminating unwanted motion, such as when walking, and does so without a noticeable impact on image quality.

The new ‘High’ setting in EIS mode, part of the April 2024 firmware update, can compensate for even more dramatic movement, such as running with the camera. It’s remarkably effective – almost gimbal-like – when moving in a straight line, though quick turns or pans can result in some vertical jitter. The tradeoff? The high setting results in a 1.4x crop factor, which is necessary to provide enough latitude to compensate for such extreme motion.

Other video features

The April '24 firmware update brought two additional features to the S5II: proxy recording and Camera-to-Cloud capability.

Proxy recording

Proxy recording generates a lower resolution, lower bit rate version of each video clip for quick sharing or to make editing easier on your computer and can be useful for fast-turnaround deliverables. On the S5II, they are available when shooting resolutions up to DCI 4K: open gate, 6K, 5.9K and 3.3K anamorphic modes aren't supported.

The S5II can record proxy files at three quality levels, high, medium and low, at bit rates ranging from 4 Mbps to 16 Mbps.

Proxy files can be created when recording .MOV files (including ProRes on the S5IIX). The proxies are recorded to card slot 2, with the primary footage captured to slot 1 or to an external SSD on the S5IIX. You can choose three file sizes, which output 1080 or 720 clips. All clips are 16:9 and letterboxed if your primary footage is in the wider DCI 4K aspect ratio. Applying an in-camera LUT to proxy files is possible, even if not applying one to the original video.

Camera-to-cloud

Camera-to-cloud is a means of integrating with Adobe's Frame.io service, making it easy to upload video clips and photos as they are captured and enabling collaboration. For example, a wedding photographer shooting a ceremony and uploading video clips to Frame.io in real-time could employ a remote editor to quickly cut together a video of the ceremony, allowing it to be shown to guests at a reception just a few minutes later.

Connecting to Frame.io is remarkably simple, and it took us less than five minutes to connect the camera to a local Wi-Fi network and link it to a Frame.io project. Clips can be uploaded automatically as they are captured or selectively uploaded at a later time.

Note that the camera will not upload original video files to Frame.io, so you'll need to enable proxy recording to use this feature. Raw and JPEG images can also be uploaded to Frame.io.

One addition we'd like to see is the ability to assign Frame.io settings to a custom button. As of this writing, one must navigate the camera's menus to access it.

Sample video

This video, captured along Seattle's Lake Washington Ship Canal, includes clips recorded at a variety of resolutions up to 6K, at both 24p and 60p frame rates. It was shot mostly handheld with autofocus. Due to the wide dynamic range, most daytime shots were captured using Panasonic's V-Log gamma profile (with the V-Log LUT applied in post-processing), and most evening shots were captured with the Like709 profile. One pair of clips shows an example of walking with the camera with EIS turned on and off.

Conclusion

By Dale Baskin

The S5II finally delivered the one feature many Panasonic users had requested for years: phase detection autofocus. While the headline feature is worthy of attention, it would be a mistake to overlook the many other upgrades that make it a compelling camera, including improved image stabilization, subject recognition, and an integrated fan for better thermal management.

While phase detect AF makes the S5II a more attractive camera than its predecessor, particularly for video shooters, it’s not a panacea. It does provide a more refined and reliable autofocus experience that delivers on many of its promises, but the implementation still feels less polished than on more mature systems. However, it’s good, and when paired with the subject recognition updates included in the April 2024 firmware update, it becomes a very solid performer.

Panasonic has long been known for making cameras that are great for video, and the S5II (and S5IIX) continue that tradition, offering video-centric features ranging from a waveform monitor to the ability to set shutter angle in video – things that typically don’t even appear on the spec sheet of other cameras in its class. The only thing holding it back from being an even better video camera is its sensor, a design that’s been around for a while and can, under the right conditions, reveal rolling shutter artifacts, and requires an APS-C crop to capture 4K/60. However, don't mistake the S5II for a video-first camera. It's a very competent stills camera that's also great for video.

Panasonic S 28-200mm F4-7.1 | F7.0 | 1/125 sec | ISO 1600 Photo: Dale Baskin

The camera’s lines are not as graceful and elegant as some of its competitors, nor does it embrace the retro styling that’s been making a comeback. In contrast, the S5II is a pragmatic everyman’s camera, designed to get the job done. That’s not a knock against it or even a suggestion that the camera isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but rather a recognition that the S5II is an excellent example of form following function, for the right reasons.

The S5II is one of those cameras that isn’t necessarily the best in class at a lot of things. Instead, it makes its case by being the best at some things and very good at many things. The result is one heck of an all-around camera that will satisfy the needs of enthusiasts who shoot photos, videos, or both, and the cherry on top is that it’s also a delightful camera to use. And for that, the S5II receives our Silver Award.

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Compared to its peers

The Canon R6 II remains our top performer in this class. It features outstanding ergonomics, a more dependable AF system, and a more usable electronic shutter thanks to the camera's faster sensor. That sensor also allows the R6 II to capture high-quality 4K/60p using the entire frame width. However, the camera doesn't include the myriad video tools found on the Panasonic. It's also one of the most expensive cameras in its class and is effectively limited to using Canon's own range of mirrorless lenses, so it's a good idea to make sure Canon has the lenses you want at a price you're comfortable with.

The Sony a7 IV is another camera worth considering. Its 33MP sensor delivers a bit more detail, but where the Sony really shines is its autofocus system, which is exceptionally dependable and features outstanding subject tracking. However, it's a more photo-oriented camera, with higher rolling shutter making it less attractive to someone looking to shoot both stills and videos. Where it competes well is lens selection. With multiple manufacturers making lenses for E-mount, including Sigma, users are spoilt for choice and frequently have options at various price points for a given focal length.

The Sony a7C II is worth a look if size is a factor. It's essentially a Sony a7 IV squeezed into a more compact body and a simplified shutter, meaning it has almost the same pros and cons as that model, though with better image stabilization.

Finally, there's the Nikon Zf, a camera whose design is inspired by Nikon's classic film SLRs. In some respects, it's a great alternative to the S5II; it uses the same basic sensor and delivers similar image quality. However, its design makes the comparison more complex. The decision to buy a camera like the Zf will likely be driven, in part, by a desire for a specific type of shooting experience, and one that's very different than the S5II. Also, similar to the Canon, you'll mostly be limited to Nikon's own mirrorless lenses (though recent history suggests that Nikon is beginning to open the mount to allow some third-party options). If you prefer a more modern design, you could also consider the Nikon Z6 II, though that model is a bit long in the tooth compared to the other options here.

Sample galleries

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

Panasonic Lumix DC-S5IIX in Japan

Photo: Richard Butler

Panasonic has announced forthcoming firmware for its S5II and S5II X that will add a series of features, including pre-shot buffering, proxy recording and direct upload to Adobe's Frame.io collaboration platform.

Firmware v3.0 for the Lumix DC-S5II and firmware v2.0 for the Lumix DC S5II X will bring improvements to subject recognition and IS performance, the company says.

Proxy capture

Both cameras will gain the ability to capture lower-resolution proxy video files when you're shooting .MOV files at resolutions of up to DCI 4K. Three quality levels will be available, creating either 10-bit 1080p versions in one of two compression levels or 8-bit HD 720p files. These files are then compatible with the cameras' new Camera-to-cloud system.

Proxies cannot be generated in the cameras' 5.9K or 6K modes or in the 3.3K anamorphic 4:3 mode. They can be created alongside ProRes footage on the S5II X, but not when either camera is in MP4 mode. All proxies are 16:9 aspect ratio, with black 'letterboxing' appearing if your primary footage is being captured in the 1.89:1 DCI aspect ratio.

If you're shooting V-Log video you have a choice of whether a selected LUT is directly applied to the proxy footage. This setting is independent of whether the LUT is applied to your primary footage, meaning you can create proxies with approximate grading applied, without baking that decision into your full-res files.

Camera-to-cloud

Both cameras join recent Fujifilm models in their ability to upload stills and video to Adobe's Frame.io collaboration platform. Logging the camera onto a wireless network then entering a code generated by Frame.io allows you to upload Raws, JPEGs or proxy video directly up to the platform, where they can be shared and annotated by people you've opted to share the project with. It's also possible to upload to Frame.io via USB tethering, allowing remote editors or clients to see your output immediately.

Pre-burst shooting

The S5II twins gain the ability to buffer bursts when shooting in continuous high mode. This allows you to capture 0.5, 1 or 1.5 seconds worth of frames from immediately before you press the shutter button. The "SH Pre" option captures these bursts in the camera's 30fps electronic shutter mode.

Improved subject recognition

Panasonic says the latest firmware improves the performance of both cameras' human detection AF. It also adds eye detection to their animal detection modes and brings car and motorbike recognition modes to both.

EIS 'High' mode for video shooting

Finally, there's an EIS 'High' mode that can be applied during movie shooting. This crops in slightly further (to 1.4x), allowing the correction of a greater magnitude of camera movement, but also attempts to correct perspective distortion. Essentially this avoids the wobbly corners that can otherwise occur when using wide-angle lenses.

The new firmware will be available to download from April 21st.

The EOS R50 vlogging creator kit repackages the existing camera, a lens tripod grip and a remote control. Image: Canon

Canon is targeting video content creators with the announcement of its EOS R50 vlogging kit. The bundle doesn’t include any newly announced gear; rather, it’s a repacking of existing gear. However, it could prove to be an easy start-up pack for those beginning to dip their toes into videography.

Its previous 'creator kit' packaged the R50 with an RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens, microphone, tripod grip and wireless remote, but this lens was a bit too tight for selfie video. So, it seems Canon has taken note of this issue and repackaged the kit with a lens that is more suitable for vlogging.

Canon's EOS R50 is an APS-C camera with a 24.2MP sensor that can capture uncropped 4K video up to 30fps. Canon has now paired the R50 with the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 autofocus lens, a focal length that is ideal for vloggers wishing to point the camera towards themselves and talk to it from arm’s length. To aid stability, the kit also includes a tripod grip and the BR-E1 remote control, which you can use to start and stop your recording.

In our review, we gave the R50 high marks for good image quality, AF stickiness, 10-bit HDR PQ video and a decent 15fps burst mode. The main limitation of the camera is a limited RF APS-C lens selection and a body that might be too small and cramped for some users.

At $1000, is the vlogging kit a money saver? Let’s do the math. Currently, you can purchase the EOS R50 on sale for $570. The 10-18mm costs $329 and the combined tripod / grip / remote control costs $129. That’s a total of $1030 if you bought the items separately. Saving $30 isn’t mindblowing, but it’s a saving all the same.

Away from this vlogging kit, you can bundle the R50 with the 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 kit lens for $700. Alternatively, if you aren't interested in selfie video and don't want the 10-18mm lens, and would prefer an 18-45mm kit lens, Canon's previous creator kit can be had for $800.

If the EOS R50 seems appealing and you don’t want the hassle of buying items separately, Canon’s vlogging kit could be a solid kickstart for those curious about vlogging. However, if you intend to use this as a hybrid camera (and don’t exclusively shoot landscape photography) the 10-18mm will likely be too wide for an everyday lens.

The Canon EOS R50 vlogging kit is now available for preorder on Canon’s website, for a Thursday, April 18 release date.

Image: Viltrox

After a somewhat low-key announcement last week, Viltrox has released a new APS-C lens for Fujifilm and Nikon cameras. The China-based manufacturer introduces the autofocus 56mm F1.7 (85mm equivalent) lens, and at $139, it’s sure to pique the interest of those looking for a fast budget portrait lens.

The 56mm F1.7 has 11 elements in 9 groups with 9 aperture blades. It uses a stepper motor, promising "accurate and smooth focusing," and has a minimum focus distance of 0.55m (21.6”) and is very lightweight at 171g (6 oz) for X-mount and 187g (6.5 oz) for Z-mount.

Viltrox says the lens has an aluminum bayonet, however it does not mention the materials used for the rest of the lens’ exterior. At that weight and price, it’s difficult to imagine anything other than a plastic build. We did contact the company to confirm the materials used, but we’re yet to receive a response.

The company says the front of the lens is fully waterproof, but Viltrox doesn’t claim the rest of the lens has weather sealing.

If you enjoy the physical ergonomics of Fujifilm and Nikon cameras, it's worth noting that this lens does not have an aperture ring, a feature present on the more expensive Viltrox 56mm F1.4. This may not a dealbreaker but is something to be aware of. If that's an issue, the recent Meike AF 55mm F1.4 may make a sound alternative, though it’s slightly more expensive at $200.

Viltrox releases AF 56mm F1.7 APS-C specifications

NASA employees use protective glasses to view a partial solar eclipse from the rooftop at NASA Headquarters on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Washington, DC. Image: Connie Moore/NASA

North America will experience a total solar eclipse today, gradually turning a band from Mexico to Canada as dark as night as the moon's shadow casts across the Earth below. For observers outside the region, there's still a way to see the eclipse via streaming.

Watchers in Mazatlán, Mexico, will be the first in continental North America to experience the total eclipse at approximately 11:07 am PST. From there, it'll cross over the border into Texas and across the United States to the eastern shores of Canada. A partial eclipse will be visible across most of North and Central America. NASA has a detailed map for those wishing to follow along at home.

Outside North America, there's still a way to see the eclipse. Through the power of the internet, several science agencies are live-streaming the event.

The National Science Foundation, an independent agency of the United States federal government, has set up a live stream of the eclipse and will share research from solar physicists.

Learn about the science of space and the Sun's corona, and watch the total solar eclipse as it makes its way across the continent on the live stream. Also, leave comments below while the stream is live to truly make this a global DPReview live watch party.

Kazuhiro Togashi, OM System's VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning, wearing a hoodie with the company's 'Outdoor Monster' branding. Photo: Richard Butler

OM System says it's focusing on outdoor photographers but hinted that the PEN series could yet return to the North American market. We spoke to Kazuhiro Togashi, the Vice President for Brand Strategy and Product Planning.

"Currently we are focusing on outdoor use photography," he says: "Based on our research findings, the number of outdoor photographers is expected to increase, or at least to stay stable."

This makes sense for a company committed to a small system that's built up a strong reputation for its weather sealing.

"First of all we have specifically targeted adventure and wildlife photographers because we believe our camera system is the best choice for this group of users," Togashi says. "In outdoor environments, having equipment that offers high performance while being small and lightweight is crucial. For outdoor photographers, capturing the decisive moment of a living creature or an awe-inspiring landscape photograph is paramount."

It's easy to assume that this just refers to the OM-1 and OM-5 models the company has updated since taking on the former Olympus camera business, but Togashi suggests this isn't the case: "Our definition of outdoor use extends beyond just the adventurous; it encompasses outdoor activities in everyday life as well. Our system is ideal for individuals who enjoy capturing snapshots, macro shots while traveling, or shoot astrophotography."

It may be seen as a step down from the PEN F, and it isn't currently sold in North America, but OM System does still make and sell PEN-series cameras. Image: OM System

Could this mean a revival of the PEN line, we asked. "In Japan and Asia we continue to sell PEN E-P7," he reminded us: "The E-P7 is small, with compact bright lenses, making it highly advantageous for travel photography. Therefore, we’ll reinforce such products in our lineup in the future."

Togashi didn't explicitly say that this means a return of the PEN line to North America, but says: "We’d like to try to expand the scope of people enjoying cameras for travels or for everyday use to capture scenery."

"The E-P7 is ... highly advantageous for travel photography ... we’ll reinforce such products in our lineup in the future."

For now, at least, the company's focus seems to be on higher-end products: “We anticipate that photography enthusiasts will remain central to driving growth in our industry," says Togashi. But, he added, it's important to attract new audiences to photography, identifying those "who currently lack an interest in cameras," as an opportunity for the industry.

"We firmly believe that maintaining a stable business scale has broader benefits for all customers," he reasons: "Conversely, a shrinking market causes challenges for manufacturers in innovating and developing new technologies. Therefore, it’s crucial to explore new potential customer segments. In the world of photography, acknowledging the diverse needs is paramount. By recognizing various perspectives on photography, camera equipment and the art of capturing images, we anticipate the entry of new customers into the fold more effectively.”

Trends and the role of AI

We asked Togashi about the significant trends OM System has seen in the past year. "I think the most significant trend in imaging has been the advancement of image processing applications and AI-driven noise reduction techniques. These innovations have greatly progressed the industry.”

We asked whether he thought AI has a different role to play in cameras than in smartphones. "I believe the role will vary," he says. "In terms of computational photography for cameras, we see its potential to revolutionize art creation and broaden photographers’ expressive capabilities."

As an example, he highlights a feature from the company's latest model: "photographers who may have shied away from using Graduated Neutral Density [GND] filters due to their perceived complexity could find these features invaluable. Additionally, for photographers accustomed to employing GND filters and post-processing their images, we believe that integrating Live GND during shooting to capture high-quality Raw images, followed by fine-tuning detail in editing software can give artwork that exceeds expectations. For smartphones their role is to record everyday life, beautifully. This is totally different: between artwork and recording something.”

Togashi highlights the virtual GND filter feature of the OM-1 Mark II, but suggests it would be very difficult to offer a comparable feature in the original model, as the memory handling of the camera has been re-written. Photo: Shaminder Dulai

"As technology advances in the future, personally I think it will be possible to integrate such an AI noise reduction function into the camera body. But maybe it will be challenging to realize this."

We wondered whether collaboration between cameras companies might be an effective way to compete with the R&D budgets of the biggest smartphone makers.

“If our company had an opportunity to collaborate with other companies, maybe we would collaborate with an image processing software company, maybe." But there are areas in which Togashi thinks the industry should co-operate: "As a camera industry, we may have to consider technology to judge: is this picture a real one or a fake? For such kinds of things, maybe we should collaborate with all kinds of companies to develop such technology through using AI technology.”

The future for video

As the conversation continued, the topic turned to video, who's using it and what's required to make it useful to a wider audience.

“We are aware of the usage of our video features through our customer research data," Togashi says: "Encouraging more people to use a dedicated camera to shoot video, instead of using a smartphone, is less about technical specifications and more about creating opportunities for users to engage with video. Just as with photography for those who want to start photography.”

“Our user research findings show that people who don’t have high knowledge or long experience of video shooting have some concerns about how to enjoy and how to edit video. Therefore I think such user-friendly functions are very important to expand more fans to use video functions.”

“We believe it’s important to have functions and services that allow people to enjoy shooting video more easily, without specialized knowledge or expensive editing equipment."

OM-1 firmware

Finally, we asked about the OM-1 and the launch of the Mark II and whether Mark I owners can expect further updates. "OM-1 users can expect some additional functionalities as a result of firmware updates we announced on Feb. 21, 2024." says Togashi. But he also says it's not possible to simply duplicate all the OM-1 Mark II's features in the older model. "The OM-1 Mark II has increased internal memory and new optimized memory controls compared to the OM-1, so providing all the new features to the mark one is not possible."

This article was based on an interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan.

A partial solar eclipse is seen as the Sun rises to the left of the United States Capitol building on June 10, 2021, as seen from Arlington, Virginia. Image: Bill Ingalls/NASA

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Western Mexico starting in Mazatlán and heading up into the United States and across to Newfoundland, Canada. NASA has mapped the route with times and viewing conditions for several cities. Outside the path of totality, varying degrees of a partial eclipse will be visible from most of North and Central America.

If you plan to be out and know how to photograph the event safely, we want to see your best images of the eclipse! Submit your best work by April 11, and it may be featured in an upcoming DPReview Editor's Picks gallery on our homepage.

And fear not, readers who are not along the path. We can still enjoy our peers' work together. Also, this is the first of many new DPReview Editor's Challenges we have planned. So, if you're not in North America, keep an eye out for our next challenge (or start planning a trip to Spain for Aug 12, 2026, for the next total eclipse).

How to submit your photos

Enter your photos and read all the rules

Processing rules:

A view of the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse from Madras, Oregon. Image: Gopalswamy/NASA

Sunsketcher, a new NASA-backed project with an iOS and Android app, wants your photographs of the “Great American Eclipse.” (Incidentally, so do we.)

Scientists behind the project want to gather more information about the sun's interior and aid their work in accurately measuring the shape of the sun and testing theories of gravity, including general relativity.

Through the app, anyone photographing the event is asked to upload their pictures. Organizers say the more people using the app the better, as having a large database of images will help with the research.

To participate in the project, users need to situate themselves somewhere across the path of totality within the United States, which means points along the Mexican border to as far north as Maine. Although the path of totality goes beyond US borders, due to privacy laws the app isn’t available outside the US. Sunsketcher says it hopes to expand availability for future eclipses, but for now, the international community will just have to reap the benefits of scientific research.

It may also disappoint some photographers to learn you can’t use a dedicated camera to take part, meaning you can't take photos and transfer them to your phone to share with the app; you can only use the Sunsketcher app to create images. The organization says this is because “the Sunsketcher app generates other relevant, necessary data per image.” This likely means the research relies on some metadata and geodata and forcing everyone into the app allows researchers to have a consistant and predictable database strucutre.

Sunsketcher says you don’t need special equipment, such as lenses and filters, beyond a smartphone. Just open app at least five minutes before the eclipse and position your camera towards the sun. Ideally, you’ll want to use a tripod, but handheld is also fine.

To take part in the project, the app is available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art hands-on

Sigma's 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art lens is a large aperture lens that incorporates many of the thoughtful design choices for which the Art line has become known. It is the company's second F1.2 lens for the E and L full-frame mirrorless camera mounts and will be available on April 18.

Sigma says it designed its latest offering with the goal of full detail levels across all apertures. In creating our sample gallery we found results that seemed to confirm its claim. Take a look for yourself and see if you agree.

Size and weight

One of the first things you notice when you hold the lens is that it's a little lighter than lenses of similar aperture and focal length. Coming in at 745g (1.6 lb) and 109mm (4.3"), Sigma says it's the lightest AF 50mm F1.2 interchangeable lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. It's also less than 1mm longer than the smallest of the major makers' 50mm F1.2 lenses and appreciably narrower.

To achieve this, Sigma says it made each piece of glass as thin as possible, reduced the weight of mechanical parts and used a new dual 'high-response linear actuator' (HLA) focusing system.

This makes the lens smaller and lighter than its four main competitors in the fast 50mm space: the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is 778 g (1.72 lb), Canon's RF 50mm F1.2L USM is 950 g (2.09 lb), Nikon's Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S is a whopping 1090 g (2.4 lb) and Panasonic's closest Lumix offering, the S Pro 50mm F1.4, is 955 g (2.11 lb).

Sigma's fast lens feels notable and suggests that it's about as far as you can push a lens of this size using current design techniques.

Terms defined

In the name and along the barrel of the lens are some shorthand codes to pay attention to.

Sigma's 'Art' badge denotes lenses the company says are built with a bias toward the highest optical quality. Most Art lenses are fast prime and zoom lenses, often with features such as aperture rings.

'Art' is one of three lines of lenses Sigma produces. In 2012, the company announced it was establishing 'Art,' Sport' and 'Contemporary' lines because it "Simplifies the lens selection process for photographers,” said CEO Kazuto Yamaki at the time. "We’re empowering them with more control over their equipment, while furthing our commitment to them by establishing a higher expectation for the quality of the lenses we produce.”

DG denotes a full-frame lens, and DN means a lens designed for mirrorless bodies. When DG and DN appear together, this lens is made specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

External controls

There are three switches and one button along the barrel of the lens. Of course, one of them is an AF/MF switch. In manual mode, the focus ring (the wide band closest to the front element) has a nice steady rotation that isn't too fluid or firm, helping users avoid accidentally moving the ring mid-shoot.

Below the AF/MF switch is an auto-focus lock button (AFL), helpful if you want to prevent your focus from shifting once you've set it. The AFL button can also be assigned custom functions on cameras that support the feature.

Just behind these buttons is an aperture ring that allows users to switch between auto mode and manual aperture control via the ring. To prevent errant shifting between auto and manual aperture modes, a lock switch to the right of the ring allows users to lock themselves into one mode or the other.

A 'click' switch is also included for the aperture ring, giving users the option for how they'd like to step up/down f-stops.

Lens hood

The lens comes with a petal-shaped hood. Typically, we wouldn't call it out; it's a lens hood, and they're not complex objects, but the hood here is very well designed with small, thoughtful choices that felt worthy of a shout-out.

First, it's not flimsy like many lens hoods we come across. Thanks to a thicker base that houses a hood release button, it has a little heft to it. The thickness also limits how far the hood can flex, and while we haven't tried to break it, it does feel like you won't accidentally break it by dropping something on it.

The hood locks into place with a satisfying click, and the button keeps it there until you press it to release it.

Another nice touch is a subtle gray hashmark that can be used to visually align the hood with the correct orientation on the lens. The hashmark corresponds with a white dot on the base of the lens.

Optics

The lens comprises 17 elements (four of which are aspheric) in 12 groups. Sigma says the lens is designed to give full detail levels, even at maximum aperture. Looking at Sigma's published MTF plots does suggest that its image quality should be at least competitive with its peers.

There are thirteen rounded aperture blades, which should produce rounder bokeh across a wider aperture range and more points on sun stars.

The minimum focus distance is as close as 40cm (15.8"), on par with comparable lenses from Sony and Canon.

Focus is achieved by twin focus groups driven by new linear motors that are smaller and lighter.

Weather sealing

Sigma has said the lens is dust and splash-resistant and has special front lens coatings to repel water and oil, which allows "photographers to shoot without concerns even in harsh outdoor environments."

However, it's always good to be reminded that 'resistant' does not mean 'proof' and Sigma isn't claiming you'll have complete protection from the elements in every situation. They've called out that extra caution must be taken when bringing "the lens in contact with a large amount of water. Water inside the lens may cause major damage and even render the lens unrepairable."

Summary

Sigma's 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art is a lot of lens in a smaller package than its comparable peers. With a wide aperture, clickable aperture ring, nice build quality, and the IQ focus and thoughtful design reputation of Sigma's Art lens line, there don't seem to be any obvious trade-offs when comparing the lens to comparable OEM lenses.

For L-mount users, it's lighter and faster than Panasonic Lumix's F1.4 lens and comes in $400 cheaper. E-mount users can opt to save $600 over Sony's lens.

Sigma says the lens will be available from April 18th at an MSRP of $1,399.

Image: TTArtisan

TTArtisan has announced the launch of its AF 35mm F1.8 lens for Sony’s APS-C E-Mount cameras. Costing less than $150, this “nifty fifty” equivalent adds another option for anyone looking for a budget prime lens.

The lens was launched for Fujifilm's X-mount in November 2023. The 35mm F1.8 uses 10 elements in 8 groups and has 9 aperture blades. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.6m (23.6”) and a minimum aperture of F16. TTArtisan states the lens weighs between 199-210g (7-7.4oz), which is lightweight, though it’s unclear why the company doesn’t offer a more accurate figure.

Just the company's third AF lens, it uses a stepper motor to promise quick and quiet autofocus. The company also claims an all-aluminum build. Although such specs are eye-catching, keep in mind not all build qualities are the same. The lens hasn’t passed through our hands so we can’t comment on the user experience.

Naturally, people will make comparisons to Sony’s $475 E-mount 35mm F1.8. If you like to get close to your subjects, you’ll notice Sony slashes the minimum focusing distance in half, getting it down to 0.3m (11.8”). The Sony lens also has built-in image stabilization. TTArtisan's doesn’t, so it’s something to consider if you tend to shoot video or at slower shutter speeds.

Despite its limitations, at $150 the TTArtisan lens may prove to be a reliable alternative for those looking for a fast budget-friendly prime.

Photo: MPB

Let’s face it, sometimes upgrading your gear is the quickest way to advance your photography and videography. Capturing the decisive moment can require abilities your current camera just doesn't have. But fear not: experimenting doesn't need to break the bank.

That's where MPB comes in. The platform is world-famous for its gigantic selection of used photo and video gear, all individually inspected and photographed, and priced fairly. When you consider an upgrade to better gear, also consider trading in your old kit to save even more money. And, with a 14-day return policy, if your upgrade isn't working out, you can get a full refund.

Speaking of upgrades, here are five to consider.

Upgrade 1: Move to a faster lens

Photo: MPB

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to snag a low-light shot and failing. High ISOs and stabilization aside, the ticket to better photographs in tricky conditions is a faster lens.

Thankfully, many lens makers have options for upgrades with a bigger aperture. If you have, say, Sony’s 24-70mm F4 lens, there’s an F2.8 option you could consider. Maybe you have Panasonic’s inexpensive 25mm F1.7 and want a little more background blur. Try something like the Leica-branded 25mm F1.4.

Upgrade 2: Make your camera last longer

Photo: MPB

Intensive shooting comes with a need for reliable power. Whether you’re outside waiting for wildlife to run by in the cold, or spending all day rolling video at an event, your camera’s battery life will come into play.

Some higher-end mirrorless models let you add a secondary battery with a custom-fit battery grip that functionally double your runtime. Pro videographers know that if you can screw it down to rigging, you’re golden. This is why versatile V-mount batteries like the Core SWX Hypercore are indispensable. V-mount batteries have a wide array of compatible adapters and mounts for video use no matter what kind of camera you have.

Upgrade 3: Get a dedicated microphone

Photo: MPB

“My camera's built-in microphone sounds amazing!” – said no one ever. Even video-centric cameras tend to have pretty thin-sounding onboard mics. And forget about getting clear voices for vlogs, or documentary filmmaking.

Even an inexpensive shotgun mic can make a world of difference to the audio quality of your videos, making the classic, tried-and-true Rode VideoMic Pro+ a no-brainer. And if you need lavaliers that can help your subjects' voices really pop, a secondhand set of Rode's Wireless Go II should serve you well.

Upgrade 4: Switch to a carbon fiber tripod

Photo: MPB

When it comes to working outdoors, every gram counts. After all, if you're hauling gear into the backcountry to capture a shot of the landscape or Milky Way, picking the wrong gear could just about break your back. Ditch the aluminum tripod and go for a compact, lightweight carbon fiber model, instead.

Take, for instance, the high-tech, compact Peak Design Travel Tripod. The aluminum version weighs in at 1.56 kg (3.44 lbs), while the carbon one is only 1.27 kg (2.81 lbs). That difference means you can comfortably carry more gear without skimping on other essentials, like coffee or trail mix.

Upgrade 5: Capture cinematic video with an external HDMI recorder

Photo: MPB

If you're experimenting with color grading your own footage, 8-bit 4:2:0 with a standard flat profile can be extremely limiting. Unfortunately, some cameras otherwise capable of rich images are limited to the depth of file they can record internally.

Of course, there's a way around this internal recording limitation: external recording! Something like the Atomos Shogun Flame 4K would be a fantastic way to upgrade your mirrorless camera to one that can get a cinematic look. This older recorder can spit out 4K 60P 10-bit ProRes footage onto SATA solid-state drives with added goodies like HDR. Plus, it gives you a far bigger screen than whatever's on the back of your camera.