Not many people are still walking around with a first-generation 2007 iPhone in their pockets – but camera lens tech ages differently. According to new data from Japan, photographers aren’t afraid to twist a 20-year-old lens onto their camera.

The data comes from Minna Camera, a photo gear buying and selling app popular in Japan. The company compiled a list of all the lenses still being sold on the platform that are at least 15 years old in order to find the most popular retro lenses still being used today. The research uses data from the last seven months of sales.

The top ten lenses on the list are nearly all zooms, with just two prime lenses in the top ten – hinting that photographers aren’t just after images with less modern sharpness but versatility too.

Two of the top three retro lenses, in fact, are superzooms that cover a wide-to-telephoto range without lens swaps. The Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR takes the number one spot, a lens that first launched in September 2010. While Nikon has a similar Z Mount lens, the DSLR lens’ average selling price on Minna Camera is less than a third of the cost of the Z mount 24-120mm.

A Canon all-in-one zoom takes the third-place spot: The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. Launched in the fall of 2005, the lens is the oldest option on the top ten list. Like the top Nikon lens, the Canon 24-105mm has a mirrorless equivalent (but also an even a brighter f/2.8 option), but the average used price on Minna falls much lower.

A prime slots in between those two super zooms in second place, one of only two primes on the list: The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, released in October 2009. The lens is also the only specialty lens on the list with its macro designation for close-up shots.

Much of the list is dotted with so-called “workhorse lenses," the 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 versatile bright zooms that typically come with a pro-level price. The full list of the top ten retro cameras over the last seven months, according to Minna Camera, includes:

1. Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
2. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
3. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
4. Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G
5. Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
6. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
7. Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
8. Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR
9. Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
10. Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 Mega OIS

Only one mirrorless lens made the list, the Panasonic 45-200mm, a nod towards the Micro Four Thirds long history. That lens launched alongside the first commercially available mirrorless camera – the Panasonic Lumix G1 – released in October, 2008.

Interestingly, Minna Camera crafted a similar list of the most popular cameras that are at least 15 years old. On average, those cameras still tended to be newer than the list of lenses. I can easily see why this is – I think one of the best ways to get the retro look that’s popular right now, without giving up digital, is to adapt an older lens – I even adapted an old film SLR lens to work on my mirrorless camera.

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Canon RF and Nikon Z crop sensor shooters are finally getting an affordable f/2.8 all-in-one zoom. The longstanding favorite Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD will begin shipping for Canon RF Mount and Nikon Z Mount next week on July 02, bringing a best-selling third-party E-Mount and X-Mount lens to more crop sensor bodies.

The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 is a highly versatile lens that earned 4.5 stars in tests of the Sony E-Mount version, which launched in 2021.

The new mount updates of the 17-70mm is only the third Tamron lens launched for the Canon RF mount, but join a list of ten other Nikon Z mount optics from the popular third-party brand.

Moving the lens to Canon RF mount is notable, as Canon doesn’t offer its own native constant f/2.8 zoom made specifically for crop sensor cameras – though pricier full-frame f/2.8 zooms will also work on crop sensor bodies. The Tamron will join a highly limited number of third-party constant-aperture lenses for crop sensor RF bodies, including the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 and Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8.

Nikon Z mount shooters already have access to a native constant aperture zoom with the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR, but Tamron’s launch notably extends the long end of the zoom range by another 20mm.

The new Canon RF and Z Mount options keep what made the earlier E Mount and X Mount options a popular choice, including the constant aperture, stabilization, and weather-resistant construction.

The 17-70mm range is equivalent to a 25.5-105mm full frame range on the Nikon Z and 27.2-112mm on Canon RF. That allows the lens to capture both a wide angle and shorter telephoto without lens swaps. Adding to the versatility is a minimum focus distance of .19m / 7.5 inches for close-up capabilities.

Packing that wide zoom range and constant aperture into one lens creates an optic that is larger than most variable aperture kit lenses, putting the RF mount version at 117mm / 4.6 inches long and the Nikon Z at 121.3mm / 4.8 inches long. The lens weighs around 530g / 18.7 oz on Canon RF and 540g / 19 oz on Nikon Z.

As an existing lens arriving on more mounts, it’s fairly easy to predict the image quality coming from the new lens. Based on the E-Mount tests, photographers (and videographers) can expect pleasant images with soft bokeh and solid sharpness – though a few settings create softer edges, and the images look best with lens profile corrections applied.

The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 for Canon RF and Nikon Z begins shipping on July 02. Both mounts are expected to retail for $749 / CA$949 – which converts to about £570 / AU$1082.

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Many of the retro-inspired cameras built today are inspired by the 1970s, 1980s, and even Y2K, but one small French company is bringing back an even more historic camera format: the wooden field camera with folding bellows.

The Fasquel & Co. 4x5 Heritage is a new large-format field camera that pays homage to photography’s roots while creating a durable, portable camera for modern film artists.

The field camera is a folding bellows camera format that first appeared in the 1840s, and began gaining popularity in the 1850s. The bellows focus the lens, which is mounted to a lens board. This classic camera format has no viewfinder; instead, a ground glass screen projects an upside-down image of what the lens sees at the back of the camera.

Once the photographer composes and focuses the camera, a sheet filter holder slides into place in the back – or, in the earliest cameras, a freshly prepared wet plate collodion.

The Fasquel & Co 4x5 Heritage doesn’t take inspiration from one specific historic field camera, though the company says the US brand Deardorff (1923-1988) and the UK brand Gandolfi (1885-2017) served as inspiration. Instead, the new camera focuses on quick setup, easy alignment, and durability.

Fasquel & Co – founded by Emilien Fasquel and Enzo Luca in 2002 in France – has previously designed 8x10 and even an 11x14 Heritage camera. The newly launched 4x5 Heritage is designed to be a more portable system. Folded, the camera measures 94 × 192 × 230 mm – about 3.7 x 7.5 x 9 inches. The camera weighs about 1.6kg or 3.5 pounds.

The field camera allows photographers to use 4x5 sheet film using a sheet film holder, but the camera is also compatible with even older techniques, including wet plates. The camera can use a variety of large-format lenses mounted on Linhof Technika-style lens boards.

Despite being hand-assembled, the camera is weather-resistant, the company says. The camera is built largely from mahogany, but some special orders also use ebony, cherry, or walnut. The wooden pieces are protected with a traditional varnish to add durability.

Those wooden components are mixed with black anodized aluminum and steel, while the bellows are made with a synthetic material that the company says is also durable and weather-resistant.

The durability and size, the founder Emilien Fasquel said, are designed to give outdoor photographers access to the 4x5 format.

“Large-format photography has always been about slowing down, being intentional, and creating images with extraordinary detail and character,” Fasquel said. “With the 4x5 Heritage, we wanted to make that experience more accessible without compromising on craftsmanship. Every camera that leaves our workshop is built with the idea that it should not only be a photographic tool, but also an object that photographers will enjoy using and owning for decades.”

Slowing down isn’t just a part of using the camera – the company’s Heritage models are individually assembled in a workshop in France, which also allows the company to offer several customization options.

“Our process combines traditional craftsmanship with modern manufacturing methods,” Fasquel said. “Many operations require specialized machinery for precision and consistency, while assembly, finishing, fitting, adjustment, and quality control are carried out by hand. We believe this combination gives us the best balance between accuracy, durability, and the character that comes from a truly handcrafted product.”

The new 4x5 Heritage, as well as the company’s earlier larger format cameras, are available to custom order from the company’s website. The 4x5 is available starting at €1,790 – which converts to about $2,045 / £1,544 / AU$2,922 / CA$2,897. Fasquel & Co ships internationally; additional duties, taxes, and import fees may apply outside of Europe.

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The DJI Osmo Action 7 could be less than 12 weeks away, according to this product history – but some people have suggested that there might be something even sooner than that.

Looking at the number of days that each of the Osmo Action cameras has spent in DJI's list as the flagship before being superseded by a new model, we can see that – at the moment – a life of somewhere between 322 and 425 days seems realistic. We are already at 216.

The first iteration, admittedly, had a very different 896 days. But that was an Action camera during the days of a global pandemic, so there was likely no hurry for a replacement – and there were some unavoidable delaying factors.

For several generations, DJI has comfortably sat at the top of my best action cameras guide thanks to the company's superior low-light capabilities and, frankly, better pricing than the iconic GoPro brand.

The latest GoPro Mission 1 Pro has upped the game for action cameras in several respects, at least for the American brand, by delivering 8K. DJI, however, was already offering most of this – for a lower price. So what can it do, on the technical side at least, to stay ahead of the game?

Bigger sensors have been part of DJI's path before, but there might be a sensible limit in action cameras. DJI has already included a variable aperture in the Action 6, a "feature" that GoPro resisted.

The other most obvious upgrade would be 8K 60fps video, since 8K has been a widely promoted feature not only of the GoPro but also the AcePro 2 from Insta360.

I would anticipate, too, iterative updates to what might be considered 'AI' software – electronic image stabilization, horizon steadying and face tracking.

The real difference for customers, though, will likely still be the lack of first-party support for the DJI camera in the US. DJI has not sold it directly in the US since the company was added to the covered list, though we know that it is still fighting this decision…

NiSi has released three new accessories designed for Ricoh GR compact cameras:

Nisi 49mm filter adapter MKII for GR III & GR IIIx: $32.99

This metal tube slots over the GR's lens, replacing Ricoh's GN-1 and GN-2 adapter rings. 49mm filters can then be fitted to the front, or the adaptor can provide a more stable mount for wide-angle conversion lenses and other accessories. The adapter features an auto-locking mechanism that holds everything securely in place, without wobble, and with no extra tools required. The adaptor is also compatible with NiSi's PR-5 Lens cap.

NiSi Wide Conversion Lens for Ricoh GR Series (GR III, GR IIIx, GR IV): $74.99

This 0.78x wide-angle conversion lens is built for street photography, travel, architecture, and any scenario when you want a wider field of view without sacrificing the GR’s speed and simplicity. On the Ricoh GR III / GR IV it widens the default focal length from 28mm- to 21mm-equivalent, or when fitted to the GR IIIx it converts the lens from 40mm- to 31mm-equivalent. The lens retains the camera's autofocus, metering, and shooting modes, and is Macro Mode compatible. A multi-layer, anti-reflective nano coating is employed to reduce ghosting and flare, while the barrel and caps are constructed from durable aluminum alloy. In order to use the lens, you will also need the separate Nisi 49mm filter adapter for your specific GR model.

NiSi JetMag lens hood kit for Ricoh GR IV: $89.99

Designed exclusively for the GR IV, this purpose-built hood-and-adaptor system is built for street and travel shooters, helping to protect the lens while also controlling harsh light. An included 49mm adaptor lets you use standard 49mm filters, while an auto-lock helps prevent rotation or loosening while shooting. The hood magnetically snaps on over the filter, then the lens cap snaps to the hood for quick protection between shots.

Last week, third-party lens maker Viltrox announced a tiny pancake lens – but if the rumors are any indication, that’s not the only tiny product on the horizon. Photos of a tiny Viltrox keychain camera have leaked online from a regular rumour reporter on Chinese social media.

I’ve heard a few dubious rumors popping up recently hinting that Viltrox was working on a camera. I had my doubts, but the newly leaked photos are not at all what I was expecting.

If the photos leaked by the Independent Photographers’ Association on Weibo are true, then Vilrox could soon offer a tiny keychain camera with a retro design.

The leaked photos look quite similar to the viral Kodak Charmera keychain camera, with the same rectangular shape, keychain ring, and retro stripes. The camera has “1839” printed on it, like some of the original Kodak Charmera designs that have 1987 printed on it, the year of the Kodak Fling that first inspired the Charmera.

The leak didn’t contain any specifications, but with the word “toy” printed on the box, it’s clear the rumored Viltrox camera isn’t made for serious shooters.

If I had to guess, I would venture that the Viltrox toy camera may not even be something headed to stores. The Google-translated caption with the photos indicates that the camera is made for a Dragon Boat Festival gift box.

For now, the Viltrox toy camera is just an unconfirmed leak – but it raises questions about the keychain camera craze. Since the Kodak Charmera went viral and sold out in a matter of hours last year, copies have popped up everywhere, from fast food swag to gas station rewards programs.

Now, the Kodak licensee Reto Productions has made a second set of blink box designs, this time on a Y2K theme.

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If you’re planning on making the step up from APS-C (cropped sensor) to a full-frame camera, then my top recommendation right now would be the Sony A7 IV. Yes, as a longtime Sony A7 III shooter, you might think I’m biased, but hear me out.

The Sony A7 IV is a powerhouse hybrid camera that bridges the gap between professional stills and high-end video. Its standout features include a sharp 33MP back-side illuminated (BSI) sensor, AI-driven autofocus, 10-bit 4:2:2 video capture and a dedicated photo / video / S&Q dial.

While you’ll find competitive specs and prices in models like the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Canon EOS R7, you’d have to compromise and remain an APS-C photographer.

You could look to full-frame alternatives in the likes of the Canon EOS R5 II or the Panasonic Lumix S5II, but then it’s a toss-up between spending around $1,000 (approximately £750 / AU$1,400) more for the Canon or settling for decent but not A7 IV-level specs with the Lumix, albeit for a friendlier sum.

Specs aside, what people often forget about Sony cameras is that the sensors they pack are proprietary, containing industry-leading technology that major competitors like Hasselblad and Nikon prefer to use over their own in-house sensor design.

This is one of the main draws to Sony for me and something that will keep me a Sony shooter for some time.

In fact, the A7 IV sensor handles a solid 14 stops of dynamic range and has an ISO range of 100-51200 for stills and movies (and it’s expandable to 50-204800 for stills).

These attributes, along with the larger sensor surface area, mean the camera packs a hard-hitting low-light performance punch.

Funnily enough, even our Editor in Chief – who’s a Canon man through and through for full frame – has the A7 IV as his best all-rounder in our best full-frame cameras guide.

You should have a gander at that guide before making your decision as, although I say go with the A7 IV, the list goes into way more comparative depth.

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Make sure to use best lenses for the Sony A7 IV to get the most out of this brilliant body. And if you want to learn more about other Sony rigs, check out the best Sony cameras for vlogging, filmmaking and photography.

All good things must come to an end. And so it is that Canon has quietly started sunsetting the Canon EOS RP in Asia, first indicated by the "Sales ended" tag on the official Canon Japan store listing.

While the RP hasn't yet officially moved to the company's discontinued products listing, and though it's still being sold by both Canon USA and Canon UK, this is the first indication that the svelte mirrorless camera is being Old Yellered.

With Canon Japan having exhausted its inventory, it's only a matter of time before stocks are gone elsewhere in the world – so if you've been thinking about getting one, now is the time.

This marks the end of the first generation of EOS R cameras (following the original Canon EOS R) – but, for me personally, it's also the end of the first Canon mirrorless camera that I truly fell in love with.

The R System wasn't Canon's first mirrorless foray, of course; that was the APS-C-only M System. But while I thought the EOS M50 was a neat little camera, I don't think anybody ever felt the same affinity for M cameras that they did for the R series.

I bought the EOS R on day one, trading in my 6D Mark II so that I could join Canon's mirrorless revolution from the beginning. The original R was essentially a 5D Mark IV in drag, making it ostensibly an upgrade from the 6D Mark II. However, even though the RP was essentially an adjacent model, it was the RP that I really wished I'd gone for.

The Canon EOS RP lacked mirrorless essentials like in-body image stabilization, and the 4K video was tragically cropped and robbed of Dual Pixel AF. Crucially, though, it was Canon's smallest and lightest ever full-frame camera, coming in at just 440g body only and measuring 132.5 x 85 x 70 mm (making it smaller and lighter than the 800D DSLR).

And it was very aggressively priced, launching at just $1,299 / £1,399 for the body and the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R to use DSLR lenses straight out of the box. All of which contributed to the name, "RP", meaning "Popular" – in the Japanese sense that it's a camera meant 'for everybody'.

Even today, while the Canon EOS R8 is a better camera, the RP is still Canon's best value full-frame camera.

It's currently available for just $617 at Walmart in the US or only £799 from Amazon in the UK – an absolute steal for anyone wanting to upgrade to full-frame photography or get into Canon's mirrorless ecosystem.

So, whether you want to get one while you still can or it's a camera that you never knew existed, please join me in pouring some sip on the kerb for the Canon EOS RP. My first love of the R System.

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Got an RP? Check out the best lenses for the Canon EOS RP. Looking for an alternative? Take a look at the best Canon cameras along with the best Canon RF lenses.

Until the recent revival in the fortunes of the humble, fixed-lens compact camera, or point-and-shoot camera, it’s fair to assume that, for most of us, this type of pocket camera had disappeared completely. 

By the 2010s, we were all using smartphone cameras, and so most low-resolution, standalone snapshots with their 3x or 4x optical zooms were banished to a drawer or listed on eBay. The manufacturers themselves also contributed to the demise of compact cameras. As demand decreased, they simply stopped manufacturing them.

Or did they?

Well, not entirely. While the vast majority vanished from retail, the compact cameras that survived offered something smartphones did not. 

I’m talking toughened, waterproof compacts that could be covered in mud, dirt and sand and simply rinsed clean without damage. Or accidentally elbowed off a table onto a stone floor and avoid shattering into several pieces, thereby allowing image capture to continue. 

To test durability, and because I was feeling cavalier, I once packed an early Kodak ‘tough’ series camera in airplane hold luggage. It arrived at my destination with lens glass shattered; but that was very much the exception rather than the rule.

Through the period post-2015 when digital compacts were mostly nowhere to be seen, OM System, formerly Olympus, and Ricoh/Pentax continued to market shockproof, freezeproof and water-proof cameras, as opposed to action cameras. All around them, bog standard compacts sunk without trace. 

Successful models offering the ability to shoot pictures and videos in conditions that would have been wholly unsuitable for most smartphones included OM System’s TG-7, and the rugged WG series from Ricoh/Pentax. Recent notable examples have included the flagship Pentax WG-8 and the entry-level WG-1000. Other models still selling at the time of writing include the Pentax WG-90 and near outwardly identical Ricoh WG-80.

Such cameras have consistently catered to a dedicated, niche subset of the compact camera market for sure, but they kept it going when others found the going too tough. There were toughened compacts released by the likes of Nikon (the Coolpix AW series) and Fujifilm (FinePix XP), for example, but these also got abandoned.

Obviously, the rugged cameras that stayed the course did so not just because they were alternatives to trashing our phones, but because of the different user experience. If, like me, you’ve been snorkelling or diving with a toughened compact and experimented with the various underwater-enhanced modes, you’ll know exactly what I mean. OK, so I’m not going to get mirrorless or pro DSLR-like quality, but for providing a visual memento, they’re perfectly fine.

And now, a mix of smartphone fatigue and social media has renewed and widened interest in cheap digital point and shoots at one end of the scale, and ‘slow photography’ options like the Pentax 17 film compact at the other. 

But, sitting in the middle, there was always consistently an alternative in the toughened, waterproof digital compact.

I’m so used to SD, microSD and CFexpress cards as gold standard removable media for my digital camera of choice – not to mention wireless transfer – that it’s easy to forget about all the failed physical formats previously presented to data-hungry photographers.

If you’ve taken an image with a digital camera over the past 25 years, as I have, you’ll be familiar with a roll call of formats that were once the must-have, but have now disappeared, among them SmartMedia and xD cards – both favored by Fuji point-and-shoots – along with Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick and, for more serious users with larger cameras, CompactFlash. The latter gave way to CFexpress cards and the XQD format in the 2010s, just slightly thicker than a SD card but offering much faster speeds than CF.

To this list of gone but unforgotten formats we can add the bonkers late 90s idea of Sony Mavica ‘compact’ cameras recording to 3.5-inch floppy disks and subsequently 8cm Mini CD-Rs. The thinking at the time was solid – circumnavigate the ‘chain of pain’ with a media format that I could take straight out of my camera and slot into my PC drive. Those nervous about the ‘newness’ of digital photography back then were presented with something familiar and unthreatening, if ultimately impractical.

First introduced in 1995, SmartMedia was one of the first digital memory formats I encountered switching from film to digital photography, intended at the time to be a flash (memory) alternative to the floppy disk. Recently reacquainting myself with a FinePix 6900 Zoom from 2001, I’d forgotten how comically huge SmartMedia looks next to SD and microSD cards today. SmartMedia’s capacity maxed out at 128MB, which quickly made it obsolete in the race for more pixels. Plus, its exposed gold contact pins and sender dimensions made the cards more fragile that what quickly came to replace them.

In my world, that replacement was the much smaller and tougher xD memory card, jointly introduced by Fujifilm and Olympus in 2002 and able to offer quite a jump in capacity. Almost a third of the physical size of SmartMedia, xD cards also enabled the cameras that supported the format – mainly from Olympus and Fuji but also several Kodak models – to themselves become more compact, and thus desirable.

However, Panasonic and SanDisk’s introduction of Secure Digital / SD, which first hit the market with a modest 8MB capacity in 2000, eventually meant that xD disappeared by 2009. In the race to accommodate larger data demands, SD spawned SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) in 2005, plus SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) in 2009. As, simultaneously, camera phones were getting more sophisticated, microSD cards were launched primarily for mobile devices in 2005 and continues to be widely used 20 years on.

Available alongside these formats for a short while and intended as an exclusive revenue driver for Sony digital cameras, was the electronics giant’s chewing gum-shaped Memory Stick format. First introduced in 1998, by 2010 Sony was being forced to bow to consumer pressure and offer compatibility with SD cards instead. I can recall an audible sigh of relief at the time from consumers confused by all the competing formats.

Again, it was because SD offered a higher storage capacity, faster read/write speeds, plus more affordable production costs – and that unlike Memory Stick, was non-proprietary – that saw its widespread adoption and market dominance, that continues over a quarter of a century later.

Fast forward to 2026 and I’m just grateful that my card reader and laptop no longer need multiple slots to accommodate the many bewildering, but now redundant, memory card variants still rattling around in a shoebox I have at home.

Check out the best memory card options available for today's digital cameras

When it comes to tripod manufacturers, Benro might not be as famous as a couple of its Italian cousins, but this Chinese company has been up and running for more than 30 years and has manufactured some of my personal favorite professional-grade tripods, monopods, and support accessories during that time. I’ve tested and reviewed quite a few of them over the last decade and bought a couple as a result, subsequently being completely happy with them over long periods of time.

The monopod that I’m reviewing here is from the SupaDupa line-up. Typical of Benro products in general and SupaDupa monopods in particular, it’s cleverly designed with innovative features, expertly engineered, and immaculately finished. As such, it aims to be one of the best monopods for photographers on the market today. Whether you need to support the heavy load of a big telephoto lens or just beat the shakes when using slow shutter speeds, this Benro should prove well up to the task.

Benro MSD46CB SupaDupa: Specifications

Benro MSD46CB SupaDupa: Price

What price a monopod? The Benro MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa costs $170 / £180, which is pretty much at the upper end of the scale, especially for a Chinese-manufactured monopod, although you can expect to pay more for a top-of-the-range Manfrotto or Gitzo, both of which are made in Italy. For comparison, we reviewed the similar Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C, which lists at an even pricier $209 / £209 and is shorter but heavier, though it does come complete with a useful leveling pan head, which is absent from the MSD46CB I’m reviewing here.

Benro MSD46CB SupaDupa: Design & Handling

There are a lot of things I like about this Benro monopod, but top of the list is the 8-layer carbon fiber from which it’s made. The look and finish of the carbon fiber absolutely scream ‘quality’, and as I’ll come to later, that translates into superb performance. And although impressively rigid even at full stretch, the carbon build helps to keep the weight down to an easily manageable 0.58kg or 1.3lb. That’s despite the monopod having a mighty maximum payload rating of 40kg / 88lb.

Speaking of full stretch, I’m a tall guy and have often been disappointed that even some of the best monopods on the market are simply too short for me to use without stooping. That’s definitely not a problem with this Benro, as it extends to a relatively towering 177cm, or 5ft 10in. Just like with the huge payload rating being delivered by a lightweight construction, the lofty maximum operating height comes with a surprisingly small stowage length of just 43.5cm or 17.1in. That’s made possible by no less than six telescoping leg sections.

Okay, I’d be the first to admit that such a large number of leg sections would normally equate to a couple of compromises. First up, as I’ve experienced with many travel tripods, the bottom sections often tend to be very thin and spindly, and therefore lacking in strength and rigidity. That’s not the case here, as even the bottom section has a generous diameter of 21.8mm (0.9in), with a robust and rigid feel to it.

The second compromise is that six leg sections require five separate clamps to release and lock them, which brings the prospect of the monopod being a time-consuming chore to use. As it turns out, the bottom four telescoping sections each have a twist-action lock. They’re pretty quick and easy to use, partly because when the monopod is contracted, you can grab all of the twist clamps in one handful and loosen or tighten them in a single gesture.

The top telescoping section is different from all of the rest, as it has a quick-release flip-action lock. Not only is it easy to locate by feel when your eye is to the viewfinder of your camera, but it’s super-speedy to operate. When using the monopod, I find that I generally tend to extend all of the lower sections and just rely on the top section with its flip lock for making any height adjustments. That makes using the Benro speedy and simple.

I’m a little disappointed that the monopod doesn’t come with a head, but I know a lot of photographers who find it unnecessary to use a head with a monopod. And at least if you do want to use a head, you can buy one of your choosing. Either way, the monopod has a 60mm / 2.4in diameter circular platform up top, which should prove ideal for mounting a camera or the mounting ring of a big, heavy lens, or indeed a head.

A crafty bit of design is that the securing screw for any of these has a dual-diameter spring-loaded arrangement, so the larger 3/8in thread automatically retracts to reveal a 1/4in thread if you need the smaller size. If you’re fitting a head on the monopod, there’s also a grub screw in the platform to ensure that it doesn’t work loose.

Another thing that you don’t want to be working loose is your grip on the monopod, sending your camera and attached lens crashing to the ground. I’m reassured that the monopod features a wrist strap, and it’s a particularly good one at that. Not only does it have an adjustable diameter to securely fasten around any size of wrist, but it also has a push-button, quick-release clip so that you can quickly and easily remove the wrist strap if you feel the need. The quick-release clip can also be easily removed from the securing lug to which it’s tethered.

Keeping a secure hold on the monopod is also aided by the inclusion of a Benro SupaDupa Shoulder Pad in the kit, a standalone version being available on its own for $20 / £15. It’s a really neat comfort pad that you can wrap around the monopod, with a rubberized, anti-slip inner surface, a padded mesh exterior, and a Velcro strip to keep it in place. You can actually use it with any monopod or tripod leg that has a diameter of between 32mm and 37mm (1.3in and 1.5in).

Neat extras include a couple of hex keys for making adjustments if and when needed, and there’s a clip for attaching one of them to the monopod if you feel you might need to use it when you’re out and about.

Even the foot of the monopod is pretty smart. I find that I’m often given to panning when using a monopod, as I use them with heavy telephoto lenses while tracking wildlife and sports subjects in motion. The fixed foot of most monopods tends to try to drill a hole in the ground during the process, and can make panning feel stiff and jerky. This Benro monopod features a spinning foot, which glides on its own V-profile roller bearing cage, making panning actions silky smooth.

If panning’s not your thing and you feel the urge to ram the bottom of your monopod into soft ground for a more assured footing, you can swap out the spinning foot with its rubber pad for a metal spike that’s supplied as part of the kit. You simply unscrew one and screw in the other, which takes minimal time and effort.

Benro MSD46CB SupaDupa: Performance

If I had to sum up the performance of the Benro MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa Monopod in two words, they’d be ‘speedy’ and ‘sturdy’, but allow me to embellish. I like that, with no fewer than six telescopic sections, the monopod folds down small, but has a really tall maximum operating height.

That would usually come with the pain of setup and take-down being time-consuming chores. However, the provision of a flip-action clamp for the top section and twist-action clamps for the lower sections actually makes the monopod quick to extend and fold down again. It also makes any required height adjustments fast and effortless while the monopod is actually in use.

Then there’s the stability. I’m of the ‘fat legs first’ school of monopod and tripod use, in that I generally extend the larger-diameter top legs first and only deploy the relatively thin bottom ones if I really need to. I use this Benro rather differently, extending all of the lower sections, all of the time, and then extending or contracting the fattest top section with its flip-action clamp to apply any necessary height adjustments. In practice, that works really well, and the monopod remains rigid and extremely resistant to any unwanted flexing, even at its maximum operating height with everything fully extended.

And to finish with just a little thing, that spinning pad on the foot with its roller bearings gives a huge performance boost when you’re panning or just tracking subjects in motion.

Benro MSD46CB SupaDupa: Verdict

The Benro MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa is definitely one of the best monopods I’ve ever used. It’s cleverly designed, superbly well-engineered, immaculately finished, and performs flawlessly. I really like that it folds down nice and small, and is really lightweight for the journey, yet stretches to a very generous maximum operating height and has a mighty payload rating.

The carbon fiber is of particularly good quality, and the clamps all work with smooth precision. I like the mix of twist-locks and a flip-action lock up top, which work brilliantly well together, enabling speed and ease of use. The spinning foot makes the Benro an absolute joy to use for panning shots. My only gripe is that Benro’s rather excellent leveling pan head isn’t supplied as part of the kit, despite the monopod being particularly pricey to buy.

Alternatives

After all the excitement of the launch of the Pentax 17 a couple of years ago, things have gone very quiet in terms of any new 35mm film cameras.

You may remember that Ricoh was promising another Pentax film model, but that looks to be on the back burner for the moment. Yet the volume of 35mm film being processed at commercial labs around the world continues to steadily rise – as do, logically, the sales of both color and B&W film.

Darkroom equipment and materials continue to tick along, too, so shooting film continues to grow in popularity. But what are these film fans actually shooting with?

The Pentax 17 – quite a curiosity in some respects – was primarily designed to appeal to a particular audience who were not only new to film, but new to using a camera rather than a camera phone.

Consequently, interesting though it is, it doesn’t have any appeal to more experienced photographers who either want to return to shooting film or who want to try it for first time. Either way, what’s needed is a more mainstream design – and that’s either a more conventional compact camera or, better still, a 35mm SLR.

The Pentax back-catalog should provide rich pickings for recreating the latter, assuming that there’s basic tooling still available (which the main chassis of the 17 suggests is indeed the case), so why has Ricoh’s film camera project seemingly pressed pause? And, subsequently, is anybody else in a position to make a new 35mm SLR?

It’s no secret that, after being in very high demand initially, sales of the Pentax 17 have slowed. Much of that early demand was driven by the curiosity factor, and people bought the camera because of its historical significance and because it was “something different”.

However, it was always one of those products that would reach the point where everybody who wants one has got one.

My opinion is that Ricoh should have kicked off with a more mainstream 35mm design and followed with the quirky half-frame camera. I suspect the potential customers for the former are far larger in number than whatever unit sales the Pentax 17 has achieved so far.

That said, Ricoh is reportedly happy with how the 17 has sold, and it’s still available with only a smallish reduction in price compared to when it was launched. But would the balance sheet have looked a lot better with a 35mm SLR or a full-frame film compact?

Ricoh says it hasn’t dismissed the idea of a revived 35mm R/GR series compact, which perhaps makes more sense given just how big the line’s following is now courtesy of the last few digital models (including the new Ricoh GR IV). Nevertheless, I still feel what’s really needed now is a 35mm reflex.

It needs to be priced at under $750 body-only and, while a fully mechanical and manual design has some appeal, I think it should have automatic operations – such as exposure, focus and film transport – because that’s what we’re all so used to now. Okay, manual focus is probably fine. But too much nostalgia might just be too much, period.

If you’re a purist, there are plenty of pre-loved classic mechanical cameras available to scratch that itch. But a reasonable degree of automation – backed by a new camera warranty and, of course, with manual overrides – would make jumping into film less of a culture shock.

There is the question of the lens mount, but the ubiquitous K bayonet would seem the obvious choice given the huge reservoir of lenses available, old and new.

Right now, though, we seem to have reached an impasse. An affordable 35mm SLR is what’s needed to kick the film revival up a gear or two, but the current numbers probably look a bit marginal in terms of profitability. I’m convinced that "build it and they will come", but somebody somewhere needs to take a leap of faith.

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The Godox ML series consists of a series of modular continuous LEDs. I use the term modular because you can attach a range of accessories to them, such as magnetically attached diffusers or a twist-and-lock ML-CS1625 soft tent (which is basically a little soft box). You can also power them wirelessly using a clip-on Godox ML-BA battery, or use the ML150Bi’s supplied ML-VMA battery plate to attach Godox or third-party V-mount batteries to the LED.

The Godox ML range starts off in terms of affordability and power with the palm-sized ML-40Bi. At the top of the ML range, we have the Godox ML150Bi. This is the bigger brother to the similarly specced Godox ML80Bi, a key difference being that the ML150Bi produces a much brighter continuous light source for photographers and videographers to enjoy, even in the brightest of outdoor locations.

Both the ML80Bi and the ML150Bi ship with an ML-Z Zoom Reflector, so when this accessory is set to spotlight, the ML80Bi can emit 29,600 lux. On the same reflector setting, the ML150Bi produces 61,054 lux. Time for your model to put on some shades!

The term "Bi" pops up a lot in this introduction. The entire ML series consists of bi-color lights, meaning that they can emit a range of light color temperatures in degrees Kelvin. The ML150Bi can be adjusted – via button rotation or a swipe of a slider in the Godox Light smartphone app – to emit light that has a color temperature between a warm 2800K and a much cooler 6500K.

Being able to control the LED’s color temperature means that you can complement existing light sources, such as dialing in a cool daylight temperature of 5600K to add fill light that’s compatible with the location’s natural outdoor key light.

If you need a more colorful light source (such as purples, greens, and reds), then you need to look for an RGB LED, not a bi-color one. I can recommend the Neewer HB80C for both creative color and Kelvin scale illumination, among other continuous LED options in our buying guide to the best video lights.

Godox ML150Bi: Specifications

Godox ML150Bi: Price

The Godox ML150Bi retails at $259/£229. Its weaker little brother, the ML80Bi, retails at $229/£203. So for only around $30/£30 extra, you can purchase a more powerful 150W LED (compared to the weaker 80W device). So on paper, it seems like a no-brainer to go for maximum power for an extra $30.

However, I do have a word of caution. The cheaper ML80Bi ships with a dockable ML-BA battery that matches the white design of the lamp. The more expensive ML150Bi doesn’t ship with the ML-BA battery, so you’ll need to power the ML150Bi by its supplied mains cable or use its supplied ML-VMA battery plate to attach a V-mount battery (not supplied). You can buy an ML-BA battery to power the ML150Bi, but that will add another $89/£73 to your costs.

Personally, I like the fact that you can power up the cheaper ML80Bi out of the box thanks to its supplied battery (after charging it via its USB-C cable). I did have a V-mount battery to attach to the ML150Bi’s adapter plate, so that was fine for my test, but bear this powering issue in mind when considering a purchase.

Godox ML150Bi: Design & Handling

After unboxing the Godox ML150Bi, it looks like an elongated version of the Godox ML80Bi, with the same distinctive plastic white body material. The bigger ML150Bi features extra grilles and ventilation holes to help dissipate the extra heat that its 150W produces (plus an internal fan is on hand to keep the lamp cool). As with its little brother, the ML150Bi has an identical control panel that has an On/Off button and a Mode button to jump between controlling color temperatures in CCT Mode or choosing animated lighting effects in FX Mode.

A ridged plastic control wheel enables you to scroll through various menu items or adjust the frequency of lighting flashes, for example, and a central Set button lets you commit to your desired settings. A little OLED screen tells you all you need to know about the properties of the currently selected mode, and you can use that to activate Bluetooth, which enables you to control every setting via the Godox Light smartphone app.

The control dial/button (or the Godox Light app) enables you to adjust color temperature between a range of a warm 2800K to a cooler 6500K, so you can mimic candlelight, a sunset, or average daylight with ease. There are also 11 animated lighting effects – Lightning, Flash, Cloudy, Broken Bulb, TV, Candle, Fire, Fireworks, Explosion, Welding, and SOS.

As it’s a bi-color light, the lighting effects can use a mix of warm and cold color temperatures – such as creating cold flashes of lightning using a color temperature of 5400K, or a flickering fire at 2800K. If you want to mimic the flashing blues and reds of an off-screen police car, then you’ll need an RGB-capable LED such as the Neewer HB80C (which has 18 lighting effects, compared to the 11 from the ML150Bi).

The rear of the ML150Bi is initially hidden by a white plastic panel. At first, it was a bit of a challenge discovering how to remove the panel, but all you need to do is slide it up. Behind the panel are docking clamps that enable you to connect the LED’s body to a Godox ML-BA battery (not supplied). Fortunately, the kit does ship with the Godox ML-VMA battery plate, so I was able to pop a Neewer PS099F V-mount battery onto the plate and power the light during my test shoot.

Also included in the sturdy carry case that ships with the ML150Bi is an ML-Z Zoom Reflector. This mounts onto the front of the LED and can be rotated to create a wider or narrower (and more intense) beam of light. The front of the reflector is magnetic, enabling you to easily attach diffusers to subtly change the light’s properties. The Godox ML-D diffusers (sold separately) are designed to pop straight into the reflector. I found the diffusers to be a bit too subtle when out in a busy city location, but they may be more attractive (and more noticeable) if you’re shooting in a studio against a plain backdrop.

Godox ML150Bi: Performance

Since the ML150Bi didn’t ship with a battery, I popped on its supplied adapter and slid a Neewer PS099F V-mount battery I already had onto it. The Neewer battery’s display informed me that it was 80% charged, so I thought that would be more than enough power for a one-hour test shoot with Maddy, the model.

The ML150Bi’s sturdy black and branded carry case fitted nicely into my Gomatic 25L Camera Backpack, alongside a variety of accessories such as mini tripods, a Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra gimbal (to record my intro for the video review), and a spare iPhone 17 to capture some B-roll clips for my video review. The Neewer V-mount battery fitted in there too, so I found the backpack quite heavy to carry as I wandered through London to my shooting location – the Barbican Centre.

I’d previously tested the smaller Godox ML80Bi on a model portrait shoot in the Barbican Centre, so I decided to repeat the shoot with the ML150Bi. The weaker ML80Bi needed a Fresnel lens attachment to boost the light when shooting outdoors. The more powerful ML150Bi did not!

I started by using the bright sun as a key light, but this plunged parts of my model’s face into harsh, contrasting shadows. I was then able to position the ML150Bi on a lighting tripod to fill in the harsh shadows with a complementary daylight color temperature. I also enjoyed placing the LED behind the model to create a rim light that helped her stand out from the background. This extra light source helped "sculpt" her face with a key, fill, or rim light, giving it a more interesting three-dimensional look.

To make the ML150Bi’s light a little less harsh, I removed the reflector and slotted the Godox ML-CS1625 Soft Tent onto the LED, courtesy of the soft box’s supplied Godox mount adapter. The soft box reduced the intensity of the LED, so I needed to place the light in the shot while I snapped portraits for this review with my iPhone 17. It was an easy job to paint out the light stand and its shadow using Photoshop’s Generative Fill tool, so I was happy to keep the light in the shot when capturing wide shots of the model. For tighter portraits, I was able to keep the ML150Bi out of the shot.

I then moved into the shadow of the tall Barbican towers, which had a cooler, darker, and flatter lighting that was no good for portrait photography. Fortunately, after adjusting the LED via its tactile switches and dials, I was able to summon a strong golden-hour sun to be a key light in the gloom. This enabled me to capture some attractive sunset portraits (and slow-motion video of the model’s hair being backlit by the "sun").

Finally, I headed to a darker shaded area and used the ML150Bi as a harsh key light to capture film noir-style portraits with stark shadows. I also experimented with using some of the lighting effects while shooting video on the iPhone 17. The Broken Bulb effect in particular worked well with the grungy mise en scène of the urban environment, so these lighting effects should make the ML150Bi appeal to video creators as well as portrait shooters.

My hour-long shoot took place in four different locations that were relatively close together, so the light was on more than it was off! Given my V-mount battery started at 80% charge, I was lucky to have around 4% of power left at the end of my shoot, so I’d certainly recommend taking a spare battery along with you, especially due to the 150W power of the Godox ML150Bi.

I have one little niggle regarding the performance of the Godox ML150Bi. I turned the LED off between the various location setups to save battery power. To turn it on, you need to press the power button. A little icon appears on the OLED screen indicating that you then need to rotate the plastic dial in a clockwise direction to activate the LED. Sometimes this operation didn’t work, so I needed to press the power button again and have another go at rotating the dial. This did slow me down a little.

Oh, there was also a little bright orange rubber stopper that fitted onto the end of the metal lever that releases objects mounted to the front of the LED, such as the supplied reflector. This rubber stopper kept dropping off and, as I expected, it got lost during the shoot. However, it doesn’t affect the performance of the light in any way, so it is negligible, but I do like to be thorough in my reviews.

Godox ML150Bi: Verdict

I enjoyed using the Godox ML150Bi during my model portrait test shoot. As it was considerably more powerful than the ML80Bi, I could travel lighter without needing the brightness-boosting Fresnel lens that the ML80Bi required when shooting outdoors. However, I missed the Godox ML-BA battery that is supplied with the ML80Bi. My Neewer V-mount battery powered the ML150Bi throughout the shoot, but its bulky black casing looked out of place against the LED’s white body. Godox’s white ML-BA battery blends much more neatly with the white plastic bodies of its ML series LEDs, although buying one to power the ML150Bi would cost an additional $89/£73.

All in all, the Godox ML150Bi deserves a place in your kit bag as it elevates portraits from good to great. You can fill in harsh shadows or add a key light that accentuates the shape of your model’s face. Videographers might find the animated effects useful for adding drama, but the lack of RGB lighting effects (such as Squad Car) means that the effects from this bi-color light are less useful.

Alternatives

Who’s on first? With apologies to Abbott and Costello, when it comes to autofocus SLRs, it gets a little convoluted – for the company that was first, was also the company that was last.

Ernst Leitz Company (now known simply as Leica) had been quietly working on autofocus technology since the late 1950s, and received its first patent in 1960.

At the 1976 Photokina, it made the world’s first demonstration of a working autofocus system built into a Leicaflex SL2 body. At that stage, it was more of a focus confirmation system; the photographer focused manually, while watching two LEDs visible in the top of the finder. Both were lit when in perfect focus.

Leica showed improved versions at the 1978 Photokina and a further improved one at the Minneapolis convention of the Leica Historical Association of America (now known as the International Leica Society) in 1980. This iteration was built into a Leica R4-Mot body and had a servo-motor-driven Summilux lens, for true autofocus.

Despite its innovations, however, Leica never commercialized its Correfot system. It seems that Leica viewed itself as catering to skilled photographers who preferred manual focusing.

It believed that the early AF mechanisms compromised the "precise focusing" made possible by the renowned lens mounts (accurate to 1/100mm). And at that stage of autofocus development, it may have been right.

It’s not clear if Leitz sold or simply gave its patents to Minolta, under a technical cooperation agreement between the two firms that ran from 1972 to 1997. Either way, Leica did not bring out an autofocus SLR until its medium format S2 in 2008.

While the Konica C35 AF of 1977 was the very first AF camera (using patents licensed from Honeywell), it was Leica’s Correfot technology that enabled Minolta to build the first truly successful SLR with autofocus in 1985.

It was sold as the Minolta 7000 AF in most of the world, and as the Minolta Maxxum in North America.

Curiously, the Maxxum 7000 was considered "advanced" because it placed the focus motor in the camera body. Earlier efforts by Leica, Pentax and others all used motors built into or attached to the lenses, making them both heavy and bulky (for example, the Pentax ME-F of 1981).

Ironically, the best modern AF cameras now have the motors built into the lenses – but then these newer motors are much, much smaller.

The Maxxum 7000 was the first 35mm with automated film handling, as it loaded the film, sensed the film speed, advanced the film and then rewound it, all under motor control. Power was supplied by four AAA batteries housed in the large grip.

The Maxxum 7000 was also the first SLR to have the body made entirely of plastic. The 7000’s body is light, but doesn’t feel cheap – its tough, almost unbreakable ABS gives it the advantage of reduced weight while avoiding any feel of flimsiness.

Over 40 years on, though, that old ABS plastic can turn yellow from UV exposure. The result is that Minolta’s white often appears beige.

The Maxxum 7000 was also the first camera to use Minolta’s new, larger A-mount, as its earlier SR/MC/MD mounts could not handle the needs of AF. This mount was used on Sony’s A-mount cameras produced between 2006 and 2020, and many of the old Minolta A-mount lenses will still work on them.

In 1987, Honeywell sued Minolta claiming that the Maxxum autofocus system infringed Honeywell's patents. Though mostly based on the Leica patents, in 1992 a jury found that Minolta had infringed on two of the Honeywell patents and awarded some $96 million in damages. Minolta also received a license to continue to use the Honeywell technology.

That crippling financial blow was one of the reasons that eventually led to Minolta merging with Konica in 2003.

In 2004, the new Konica-Minolta company introduced its Maxxum 5D and 7D cameras (sold as the “Dynax” outside the USA and the “A-7” in Japan), the first SLRs with sensor-shifting in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which it called “anti-shake.”

This had the advantage that the purchaser bought the system once, with the body, rather than re-buying the IS system with each lens.

Pentax would follow suit in 2006 and Olympus in 2007. All three firms adopted the IBIS system, in part because they had the engineering knowhow – but to a greater degree because they did not have any image-stabilized lenses and thus had no reason not to.

However, the 5D and 7D were the only DSLRs to bear the Konica-Minolta name before it sold the camera business to Sony and left the industry in 2006.

Read more of David Young's ongoing series on classic cameras, as well as his book A Brief History of Photography.

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Interesting and, in some categories, surprising news from Japanese photo industry body and data tracker, CIPA (the Camera and Imaging Products Association). Figures from the past few months tell of contrasting fortunes, with shipments of fixed lens compacts up by 30% year-on-year and those of DSLRs down by the same amount.

Yet the real surprise for 2026 is an expected slowdown for mirrorless cameras across all categories. Large, full-frame cameras are witnessing the greatest slump, with shipments down 11% since the start of the year.

So, have we fallen out of love with cameras that promise the ultimate in image quality? Have they become too big, too bulky, and too expensive for most? Or are photographers just perfectly happy with snaps from their compact cameras and camera phones?

Let’s not get carried away just yet. At the time of writing, CIPA is predicting mirrorless camera shipments from Japan for the whole of 2026 to be at 6.82 million units, compared to 7 million shipments last year. In seeing a modest 2.6% fall, it’s not like mirrorless is collectively going the way of the DSLR just yet – and, of course, predictions can be skewed.

But I reckon there could be a few factors at play here.

Firstly, there’s been a paucity of exciting new mirrorless models primarily aimed at photographers in 2026. In fact, the news has mostly been about cheap and cheerful point-and-shoot cameras from smaller market players, with some aping the screen-free analog experience.

And then we’ve had flashier fixed-lens digital compact rehashes like the Panasonic Lumix L10, Ricoh GR IV and Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. So, I can see why shipments of fixed-lens compacts have been given a real boost; mirrorless not so much.

The other school of thought is that the mirrorless camera market is already saturated with options that are so good, there’s an argument to be made that their technology has peaked. Updates have certainly slowed greatly in recent years, with wholly new announcements being largely restricted to video-first models.

Next, as mentioned earlier, there’s the fact that mirrorless cameras are now a considerable investment. In a cost-of-living crisis, it’s no surprise that users are happy to hold onto existing models for longer.

Plus, many will feel that mid-range mirrorless models are so capable that the extra spend for a full-frame mirrorless is no longer justifiable. Hence, the larger dip in units shipped for that category.

Odd, yet interesting times, then. Five years ago, when mirrorless seemed unassailable, nobody would have expected that we’d see a surge in compact camera sales, which back then were ostensibly dead. But times change – and with them the camera industry, too.

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Benro is a Chinese creator of pro-grade tripods and other photography and videography supports. The company has been going strong for 30 years and counting, and I’ve personally paid cash money for some of its products over the last 10 years or so. I’ve been very happy with all of my purchases, being continually impressed with the craftsmanship, quality and dependability, throughout heavy use over long periods of time. Items in my collection include the lofty but super-sturdy carbon fiber Benro TMA38CL Mach3 9X CF Series 3 Long Tripod, the Benro GH2N gimbal head for the joy of movement, the Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C carbon fiber monopod, and the highly ingenious, ultra-versatile Benro FS20PRO Hybrid Video & Foto Head.

The Benro A48FD Aluminum Monopod that I’m reviewing here might not be ‘SupaDupa’, but it’s still packed with clever tricks. Benro bills it as a lightweight flip-lock video monopod that’s ideal for small cameras, with a 3-leg locking base that includes a ball joint for smooth and stable shots, along with reverse folding legs for compact travel. I’d agree with all of that, although I really don’t feel it’s only ‘ideal for small cameras’. I think its 20kg / 44lb payload rating makes this monopod tough enough to support even the heaviest of cameras mounted with long lenses. All in all, it aims to be one of the best monopods on the market, and quite possibly the best value for money.

Benro A48FD Monopod: Specifications

Benro A48FD Monopod: Price

I recently tested and reviewed the rather excellent Benro MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa Monopod, a heavy-duty monopod with a heavy-duty price tag of $170 / £180. I’d have bought one myself if I didn’t already have the older Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C in my supporting cast. Shortly afterwards, I spotted this aluminum monopod kit with added extras in the shape of a 3-leg base for the bargain price of just $99 / £59, and the deal was done. It seems outrageously great value, especially in the UK, and for me, it’s a worthy additional monopod that I can use for hybrid shooting. Further investigation revealed the full list price in the UK is actually £120, but even at that price, it's reasonable value.

If you’re feeling flush, there’s also the Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C carbon fiber monopod, which lists at a much more expensive $209 / £209. This kit doesn’t include a 3-leg base but does come complete with a leveling head that’s useful for panning when shooting video or stills.

Benro A48FD Monopod: Design & Handling

The full title of this monopod is the Benro A48FD Series 4 Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base, which pretty much gives the game away and doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Even so, it’s imaginatively designed to be genuinely supportive for both videography and stills photography. It’s a bit like the best bits of a monopod and tripod all wrapped up into one convenient package, able to stand on its own three feet while giving a helping hand to panning and tilting, so you can go steady while tracking the action.

Let me start by saying what this monopod is not… It’s not carbon fiber. Even so, it has a high-quality aluminum build. It’s just that it’s also nearly twice the weight of the carbon fiber Benro MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa Monopod that I mentioned earlier, although that monopod doesn’t include a 3-leg base. Either way, the aluminum model isn’t exactly heavy, at a very manageable 1.07kg / 2.36lb, and that’s with the 3-leg base fitted.

There are four leg sections in all, enabling the monopod to rise up from a fairly compact 56cm / 22in folded length (or minimum height) to a maximum operating height of 164cm / 64.6in. Sure, it’s not the tallest monopod in the world, but I’m 6ft 5in and found that it was tall enough for me to use comfortably without stooping. Naturally, if you add a monopod/tripod head of your choosing, you’ll gain an extra few inches in maximum height. More on that later.

Each of those four leg sections is pretty beefy, with diameters of 36.2, 32.4, 28.6, and 25.2mm, as measured from fattest at the top to the thinnest at the bottom. The four sections come complete with three flip locks, again differing from the SupaDupa design, which mostly employs twist locks with just one flip lock at the top. I’m fine with flip locks throughout, especially as they work with smooth but solid efficiency.

I’ll come to that 3-leg stand in a moment, but let’s start at the top and work our way downwards. The circular platform for mounting a camera or head has a sizeable diameter of 56cm / 22in. Given the monopod’s aspirations towards videography and panning for stills, I’m pleased that there are no less than three grub screws featured in the platform to securely lock a head in place if you fit one. I just hate it when a head starts unwantedly unscrewing when I’m panning in a counter-clockwise direction.

Another neat thing about the platform is that it features a reversible screw, so you can use it for mounting cameras or heads with either a standard 1/4in or 3/8in thread. A spanner is provided along with some other tools for removing, inverting, and securely refitting the mounting screw in either orientation. While that’s in process, you can also remove the platform for securing or releasing the grub screws, and detach the wrist strap on its circular metal collar if you’d rather not use it.

A plus point of aluminum compared with carbon fiber is that it’s not prone to shattering if it gets a sharp knock (accidentally, of course). A minus point is that it feels relatively cold to the touch, which can be an issue in chilly weather if you’re not wearing gloves. With that in mind, there’s a generous length of comfort padding applied to the top tube, and very comfy it feels too, being not too firm and not too squishy.

Enough beating around the bush. Let’s get onto that 3-leg stand, which is indeed a pretty standout feature of the kit. The complete assembly fixes to the bottom of the monopod in the same way that you’d attach a regular foot pad or spike, via a single threaded socket. However, each of the legs within the assembly is mounted on its own separate hinge. You can therefore rotate each of the legs down from their folded-up position, so that they stick out laterally, ready for action. They lock in place automatically when you reach full extension, thanks to the inclusion of spring-loaded pins. The head of each of the three incumbent pins has the word ‘Push’ engraved in the top, and, sure enough, you simply push them in to unlock each leg and fold it up again.

The fact that the legs fold upwards means they don’t add anything to the stowage length of the monopod, unless you extend the bottom section to enable them to fold flush with the tube, rather than over the flip locks.

A smart feature of the 3-leg assembly is that it has a ball and socket joint at the top. An anodized red twist clamp enables you to lock or release the joint. When locked, it keeps the monopod standing upright, or at your preferred angle to the vertical. When unlocked, the ball joint enables tilt and panning for shooting stills or video. There’s a full 360 degrees of panning on offer, but the tilt range is relatively limited.

Although the 3-leg base is a major feature of the kit, there are times when it’s more convenient to ditch it altogether and use the monopod in time-honored fashion, with just a single foot. With that in mind, you can simply unscrew the 3-leg base and detach it altogether, stowing it away for safekeeping.

For regular monopod duty without the 3-leg foot in tow, the kit comes complete with a regular and impressively chunky pointed rubber pad. It simply screws into the bottom of the monopod in place of the 3-leg base. A metal spike is available to buy as an optional extra if you’d prefer that for working on loose ground.

For making adjustments to any of the flip locks, removing and refitting the platform, and for other running repairs or alterations, the monopod is supplied with a spanner and three hex keys of different sizes. There’s also a clip that you can attach to the top tube, for holding the largest of the hex keys and for tethering a cable that’s running down from your mounted camera.

I’ve seen plenty of expensive, luxury tripods and monopods from certain manufacturers that are supplied without a carrying bag (stand up and be counted, Manfrotto). I’m impressed that despite the cut-price tag on this Benro monopod, it’s nevertheless supplied with a high-quality soft case, complete with an adjustable shoulder strap and an inner zippered pocket for stashing the set of tools.

Benro A48FD Monopod: Performance

The Benro monopod is short enough for me to use on my hands and knees, if I feel the need. That also means it’s not too big or heavy to carry around easily. That’s a big performance factor in my book, as unwieldy kit is likely to be left at home when I’m out and about, where it’s of no use whatsoever.

For more practical purposes in general shooting, the Benro extends to a fairly generous height so that I can use it without stooping, and I’m a pretty tall guy (well, tall if not pretty). Maximum extension is a stern test for any monopod or tripod, because it makes use of the thinnest legs and all of the joints, each of which is a potential point of weakness. I’m pleased that the Benro feels really rigid and resistant to unwanted flexing and vibrations, even at its maximum operating height.

Last but not least in the performance stakes, given the hybrid video/stills nature of the monopod, is its ability to enable tilting and panning. I’d say that the system works, but that it’s good rather than entirely great. I found the range of tilt to be a little limiting, and panning was prone to catching occasionally, rather than having a fluid and free-flowing action. The remedy for both of these niggles comes in the shape of a pan and tilt head, which you can buy separately and fit to the monopod.

I’d heartily recommend the Benro FS20PRO Hybrid Video & Foto Head, which I actually bought for use with this and other monopods and tripods, and it’s been serving me thoroughly well. It’s a ball head that also includes independent tilt and panning locks with a nice fluid action. There’s even a secondary panning mechanism up on top, which is especially useful for rotating the Arca-Swiss top clamp to suit either a long lens with a tripod mounting collar, or a camera with an L-bracket or cage.

Benro A48FD Monopod: Verdict

I really like that the Benro A48FD Series 4 Aluminum Monopod with 3-Leg Locking Base amply caters to my every whim. Sometimes I want the extra stability and secure footing of a 3-leg base. Other times, I prefer the slimline and unrestricted placement of a single foot. The Benro does both, thanks to the inclusion of a 3-leg base and an alternative chunky rubber foot, which are quickly and easily swappable.

In other respects, the Benro continues to impress, with solid and sturdy performance, fast and simple adjustments, and a good range of operating heights enabled by its chunky 4-section design. Sure, it lacks the luxury of a carbon fiber monopod, but this aluminum stick is cleverly designed, smartly finished, and works a treat. All in all, it’s great for shooting both video and stills, and it’s an absolute steal at the price.

Alternatives

As part of the launch for the Insta360 Luna Ultra, the company held a major event in Wetzlar, Germany – and in attendance was Max Richter, the company's co-founder.

While the Luna was the main attraction, with the event taking place at the home of Leica – a brand which defined portable cameras – I couldn't help but remember that, in the last few months, we have also seen and heard some other very interesting rumors from Insta360.

Namely the possibility of a compact camera, perhaps even with an interchangeable lens (ILC).

I asked Richter if he could share any information about those rumors and, to my surprise, he was a little more forthcoming than you might expect.

While I didn't walk away with the product name, Richter definitely leaves me with the strong impression that something like that is in the roadmap.

"It doesn't end here – in the future you can expect more also on the traditional photography camera space."

Wow. No cameras are more traditional than Leica's, so I then asked him if the company that owned the hotel we were meeting in ought to be a little worried.

Insta360 has had an engineering partnership with Leica for seven years, resulting in several co-branded products, though I have heard the term "Legacy company" used to describe one of the greatest names in the history of photography more than once.

He reassures me (and Leica): "No, I don't think [they should be worried]. They are a close partner and we can't announce any details, but Insta360 has a bigger vision to become one of the world's leading content creation tools, and really we get there step by step."

He talked about having first met the Leica team in 2019 at CES, and the "legacy" he says is paired with a "young upcoming technology company". He talks about Insta360 learning a lot about "imaging excellence and internal processes" from Leica.

There was also an Antigravity A1 drone on display. Antigravity isn't technically Insta360, but the company was 'incubated' by it and Richter seemed very knowledgeable about the drone when I asked.

I was especially interested, after the launch of the DJI Avata 360, whether there would be an alternate controller for the A1 drone that didn't require FPV goggles. This is an option for DJI customers and sidesteps the need for a second person to join you when using the drone for safety reasons.

"We get a lot of market feedback for this," he tells me. And, after considering his words, lets me know that "we definitely listen to market feedback," but he can't announce anything just yet.

It would seem a sensible move, though, especially as new drones are still difficult in the USA – but accessories aren't an issue.

Which gets us on to the wider global prospects for Insta360 and some of the company's other interesting products – like special editions of the kind that used to come from Japan.

"If you are community user, driven and bold enough to bring the ideas to life, there is tremendous opportunity."

He cited the Ace Pro 2 Explorer bundle that creates a point-and-shoot camera – a concept he says is doing well in Asia-Pacific and was a DIY idea from Facebook.

"It's in our DNA that we're very user-centric… still our founder, JK [Liu Jingkang], is very active on Facebook, he still checks the Reddit comments, so we're very very community driven."

So that might just be the answer. Keep asking the forums and, eventually, you can get anything you need!

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Take a look at the best 360 cameras and the best pocket gimbal cameras, along with the best Leica cameras.

Variable ND filters are an essential purchase for any serious run-and-gun videographer. If you want to keep your shutter speed under control, maintain a wider aperture in bright light, or avoid constantly changing fixed ND filters between shots, a good VND is one of the quickest upgrades you can make to a camera setup.

Freewell has teamed up here with seasoned YouTuber Brandon Li, known for his fast-moving travel and documentary-style filmmaking, and this kit has clearly been designed around speed, convenience, and minimizing the number of individual filters you need to carry.

I tested the Pro Kit, which includes the VND/CPL, ND32, Glow Mist ¼, and base adapter ring (in my case, 77mm). The idea is simple enough: leave the base ring on your lens, then attach the filters magnetically as needed. You can use the VND/CPL on its own for 1-5 stops, add the ND32 to extend the range up to 10 stops, or bring in the mist filter when you want a softer look.

That makes it a direct alternative to buying several separate filters, and it will be of obvious interest to anyone looking through our guides to the best variable ND filters or the best filters for photography. The question is whether the convenience justifies the price.

Specifications

Price

The Freewell x Brandon Li Magnetic VND/CPL Pro Kit is not cheap, with the Pro Kit priced at $379.99 at the time of writing, discounted from a listed regular price of $449.99. The Basic Kit, which excludes the Glow Mist 1/4 filter, is currently priced at $349.99.

On one hand, the Pro Kit replaces several separate filters and gives you a lot of flexibility in a relatively compact package. You are getting a VND/CPL, ND32, mist filter, magnetic caps, and a proper case, so the value looks stronger when considered as a complete system rather than a single filter.

However, I do think Freewell should include more than one base ring. My 82mm filter came with one 77mm magnetic adapter ring, and if I want to use the same filters across lenses with different thread sizes, I will need to buy additional rings separately, which aren’t cheap. That is not unusual with magnetic systems, but at this price, it feels like Freewell could have included at least one or two common step-up sizes.

Design & Handling

At least the Freewell x Brandon Li kit feels like the premium product its price suggests. The filters have a solid, neatly machined feel, and the whole system is slimmer than I expected considering how much functionality is being squeezed in. On my 77mm diameter lens, the main filter is larger than the lens thread, which helps avoid vignetting, but it still does not feel overly bulky on the camera.

The design comes in a single distinctive green color. It is subtle rather than garish, but it does still stand out a little on my otherwise all-black camera and kit. I suspect this will be a love-it-or-hate-it for a lot of people. I do not mind it, but anyone who likes their gear to disappear visually might find it a bit more noticeable than a standard black or silver filter ring.

The magnetic base ring screws onto the lens, and from there, the system becomes much quicker than conventional screw-in filters. The main VND uses a locking system rather than relying only on magnets. You line up the red marks on the edge of the magnetic adapter ring and the edge of the VND, snap the filter into place, then twist so the lines no longer match. At that point, it is locked on. It is simple, and once you have done it a couple of times, it becomes second nature.

The locking mechanism for adding extra filters to the front is less elegant. You again have to line up the red marks, but I found the alignment slightly less obvious as the marks are very subtle, and because the magnetic connection is strong, the filter tends to snap on before you have everything exactly where you want it. Pulling it off again is harder than it should be, partly because the ND section can rotate and partly because the filters are slim, so there is not a huge amount to grip.

Once everything is locked in, I am very confident the attachments are not coming off. The problem is more about the process of stacking. If you want to use the ND32 and the mist filter together, the second filter locks in, but the additional filter effectively sits magnetically on top of the glass of the second filter. That means the top filter does not feel quite as secure, and I noticed it could rub against debris trapped between the filter surfaces. It is workable, but it is the least polished part of the system.

You can also attach the included mist filter or ND32 directly to the ring without using the VND, which is very useful. The magnetic connection is strong, and I never felt like the filter was going to be knocked off easily.

The VND itself is quite stiff to turn, which I actually think is a positive, as it means I was not accidentally unlocking it or knocking it out of position when handling the camera.

I do really like the lens cap. It is magnetic, made from solid metal, and has a built-in gray card, which is a genuinely useful touch for video work. The case is also excellent. Freewell has done a good job here. Its dome shape slots easily into a kit bag, feels protective, and has space for four or more filters.

Performance

Optically, the Freewell x Brandon Li kit performed very well in my testing. The biggest thing I look for in any variable ND is whether there is an obvious X pattern, and I could not see one here. The filter has hard stops, which reduce the chance of overdoing the polarisation effects.

Color shift is well controlled. There is a very minor shift at the top end, but I would describe it as almost negligible with the VND/CPL on its own. In some shots, I could see a slight yellow cast comparing images side by side, but I probably wouldn't notice in real-world shooting, and it is easily corrected in post. For anyone already grading footage or editing raw photos, this is not something I would lose any sleep over.

I also saw no vignetting on the 24mm end of my lens, even when stacking all three components, although this is helped by the fact that the filter is effectively oversized for my 77mm lens thread.

The built-in CPL does a great job at cutting reflections, and having the CPL integrated with the VND just reduces the need to stack yet another separate filter just to manage glare and reflections. I probably wouldn't buy a pro VND without the ability to twist the whole filter to adjust polarisation.

Adding the ND32 on top of the 1-5 stop VND range gives you much more flexibility in very bright light, but it also adds a little more color cast. The yellow tone becomes more noticeable than with the VND alone. Again, it is something I would be happy to correct in editing rather than a dealbreaker, but if you need straight-out-of-camera perfection, then fixed NDs are much better here.

The Glow Mist 1/4 filter is quite strong. That is not necessarily a criticism, but it is not something I would leave on permanently. Used carefully, it can give highlights a softer, more cinematic bloom and take a little bite out of digital sharpness, but here, the effect is not especially subtle, so I would use it deliberately.

Verdict

The Freewell x Brandon Li Magnetic VND/CPL Filter Kit is an incredibly good filter system. I like it so much that it has become the default glass on the front of my lens.

I was impressed by the build quality, the secure locking system, and the optical performance. I saw no visible X pattern, no vignetting on my 24mm lens, and only very minor color shift with the VND/CPL. The ND32 and mist filter introduce a little more warmth, but nothing I would consider difficult to correct.

There are a few frustrations. I do not think it is generous enough to include only one base ring at this high price, especially when the whole point of a system like this is using the same filters across multiple lenses. Stacking multiple filters is also more fiddly than the main magnetic system suggests.

Even with those caveats, if you are mostly shooting video, switching between stills and motion, or working quickly outdoors, having a VND, CPL, ND32 and mist filter in one compact setup is genuinely useful.

Alternatives

It’s been two and a half years since I reviewed the original 3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine, and I was very impressed at the time. It was everything I’d come to expect from the company behind it – an innovative design that packs an array of useful features, with excellent build quality and an impeccable finish.

Enough said? Well, while I’ve been steadily adding to my personal collection of 3 Legged Thing photo and video equipment over the years, the new and improved AirHed Cine CC is destined for a place on my shopping list, with its ability to turn pretty much any set of legs into one of the best video tripods. It certainly looks and feels right at home on my prized 3 Legged Thing Winston 2.0 sturdy carbon tripod.

3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC: Specifications

3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC: Price

Specialist video heads are often big, heavy, unwieldy, and very expensive to buy. The 3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC is ideal in my books (and those of my accountant), in that it’s relatively compact, lightweight, and reasonably priced, at $249 / £229 / AU$799. Considering the feature set and quality of construction, it’s a bit of a bargain.

3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC: Design & Handling

I didn’t find much of anything wrong with the original version of the 3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine fluid, video head, but the updated ‘CC’ adds some neat new tricks. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, and start with the basics. The head is designed primarily with videography in mind, but it works just fine for shooting stills as well, especially if panning is the name of the game for tracking sports or wildlife subjects. It’s also a good fit for a large spotting scope.

A key feature of any video head is that it enables smooth pan and tilt movements, and, just like the original, the CC has a lovely fluid feel to it, based on a quality design and spring-loaded counterbalance mechanism. That said, the counterbalance is not adjustable to accommodate different sizes and weights of camera, but the omission is what I’d expect from a relatively compact, lightweight, and affordable video head, such as this one.

Crucial to panning and tilting is the panning handle itself, as your primary point of physical contact with the head. The handle is completely revamped in the new version, the main difference being that it has a retractable design. Not only does it enable you to choose the length that feels most comfortable and natural in use, but it also makes it less likely that you’ll need to remove it and stash it separately when stowing the head. The images above and below show the panning handle in its retracted and fully extended states.

True to type, the panning handle is mounted on splines, which enable a wide range of rotational adjustment as well as ensuring a secure fitment that avoids any slippage or wobbling. The arm release knob can be pulled out and rotated on a six-sided head to ensure it doesn’t stick out in the wrong direction and get in the way when fastened.

Also, as I’d hope for in a video head, the panning handle can be attached to the left or right side, catering not only to left-handed and right-handed users but also to individual preference. Some right-handers will prefer to use the panning handle with their left hand, to leave their right hand free for operating the mounted camera.

At the center of the left side of the head is the main tilt-action lock and release knob. It operates with smooth simplicity and can lock off the tilt very securely for fixed position shooting. Only minimal turning is required to lock or release the head’s tilt mechanism. A generous 165 degrees of tilt is on offer, from 90 degrees forward to 75 degrees backward.

Above and to the front of the tilt knob on the side of the head is a mounting socket with a standard 1/4-inch thread. You can use this to attach accessories like a microphone, LED lamp, or video monitor. 3 Legged Thing offers two sizes of optional ‘Pivot Magic Arms’ for the task.

Down at the bottom of the left-hand side is the panning lock/release knob. Like the release knob for the panning handle, this one is spring-loaded and sits on a six-sided head, so you can pull it out and rotate it to your preferred position. Loosening the lever enables a full 360-degree panning rotation. To help keep tabs on movement, there’s a 360-degree scale on the base, numbered in 15-degree intervals and marked with lines at smaller 2.5-degree increments.

To help with leveling your tripod legs, which in turn helps to ensure that everything stays on the level when you’re panning, there’s a bubble level built into the lower section of the head. A secondary bubble level is fitted to the main clamp at the top, for assistance with leveling the tilt mechanism.

Another upgrade over the original version of the head is that the clamp up on top can be removed by undoing four hex screws, and rotated laterally through 90-degree intervals. The bonus here is that you can change the orientation of the QR plate from running front-to-back to side-to-side. This can be a big advantage if you’re using a camera with an L-bracket or a cage.

The Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate is also redesigned. For starters, it’s longer at 100mm instead of 90mm, giving more scope for centering the weight of your camera on the head. It also features a sliding camera screw sled and spring-loaded locator pin, plus a cable management hook at the front. The QR plate also adds compatibility for 3 Legged Thing’s growing range of ‘Xpand’ accessories, cheese plates, and risers, and features multiple 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch threaded screw holes.

The images above and below show the top and bottom of the ‘XP 100 Ultra Plate’, 3 Legged Thing’s redesigned Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate that’s supplied with the head.

Last but not least, the head is supplied complete with 3 Legged Thing’s handy ‘Toolz’ multi-tool, which features hex keys, a flat-blade coin key, a keyring clip, and a carabiner for attaching it to whatever you see fit. It even works as a bottle opener if things get really tough.

3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC: Performance

I’m impressed that despite having a compact size and weighing in at just 690g / 1.5lb, the AirHed Cine CC has a beefy maximum payload rating of 10kg / 22lb. As I’ve mentioned, it doesn’t feature an adjustable counterbalance system, but I found it worked well with everything from small, lightweight cameras to big, hefty outfits comprising large camera bodies with super-telephoto lenses.

Any video head lives or dies by the smoothness of its pan and tilt mechanisms, and the AirHed Cine CC has a really nice fluid feel to it. The new extending panning handle is a joy to use, and all the controls feel smooth, precise, and intuitive. Suffice it to say, you can devote your entire attention to shooting rather than wrestling with the head to get what you want out of it.

It can be a bit tricky to level the legs of your tripod, which can be essential to ensure your camera stays on the level during panning. One elegant solution is to add a 3 Legged Thing LevelHed Levelling Base into the mix, but it’s pretty pricey at an additional $140 / £130 / AU$259. Something I’ve seen in some video and hybrid heads, like the Benro FS20PRO Video & Foto Head, is a secondary panning plate on top of the head, which enables you to just level the head for panning rather than the legs or a leveling base as well, but this is omitted in the AirHed Cine CC.

3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC: Verdict

The 3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine CC is a great fit for me and my gear. It’s conveniently compact and lightweight, so I can stash it away in my photo backpack and grab it whenever I need to swap from shooting stills to video. It actually works really well as a pan-and-tilt head for shooting stills in addition to video, especially if you add in an L-bracket for portrait orientation shots. The laterally rotatable clamp makes the new CC version of the head all the more ideal for this, as you can use the QR plate or slot in an Arca-Swiss compatible L-bracket running sideways instead of just front-to-back.

I also like the redesigned, retractable panning handle, as it enables me to select the length that I want to use, as well as saving on storage space without feeling the need to remove the handle every time I pack the head away. The tricked-up replacement ‘XP 100 Ultra Plate’ is yet another improvement, and I like the way that I don’t even have to use the QR plate at all if I’m shooting with big, heavy telephoto lenses that have an Arca-Swiss profile mounting foot in their tripod mounting collars. All in all, the ‘CC’ is a worthy upgrade over the original. With its clever design, rich feature list, excellent build quality, and stylish finish, this one’s a keeper.

Alternatives

My colleague Mike made a fascinating observation on the latest episode of our podcast.

"People that are not photographers are drawn to macro photography, I always find. If you give someone a camera with a macro lens, who's not necessarily a photographer, I think they'll be well happy going around [taking pictures], trying it out."

Now that he's said it, it seems so obvious. I know so many people who, the odd selfie or cat photo aside, have no interest in taking pictures. But they specifically upgraded to phone because it had a macro mode, or they asked if they could "have a go" with my macro lens to photograph coins or buttons or tiny mushrooms in the forest.

The act, or indeed art, of photography itself doesn't really resonate with them. But being able to see the world differently is something that resonates with everyone. I think it's the same reason that a magnifying glass is such a brilliant gift for kids.

"It's something people kind of do with their phones, a little bit like astrophotography but more accessible," Mike continued. It's a way of partaking in something that you don't see with the human eye. It's a novelty, isn't it.

"You can kind of go around with a macro lens and look at everything at a macro level, and it kind of seems amazing and interesting."

Chris agreed, adding that macro photography is pretty unique in that it doesn't even require you to leave the house – something that became a pretty big deal a few years ago, during the pandemic.

"[Even if] you're stuck at home, it's raining, you can't get out or whatever – get a macro lens. Get a bit of broccoli or cauliflower or something out of your fridge, and take close-up pictures of it. It's amazing."

Unlike many genres of photography where a cost is involved – either in terms of investing in lighting and equipment, or simply in travelling to locations or hiring models or other creatives – macro can essentially be enjoyed with no further outlay.

It also complements many other hobbies, creating a bridge between pastimes that enables people to increase their enjoyment of both.

"I do like gardens," said Chris. "I don't – as my father said, I'm a plantsman, not a gardener – so I like plants, I don't like the actual gardening bit. I buy lots of plants, but I'm not very good at actually creating the whole garden thing. So I enjoy going to a garden and looking at the different plants and photographing them."

To that point, I think macro is something that many photographers shoot to relax. It's something they can do for themselves, independent of whatever "proper pictures" they take. It's a pastime within a pastime, which can remind us why we fell in love with photography in the first place.

Indeed, when I split up with my ex (who is a photographer), we had to divide up some kit. We both shot on the same system and shared a few lenses – but the only lens she absolutely insisted on keeping was the macro.

Even my wife (who is not a photographer) has expressed an interest in learning photography so she can take macro shots of nature while we're out on walks. So I guess, if you want to Trojan horse your family or friends into taking an interest in photography, put a camera with a macro lens in their hands.

You might just unlock a new photography buddy – or change someone else's life the way photography has changed yours. You can watch the full discussion on macro lenses in our podcast below (I've teed it up to the right timestamp).

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Take a look at the best cameras for macro photography and the best macro lenses, along with the best ring flashes for macro photography.

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read in a press release for a new camera that a new or updated feature is the result of user requests. They most likely are – given how vocal users can be on social media if they’re disappointed about something – and it gives the impression that consumer demand has a lot of influence in product design.

It makes us feel like we’re all part of the family. In reality, though, I’m not so sure – and what fuels this doubt is the demise of the DSLR camera. I recently noted that we’re now down to a handful of models that you can buy new, so I decided to do a bit more investigation.

Out and about – especially at any public event – I started to check out what anybody who was taking photographs was using. Lots of camera phones, of course, and a few compact cameras plus more film cameras than I was expecting – including, on one occasion, a Pentax 6x7. I commended the user on his courage and tenacity.

However, overall, there were quite a lot more DSLRs in evidence than mirrorless cameras. We’re talking mostly amateur photographers here, shooting for fun.

Then, low and behold, we find out that the crew of the recent Artemis II Moon flyby mission took a pair of 10-year-old Nikon D5 DSLRs along with a Z9 and a bunch of GoPros (incidentally, even older Hero4 Black models).

So, D5s being used as the main cameras – not even the later Nikon D6 – which means that so-called ‘old’ camera tech was being relied on to record some of the most important pictures taken in recent times.

Specifically, NASA decided to go with the D5 because it had already been extensively tested for reliability issues such as exposure to radiation and vibration as well as operation in zero gravity.

NASA also noted that familiar physical controls and the D5’s exceptional low-noise performance were also factors, the latter obviously being important for space-related applications.

Notably, though, the many thousands of spectacular images shot during the mission – including a reprise of the famous Earthrise shot from 1968, but redone as Earthset – proved that the decade-old D5 is still up to the biggest of assignments.

It needs to be pointed out that the Z9 was being evaluated with a view to being used on future Artemis missions, but the point here is that the D5 is actually still a better camera – most notably its high ISO image quality (with the D6 even better again here) – and this convinced NASA to live with the extra weight when every gram counts.

In reality, this is true of a number of the last-of-the-line full-frame DSLRs including Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark III and the EOS 5D Mark IV.

However, the starker reality is that if you want a new DSLR – at least one badged either Canon or Nikon – you’re nearly all out of choices, especially in terms of higher-end models. And, while Ricoh says it’s committed to Pentax DSLRs, a brand new model has been a long time coming.

So, my question is, have DSLR sales declined because users have been totally wowed by the mirrorless camera – or have they declined because you haven’t been able to buy what you want (and, remember, DSLR lenses have also been rapidly disappearing)?

I don’t know the answer to this question, but I suspect that the “DSLR is dead” messaging that really gathered strength after the intro of the Canon R and Nikon Z systems would definitely put you off considering another reflex camera.

I also think it’s telling that there’s a growing market for second-hand and refurbished DSLRs. I counted 24 models – from entry-level to pro – for sale online recently from one of Australia’s leading camera retailers, and there were plenty of others to be had from elsewhere.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to conclude that this suggests there’s still some demand – and that’s likely to increase, now that the rocket scientists at NASA have given the veteran Nikon D5 a red-hot endorsement.

Of course, it’s unlikely that there will be any going back – because the priority for both Nikon and Canon is to remain as leading interchangeable lens camera brands, which now means putting all their resources into their mirrorless systems.

The big positive, though, is that thanks to NASA and the Artemis II mission, we now know that a ten-year-old DSLR can still cut the mustard. And, more than likely, your camera is younger and of a later generation. For now, then, let’s consider the DSLR to be very much alive as an option on Earth as well as in space.

The Nikon Z fc was launched back in 2021 and even back then it was rocking aging tech. This is because it’s essentially a reskinned Nikon Z50, which was released in October of 2019. So why is this five-year-old camera with seven-year-old innards trending in 2026? Well, it’s darn good looking, extremely affordable, and it’s got soul.

Hey good lookin’

The Nikon Z fc is one of the most faithful representations of a retro SLR in mirrorless form, arguably rivalled only by the full-frame Nikon Zf. I love Fujifilm’s flagship X-T line of cameras, but I wouldn’t say it’s faithfully retro, it’s its own beautiful thing. An X-T5 looks like it’s been inspired by the retro SLRs of yesteryear, but it’s still its own retro camera.

The Z fc on the other hand is modelled after 1982’s Nikon FM2 and if you ignore the rear LCD, which you can actually hide by flipping it all the way around, casual onlookers could mistake it for the real thing. It’s so faithful, in fact, that one of its main criticisms is that it basically has no grip, so it’s worth investing in a good neck strap or an aftermarket grip attachment.

The Nikon Z fc is great value

The wild popularity of Fujifilm’s X100 series over the past few years has had a huge impact on retro camera prices, both new and used. And while the Nikon Z fc was launched after the Fujifilm X100V, it was still born into a world that wasn’t quite as gripped with ‘Fuji-fever’ as it is now. It therefore remains an incredibly affordable option for a retro camera, retailing for $1,059.95 / £849 / AU$1,499 and often discounted. On the used market, there simply isn’t the clamour for secondhand Nikon cameras as there is Fujifilm cameras so you can find some incredibly good deals.

Nikon’s got soul!

My final reason why I think the Nikon Z fc is trending and why it’s still one of my favorite cameras is that it’s got soul, mojo! Maybe it’s more superficial than I’d like to admit, but there’s something about shooting with the Nikon Z fc that’s hard to find in many modern cameras. It’s an experience akin to using cameras such as the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, and Olympus PEN-F.

There’s a character to the Nikon Z fc, with its physical dials and slightly awkward form factor. It makes you work, but in a good way. And because of that, the technical shortcomings don’t matter as much. This isn’t a camera for video, it’s not a camera for sports or wildlife photography. It’s a camera for everyday photography, travel photography, and street photography.

The fact that it captures beautiful quality images, makes you want to pick it up time and again, and is fun to use, is what really matters. I dearly hope a Nikon Z fc II is around the corner now that the Nikon Z50 II has been out for a while, but if you can find a good deal on a Nikon Z fc and don’t mind the older tech, it’s still a fantastic camera in 2026.

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Want to know what it's actually like shooting with the Nikon Z fc? 27 miles, two days, and one Nikon Zfc. I pushed this cheap retro camera to its limit on the streets of New York. If you like the Nikon Z fc, but would prefer a film camera, check out the Nikon Zf. And to stay up to date, here's the latest camera news.

One of my friends just asked me an interesting question: should she buy a Nikon Z fc mirrorless camera or a Nikon D7500 DSLR camera?

It's not a comparison I'd have thought anyone would make. They're both entry-level in terms of specs, sure. But aside from being mirrorless, the Nikon Z fc is a very fashion-conscious retro camera; the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera is the furthest thing from fashionable.

Still, this probably says more about my friend than me. She doesn't care about fashion; she's all about function. She wants an affordable but capable photographic tool for a mix of studio and street work.

So, with similar specs and capabilities, I broke down the differences – and I was surprised at the recommendation I made!

Nikon Z fc mirrorless vs Nikon D7500 DSLR camera: Photo

Both cameras have a 20.9MP APS-C sensor, which is DX format in Nikon speak. But beyond the raw resolution, these cameras have some significant differences – and I was surprised that the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera came out on top of its mirrorless stablemate.

The D7500 has more robust stills specs, with a maximum 1/8000 sec shutter speed and a flash sync speed of 1/250 sec. While its burst shooting speed is a modest 8fps, its native ISO100-51200 sensitivity can actually be pushed 5EV to an equivalent ISO1,640,000!

By contrast, the Nikon Z fc maxes out at a 1/4000 sec shutter – still good for most jobs, but for outdoor photography on a bright summer day it's going to be more limited. Similarly, the flash sync is slower at 1/200 sec and the same native ISO100-51200 can "only" be pushed to ISO204,800. Its top continuous shooting speed of 11fps is better for fast action, though.

Amazingly, the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera is actually more capable than the Nikon Z fc mirrorless for what my friend needs. Its shutter is more versatile for strobes and street shooting alike – and while I wouldn't ever use any camera's maximum setting, an ISO of 1.64 million is pretty impressive!

It's worth noting that the Z fc has superior autofocus, particularly with moving subjects, and its fully articulating screen is more versatile than the D7500's tilt-only affair. However, as a viewfinder-only shooter who shoots still subjects, these weren't super relevant to my friend.

Nikon Z fc mirrorless vs Nikon D7500 DSLR camera: Video

This one's closer than you might expect, as both cameras shoot 4K 30p in H.264 with microphone jacks for capturing external audio.

The major difference here is the Nikon Z fc's superior autofocus, which is inherently superior to the technology of the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera thanks to the latter being limited to contrast-detect AF in live view.

The Z fc's mirrorless tech has a different AF pipeline along with eye AF and subject tracking that makes it a far better video option – especially with the fully articulating rather than tilt-only screen. It also boasts FullHD up to 120p, compared to 60p on the DSLR.

Video isn't a consideration for my friend, but this is obviously a clear win for the Z fc.

Nikon Z fc mirrorless vs Nikon D7500 DSLR camera: Body & handling

With everything else being pretty comparable, I think this is really the deciding factor – because these cameras handle completely differently.

For starters, the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera has an optical viewfinder – glass-and-mirror tech that shows you exactly what the lens sees, but does not reflect the exposure values that the sensor sees. In other words, you will need to confirm your exposure on the rear screen after taking a shot (unless you shoot in live view mode).

The Nikon Z fc, as a mirrorless camera, functions 100% in "live view" as it only shows you what the sensor sees, with your exposure settings factored in. This gives you a WYSIWYG form of shooting, where what you see in the electronic viewfinder (EVF) or rear screen is exactly what your picture will look like when you've taken it (external flash notwithstanding).

Personally, I struggle to go back to optical finders these days – the WYSIWYG factor of an EVF makes life so much easier, and is especially useful for newcomers learning photography. However, I know that this is a very divisive issue – and some shooters (like my colleagues Mike, Seb and Rod) feel that optical finders are superior.

As a DSLR user, my friend also falls into the optical finder camp – so I have to concede this point in this particular conversation!

As alluded, the D7500 has a tilt-only rear screen while the Z fc has a fully articulating affair. Conventional wisdom says tilty screens are better for stills while "flippy screens" are for video, but this is a limited way of looking at things; tilt-only screens are fine if all you shoot are horizontal pictures, but for portrait shooting anything other than head-on they're useless.

Again, she doesn't shoot off the rear screen so it's a moot point, but I'd personally take the flippy screen any day.

Perhaps the biggest practical difference, certainly for my friend, is in the ergonomics of these cameras. The Z fc is styled after old film cameras and as such is flat as a bar of soap and eschews any kind of grip. Which again, contrarian that I am, I actually prefer, as I like slim cameras.

However, just about everybody I ever talk to prefers a camera with a grip (even most Z fc owners buy a grip, which I don't understand!). And the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera has a proper chunky grip, so you have plenty of purchase – especially when using big lenses (which, I'll concede, is easier with a grippy body!).

On top of that, the D7500 is extensively weather sealed for all-weather shooting. It's also much more sturdy and robust; the Z fc looks lovely, but it's quite light and plasticky in build. Sealing aside, the DSLR will withstand plenty more knocks and scrapes than the mirrorless – and it certainly doesn't have as much pretty paint to scratch off.

Unsurprisingly, the DSLR is a better fit – quite literally – for my friend's needs here.

Nikon Z fc mirrorless vs Nikon D7500 DSLR camera: Verdict

For 90% of people, I'd have recommended the Nikon Z fc. I prefer the EVF, the flippy screen, the superior video and autofocus, and I think it's one of the prettiest cameras around – so I love its looks and its ergonomics.

However, for my friend's needs and proclivities, I'm amazed to say that the Nikon D7500 DSLR camera is the better fit. She prefers an optical finder ("to see what the light is actually doing"), she prefers a camera with a proper grip for sustained shooting sessions, and she doesn't use video but she does use flash and needs the fastest shutter for outdoor use.

So it astonishes me to say that I recommended the D7500 – even though it's an older camera, with more limited tech at a higher price. I actually can't believe it – DSLR beat mirrorless. I need to go and lie down…

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UGREEN is becoming quite the force in the world of NAS drives. Now boasting two series of drives, the entry-level, budget-friendly, personal cloud DH series and the high-performance, prosumer DXP series, UGREEN offers a wide range of products to suit most types of users.

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 belongs in the DH series and is a super compact two-bay NAS that functions as a private cloud. This makes it a particularly attractive alternative to paying for monthly Google One or iCloud subscriptions.

It's also a fantastic entry-level NAS for photographers who want a cheap backup solution and the ability to quickly dump large shoots via high-speed USB-A and USB-C ports. Unfortunately, there's no built-in SD card slot though.

Its reliance on a standard Gigabit network port also means it's never going to be the ideal solution for streaming raw, multi-gigabyte image files directly off the server in real-time.

Its biggest strength for photographers and families alike is its intelligent built-in photo management app. Backed by a dedicated AI smart chip, the system automatically scans your catalog to recognize faces, objects, and scenes. Because all of this processing happens locally inside the box, your family photos and professional shoots are never uploaded to a corporate web server, which helps to guarantee privacy.

UGREEN NASync DH2300: Specifications

UGREEN NASync DH2300: Design & Handling

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 is a sleek, minimalist, and aesthetically pleasing unit. The design and color choices follow firmly in line with almost all other UGREEN devices, from power banks to chargers. The modern design sets it apart from many other NAS alternatives which are chunky, industrial, and purely functional.

In terms of materials, UGREEN has chosen a plastic chassis styled in a two-tone gray palette. There's no metal in sight, and you can tell that as soon as you pick it up. I'd count this as a positive in terms of weight but a negative in terms of robust build quality. It feels pretty cheap, but that's no surprise given the price.

The internal bay trays are hidden below the top removal 'hood' and are constructed of thin plastic, which meant I had to treat them with a lot of care when inserting the hard drives. If you weren't careful, then you could definitely snap something. The trays are able to house 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives, with the included screws providing stability.

Thermal management is built into the design with vent cutouts subtly integrated at the bottom of both the left and right sides, working alongside ventilation holes in the top panel and the base to maximize airflow and heat dissipation. I never experienced the unit getting too hot, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the design.

The front panel is kept pretty minimal with an on/off button, three light indicators, and a USB-C port. At the back there is an RJ45 port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and the DC power port. All in, it's a really nice design that's only let down by the budget materials.

UGREEN NASync DH2300: Performance

This is my first experience of using a UGREEN NAS drive, and having experienced a number of other brands, I think UGREEN has absolutely nailed the setup and software experience, especially when we're considering users who are unfamiliar with NAS.

I was able to get the NAS setup in less than ten minutes simply by plugging it into a power source, connecting it to my router, inserting my hard drive, and navigating through the easy-to-follow user guide.

I loved the ability to discover the NAS device through a variety of different methods. I opted to download the dedicated client via the UGREEN downloads page, and after a few simple procedures I was up and running quickly. My experience fills me with confidence that beginners to NAS technology will be absolutely fine.

The NAS can also be discovered via a browser or even with NFC detection on an NFC-enabled phone. UGREEN really has done a good job of making the NAS work with a variety of different devices and operating systems to make it a genuine alternative to existing familiar media backup solutions.

The DH2300 is powered by an 8-core Rockchip RK3576 processor and 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which makes it both snappy and efficient. It also features a Mali-G52 GPU and dedicated 6 TOPS NPU which comes into its own when transcoding for H.264, H.265, and AV1, alongside smooth 4K output via HDMI 2.1.

We all care about transfer speeds, and the DH2300 maxes out its single 1 GbE network port, delivering consistent real-world transfer speeds of roughly 110 MB/s to 115 MB/s for sequential reads and writes. These speeds are okay for backup and retrieval, but I wouldn't rely on it to stream footage for video editing, especially if it's 4K in size. For that you'll want a device that can deliver around 300 MB/s to 400 MB/s.

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 features a native Photos app that uses a built-in NPU for local AI-driven image processing. As a result, users can take advantage of facial recognition, object detection, and OCR text extraction tools. It also includes an intelligent cleanup tool for identifying duplicate or blurry photos to optimize storage.

During operation, the NAS is incredibly quiet, so you'll hardly notice it's there. You could even put it in a space you use regularly, and it'll blend into the background. It also draws just 10 to 15 watts of power, which means it's economical to run too.

UGREEN NASync DH2300: Final Verdict

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 is a superb, budget-friendly entry-level NAS that serves as an excellent private cloud alternative to costly subscriptions. It features a sleek design and an incredibly easy setup process that takes less than ten minutes via app, browser, or NFC.

Its biggest strength for families and photographers is its local, AI-driven photo management app, which automatically sorts images while keeping your data entirely secure and private at home.

Unfortunately, its low price point comes with notable hardware compromises. The lightweight plastic chassis and internal trays feel cheap, and performance is bottlenecked by a standard 1GbE port that limits transfer speeds to around 115 MB/s. This makes it too slow for serious, real-time 4K video editing.

Lacking support for M.2 NVMe drives, Docker, and virtual machines, this NAS also offers very limited scalability, meaning power users and tech enthusiasts should look elsewhere.

There has been some fun World Cup 2026 merch to accompany the soccer tournament, from the brilliant Lego World Cup Trophy to the Ilford film featuring analog photos from ExpiredFilmClub.

However, this might be the neatest World Cup gear I've seen so far: SanDisk has launched a range of FIFA-themed memory devices, including these USB flash drives that look like referee whistles.

They come in four regular flavors, one for each host nation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a generic "Global" version. It has to be said that Mexico's looks the best, with its stunning logo design, with Canada's stylized maple leaf and the USA's swirling stars and stripes also looking the business.

However, the coolest is a special Gold Edition that comes in a shiny gold finish worthy of a World Cup champion.

All four "whistles" (which sadly do not function as such) also come with a stylized SanDisk / FIFA ribbon, so you can live out your dreams of handing out red cards to those who have wronged you… and, of course, know that you've always got some memory with you by hanging it around your neck.

The USA, Canada and Gold drives are only available in 128GB capacities, while the Mexico and Global editions are also available in 64GB options. Each drive is preloaded with the SanDisk Memory Zone mobile app (for Android phones and tablets) and desktop app (for MacOS and Windows).

The 64GB drives are priced at $25.99 / £26.99, with the 128GB versions at $34.99 / £37.99, and the Gold Edition available for $37.99 / £46.99 (availability on the Gold Edition seems to vary by region and retailer). Each drive also comes with a collectible World Cup 2026 sticker.

Note that the actual sale prices are pretty variable (the Gold Edition is just £41.99 at Argos in the UK) and the SRPs / RRPs are way higher – the Gold Edition is listed at $87.99 on the SanDisk US website!

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The legendary Coney Island Beach in New York probably isn’t the first place you’d expect to see a billboard about AI, but the sand, water, and sky create an unusual backdrop for Polaroid’s newest message: “Go jump in the water before the data centers drink it all up.”

The words are just one of Polaroid’s continued push to embrace analog in what the company calls an “over-digitized” world. The billboard, installed at Coney Island beach on June 18, re-ignites the analog photography brand’s radical campaign that last year put sayings like “AI can’t generate the sand between your toes” outside major tech stores.

Along with the billboard in Coney Island, Polaroid is sharing a similar message in London, England, including a tube station billboard at King’s Cross, as well as in Bethnal Green and Hackney.

Along with the striking statement about growing concerns over AI’s water use, the campaign also includes phrases like “You can’t bask in blue light” along with “dance like no one is recording” and “What a glorious day to stare into various screens for hours on end.”

The new campaign, “The best of summer is analog,” is both a rebellious celebration of a slowed-down summer with fewer screens and a way to promote the new Polaroid Go Generation 3, Polaroid's smallest instant camera yet.

“For Polaroid, the simple act of existing is already an act of rebellion,” said Polaroid Creative Director Patricia Varella. “While our campaigns are provocative and challenge our relationship with technology, we’re not anti-digital. We know we have to live alongside it, but we’re deeply pro-human, and know what humanity gives us. And we know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it. That’s a fight worth fighting.”

The billboards aren’t the only rebellious way Polaroid is pushing analog – the company also convinced a dozen influencers to go offline. The company sent influencers a Go Gen 3 camera in a box that resembles a miniature garden.

The Coney Island billboard isn’t just an advertisement; Polaroid calls it “a metaphor for our over-digitization and the increasingly human need to step away from it.” The campaign, Polaroid says, encourages a break from scrolling for “imperfect” but tangible photographs.

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Some heritage brands nowadays are in fact ‘heritage’ in name only. Decades of history crammed into a logo that might connote quality and evoke a sense of nostalgia but, in reality, has been licensed out and slapped onto a product that bears little or no tangible link to the brand’s illustrious past.

And while I never thought Impossible Project’s acquisition of Polaroid fit that category, I had no idea just how much genuine Polaroid DNA courses through its modern films and cameras. A delightful documentary film by instant camera aficionado Ben Fraternale (In An Instant) takes viewers on a tour through the Polaroid factory, accompanied by his guide for the day, Senior Vice President of Film Manufacturing, Andrew Billen.

This isn’t just any old factory; it’s the world’s last Polaroid factory. A bastion of instant camera history that opened in the early ‘70s in the city and municipality of Enschede in the Netherlands. And while there’s a lot of new machinery, there’s still old machinery and throwbacks to decades gone by. Remarkably, although the company has replaced all of the old cassette molding machines, it still uses the original tooling.

Another thing that struck me is this modern iteration of Polaroid’s mantra regarding film. Andrew explains the complexities of the chemistry behind Polaroid’s instant film and that, despite incremental improvements being made to the formula every day, a generational overhaul is a huge, potentially catastrophic task.

One major upgrade to the formula can cause huge ramifications further down the line. As he puts it: “A generation change is multi-million, right? And it’s a huge commitment of resources; it’s not something you do lightly. You’ve got to prepare well for it, very clear scope, and then roll it out.”

Ultimately, Polaroid’s goal is to make the most user-friendly, robust and consistent instant film possible, but these aren’t changes that can be made overnight. The team is also aware that Polaroid film needs to look like Polaroid film; the goal isn’t perfect image fidelity.

And it doesn't seem like the team will be swayed by modern 'retro' aesthetics. As Andrew puts it: “When you photograph a red Ferrari it should look red, not orange, right? You can call it pastelly and analog, but we prefer it a little bit more red.”

What I’ve mentioned here is just the tip of the Polaroid iceberg, so make sure you watch Ben's full video to find out more about the production line and the incredible team of people that’s keeping Polaroid's unique brand of instant film alive.

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Anyone hoping to get their hands on Panasonic’s new Lumix L10 is going to have to wait a little longer, as the company announced that it is suspending new orders in Japan from here on after receiving “far more preorders than anticipated.”

Panasonic first revealed that it was struggling to match preorder demand in Japan back in May, warning customers of potential delays. But on June 17, the company announced that it had suspended orders in Japan, freezing orders for the popular compact camera.

The new announcement didn’t make it clear when stocks will be replenished or whether it’s only in Japan that orders have been suspended. However, I’ve checked the Panasonic US and UK websites, and it looks like you now have to join a waiting list to order a Lumix L10 in these regions.

It’s no surprise that the latest Panasonic release has piqued the interest of many photographers.

The Lumix brand boasts some of the best compact cameras, and the L10 combines this solid reputation with a stylish retro design and a Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34mm (24-75mm equivalent) f/1.7-2.8 lens.

However, with demand now exceeding what Panasonic can handle, it looks like there may be a significant wait for shipping.

The Lumix L10 isn't alone in being in high demand, joining a long list of trendy compact cameras that come with wait times. Opting for a compact that's been around for more than a few weeks could potentially have a shorter wait list, however, depending on where you live.

The Fujifilm X100VI, with its whopping 40MP sensor, equally attractive retro style, film simulation modes, and solid 6K video recording, has been in high demand since its launch in 2024.

The X100VI's popularity can similarly make the compact camera hard to find in stock, but the limited availability is finally beginning to show potential signs of easing. London Camera Exchange in the UK estimates a 28-day wait, while Adorama in the US estimates availability in August.

The X100VI, however, lacks zoom – the L10's unusual mix of zoom and a Micro Four Thirds sensor that's larger than basic point-and-shoots is likely why the compact camera is seeing such high demand. It's also a little more expensive than the L10, priced at $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,899.

The Leica D-Lux 8 shares a similar sensor and lens combo, but comes in at a higher price, and even that camera, also launched in 2024, is out of stock at many retailers.

Panasonic has said that orders made before the cutoff time will be processed and that it’ll inform customers of new availability once it has a “stable supply outlook.”

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The rise of the compact camera has created a long list of trendy cameras that are hard to find in stock. One app for buying the hardest-to-find gear in Japan has found that the most popular cameras in the last seven months are almost exclusively fixed lens compacts – with only one mirrorless in the top ten.

The insight comes from Minna Camera, a popular app in Japan for buying and selling camera gear. For the research, Minna only looked at cameras that were sold as new-in-box, omitting the used sales on the platform, tallying sales between November 6, 2025, and June 13, 2026.

The popular Ricoh GR series takes three of the top five spots, while the viral Fujifilm X100VI and older but still trendy Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III also slide into the top five. The bottom half of the list has more budget-friendly point-and-shoots, including two budget Kodak-branded cameras, the superzoom Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 and the Canon IXY 650 (named the Ixus 285 HS / PowerShot ELPH 360 outside Japan).

The only mirrorless camera on the list? The Sony A7 V, a full-frame camera that has also topped several retailers’ sales charts since launching late in 2025. The camera’s mirrorless status makes it the most expensive option on the list, bringing an autofocus upgrade and 30fps shooting over Sony’s earlier options in the series.

Minna Camera says that the sales data suggests “that the popularity of compact digital cameras is not merely a passing trend, but is reflected in the fact that compact digital cameras are actually being sought after and traded.”

While that list doesn’t match up exactly with the recent rankings from retailers in Japan, Minna Camera’s marketplace app format means its shoppers are often looking for a camera that’s harder to find in stores.

The full list of trending new cameras from Minna over the last seven months includes:

1. Ricoh GR IV
2. Ricoh GR IIIx
3. Fujifilm X100VI
4. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III
5. Ricoh GR IV Monochrome
6. Kodak PixPro FZ55
7. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99
8. Kodak PixPro C1
9. Sony A7 V
10. Canon PowerShot IXY 650 / PowerShot ELPH 360 / Ixus 285 HS

The new-in-box cameras that are sold from person-to-person rather than through a major retailer hint at the cameras that are hardest to find, as shoppers look outside traditional stores and into peer-to-peer sales.

The top camera, the Ricoh GR IV, launched with production in limited batches. The camera series uses a larger APS-C sensor and hides it in a body that looks like a basic pocketable point-and-shoot, making the camera popular for street photography and travel.

While the GR IV replaces the GR III, the GR IIIx, second on the list, remains available as Ricoh has yet to update the compact that uses a longer 40mm lens rather than the wide 28mm. Ricoh’s black-and-white photography tool from the same series, the GR IV Monochrome, also makes the list.

The Fujifilm X100VI remains hard to find even now, more than two years after its launch, thanks to the viral success of the series. The older 2019 Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, which has faced stock shortages since going viral for its mix of zoom with a one-inch sensor, is also regularly sold on the Minna Camera app.

Interestingly, while the more advanced viral compact cameras make up the top ten, the list also has plenty of budget point-and-shoots. The price difference between the Kodak PixPro C1, the cheapest compact on the list, and the Fujifilm X100VI, the most expensive, was about 20x, Minna Camera noted.

The Kodak PixPro FZ55 is a basic point-and-shoot that typically sells for $160 / £130 / AU$250 / CA$250, while the PixPro C1 sells for even less and takes on a more retro look.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 / IXY650 sits above those Kodak models in price, mixing a 20.2MP sensor with a 12x optical zoom lens.

The Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 price sits more in the middle ground between the ELPH 360 and the PowerShot G7 X Mark III, but its popularity likely stems from the pocketable camera’s 30x optical zoom.

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The Nikon Z6 II has been trending on Google, so I decided to take a little trip down memory lane and relive the launch of arguably the first full-frame mirrorless camera that Nikon got right (along with the Nikon Z7 II, of course). Clearly, people are still interested in this nearly six-year-old camera, but looking at prices online, my advice is to at least consider the Nikon Z5 II instead.

You see, the Nikon Z6 II is still available for purchase where it officially retails for $1,749.95 / £1,799, but can often be found well below $1,500 / £1,500. That’s a great price for a full-frame camera that’s more than capable of being a professional workhorse. But the Nikon Z5 II can be found for a similar price and, in some cases, cheaper.

When you compare the specs via the table below, it’s clear that, despite being Nikon’s entry point into its full-frame mirrorless system, the Nikon Z5 II is a superior camera to the Nikon Z6 II in more ways than not. Externally, they’re very similar, being roughly the same size and weight. The biggest differences are the presence of an LED information screen on the top plate of the Z6 II, the Z5 II having a fully articulating rear LCD, as opposed to the Z6 II’s tilting LCD, and the Z5 II’s mode dial positioned on the right and the Z6 II’s positioned on the left.

Nikon Z6 II vs Nikon Z5 II

Inside, both are built around a 24.5-MP back-side-illuminated CMOS sensor, but the Nikon Z5 II pulls away by housing Nikon’s latest Expeed processor. The result is a superior AF system and up to 30fps JPEG burst shooting. You also get up to 7.5-stops of image stabilization with the Nikon Z5 II, making it a significantly more powerful device.

When it comes to video specs, both cameras offer 4K / 60p (cropped) and full HD up to 120p. However, the Z5 II edges out the Nikon Z6 II by featuring in-body 12-bit RAW video output as well as internal 10-bit N-Log. The Nikon Z6 II can only capture RAW video and N-Log via a compatible external capture device, and the former requires a paid $199.95 upgrade whereby the camera has to be shipped to Nikon.

And finally, both cameras feature dual-card slots, but whereas the Z5 II features two SD card slots, the Nikon Z6 II has a more professional CFexpress / SD card setup. So, there you have it. However tempting the Nikon Z6 II might be, make sure you check out the Nikon Z5 II as well. If I were buying new, I’d definitely opt for the latter. The only way I’d buy a Nikon Z6 II now would be to source a mega used deal, and they are out there.

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Disposable film cameras have seen a resurgence in trends – but so have the number of people disappointed at seeing how much developing film actually costs. The Flashback One35 V2 has almost all of the retro disposable film vibes with none of the developing costs.

The Flashback One35 V2 is a screen-free digital camera that uses a traditional viewfinder, requires winding after each shot, and “loads” one of several digital “film” presets. Yet, the tech inside is a modern digital sensor, along with wireless capability to deliver those photos to a smartphone without cords.

Using a screen-free disposable camera dupe felt so liberating that I happily ignored my iPhone camera for more than a week and shot with the Flashback One35 V2 instead. I was rewarded with retro-styled photos that didn’t need any filters – and were still transferred right to my phone.

Flashback One35 V2 review: Specs

Flashback One35 V2: Price & Availability

The Flashback One35 V2 began shipping in February 2026.

The camera is sold largely through the company's online store. Retail availability is limited, but a handful of stores do sell the disposable dupe, including B&H in the US

The camera sells for about $119 / £85 / AU$160 / CA$170.

Flashback One35 V2 review: Design & Handling

The Flashback One35 V2 is inspired by disposable film cameras, and that’s exactly the retro vibe that I got when holding the camera.

The Flashback One35 V2 is small – only about 1.2 inches / 30mm thick, and just over four inches / 106mm wide and two inches / 53mm tall. Despite the size, there is a small curve at the front for my fingers to wrap around – which is great because, as much as I love my childhood photos from the 90s, I’d rather not bring back the trend of getting my fingers caught in the edges of the snapshots. (Although I did manage to do this at least once.)

The Flashback camera is screen-free in the sense that there’s no way to preview your shots. The only screen-ish part of the camera is a small window at the top that tallies the number of shots remaining in the digital “roll.”

The feature that really sends home the feel of a disposable film camera, however, is the “film” winder that needs to be wound after every shot. Other than that, there’s just the shutter button and the flash’s auto-off switch, so the controls are straightforward.

Photos are snapped using a small but traditional optical viewfinder. This feature is essential to creating the feeling of a disposable camera, but like some disposables, the viewfinder isn’t very accurate. I regularly had things on the edges of the frame that I didn’t see in the viewfinder.

The Flashback One35 V2 is built with plastic, though it doesn’t feel terribly cheap. I tested one of the clear models, which feels a bit Y2K and had me exploring the camera to see where all the different electrical components are. I found it oddly satisfying to click the camera and watch the plastic piece shoot over to disable the shutter release until the winder is turned once more.

The shutter release feels solid, and I didn’t notice a significant delay between pressing the shutter and hearing the click signalling that the image was taken. Disposable dupes aren’t meant for action, but I didn’t find any annoying delays for taking single shots. Most notably, the “film” winder does seem to take a while to wind all the way around the whole dial in order to take the next shot.

Storage is built-in on the V2, so there’s no memory card slot – though with the cost of memory cards lately, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. The camera has somewhere around 2GB of memory, but it intentionally limits you to 27 shots for that disposable film feel. Once you transfer those photos to your phone, those images can be erased, and a new “roll” starts. New to the V2, it’s now also possible to transfer photos with a USB-C cord to a computer or smartphone.

Flashback One35 V2 review: The App

No, an “app” doesn’t feel much like a disposable camera, yet that’s where some of the old school vibes come in from. First, you have to load the “roll” of film, and so far, there are eight different options to choose from.

These digital filters try to mimic the look of real film. There’s “classic” mode, black-and-white, a teal cinema look, a warmer gold option, and one meant specifically to mimic the look of disposable film.

Each “roll” shoots 27 photos, then the camera needs to reconnect to the app to offload those photos to the “Lab.” In the original Flashback mode, those photos spend 24 hours at the lab, creating a delayed gratification much like waiting for film to develop.

But, Flashback has also introduced a “digicam mode”. This mode is still set to 27 shots, but you can unload your photos to the app early and see them after a few seconds of “developing” rather than a full 24 hours.

App setup and connectivity were rather seamless. There are three different ways to connect to offload photos – either through USB-C, a home Wi-Fi network, or the camera’s built-in network when traveling. The built-in W-Fi option needed to be retried occasionally. I found the cord the most reliable.

The mix of using the camera with the app feels both retro and modern at the same time. On the one hand, you can’t look at your photos right away. I felt like I was still in the moment with a camera that I took a snapshot with and then promptly put away.

But, on the other hand, there’s no option to change the film type or modes directly on the camera, and it’s a screen-free camera that relies heavily on a smartphone app. That’s fine if you want to stay in the moment and don’t mind opening your phone later on – in fact, it’s probably faster than offloading an SD card. (Or, at least it can be with the 24-hour delay turned off.) But if you’re looking for a camera for a kid who doesn’t have a smartphone or if you fall into the tech minimalist camp, be aware that there’s a heavy smartphone reliance.

FlashbackOne V2 review: Image Quality

The FlashbackOne V2 doesn’t just make you wait to see the photos; it reveals them slowly, shot-by-shot. The experience is far superior to taking a photo with my iPhone and never looking at it again.

The images coming from the FlashbackOne V2 are a happy blend between disposable film vibes and digital. The viewfinder isn’t 100 percent accurate; there are more than a few shots where I caught something on the edge of the frame that I couldn’t see as I took the photo. I can’t see what I’ve shot right away, so there’s still a bit of a surprise when I finally see the photos.

The film presets are a fantastic mix. The Flashback Classic has a bit of a film feel without going too overboard on wacky colors. I spent quite a bit of time with the Flashback Gold and loved the slightly warmer tones – though I could argue that even more warmth would be great. There’s, of course, a black-and-white mode, which has nice, punchy contrast.

The Flashback One35 V2 uses a cheap plastic lens, which is a big part of what makes the images look as if they were shot on disposable film. The edges are smudged while the center remains acceptably sharp – though like disposable film, there’s no close-up mode, so shots too close will be out of focus.

Directed towards the sun, the lens will create some gorgeous sun flares.

The sensor is an upgraded 13MP. I think that’s a nice happy medium of creating images that have enough detail without being so perfect that it no longer feels retro.

Several of my shots also had some noticeable grain, even outdoors in good light. Noise may be unwanted in modern cameras, but the imperfection feels welcome for cameras working to recreate that retro feel.

While the resolution feels plenty for a retro camera, the smaller sensor does create a limited dynamic range. Outdoors in the sun, several of my shots were regularly overexposed. (That’s photography speak for “too bright.”) My biggest disappointment was the occasional tendency to overexpose bright spots into white nothingness – something that’s common and nearly expected for the price point and category.

The camera has a built-in flash that adds to that retro feel indoors, creating the harsh shadows commonly associated with disposable film cameras. But, the flash isn’t always well balanced, and if you get too close, the photos will be blown out to almost white nothing-ness. Thankfully, there is a switch to turn the flash off or to use auto flash.

Overall, the photos coming from the Flashback One35 V2 had a near-perfect blend of capturing a retro feel from a modern digital sensor.

Flashback One35 V2 review: Verdict

The Flashback One35 V2 mixes the best of a 90s disposable film camera with the best tech from modern cameras. Taking photos is once again a screenless, simple experience that doesn’t pull me from the moment. Developing the photos is no longer an expensive process, yet it still has a slow reveal – and easy transfers to a smartphone for social sharing.

Retro cameras are intentionally imperfect. I loved the grain, retro colors, soft edges, and lens flares that snub crunchy modern smartphone photos. I was a bit disappointed when several of my outdoor shots were too bright, and the viewfinder isn’t very accurate – the two imperfections that I’d rather change than embrace.

But, considering the price, the Flashback One35 V2 is an excellent disposable film camera alternative with less waste and zero film developing costs – without completely giving up the retro charm.

The Flashback One V2 is available directly from Flashback as well as from a small number of retailers.

Flashback One35 V2 review: Alternatives

SG-Image is rumored to soon be releasing a new lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras: the AF 25mm f/1.8. This lens is already available for Fujifilm X and APS-C Nikon Z and Sony E-mount cameras – it’s the widest and most affordable lens in SG-Image's range of five autofocus mirrorless lenses. At just 31mm long it almost qualifies as a pancake prime, and the lens is refreshingly lightweight at 145 grams, despite having an all-metal barrel. SG-Image claims this "may be the slimmest 25mm f/1.8 lens in the world" - you be the judge of that.

Inside are 7 elements arranged in 5 groups, including 3 high-refractive-index elements to reduce chromatic aberrations. Other specs include a 0.3-meter minimum focussing distance and a 52mm filter thread diameter.

With its focal length equating to around 37.5mm in full-frame terms, the lens is ideal for street photography, while the fast f/1.8 max aperture should also make it very useful in low light. Factor the aperture diaphragm with its fairly generous nine blades and bokeh has the right ingredients for sumptuous smoothness.

Unlike affordable third-party primes of old which would have sacrificed autofocus and electronic contacts to stay in budget, the AF 25mm includes an AF motor, which SG-Image says is fast, accurate and quiet.

Though rumored to be launching on June 15th, the MFT variant of the SG-Image AF 25mm f/1.8 isn't yet showing on the brand's website. Once it does, expect it to cost $125, assuming it's priced in line with the lens's other three mount options. Like those, the MFT version will probably also be available in a choice of black or silver barrel finishes.

Story credit: 43rumors

I waited a long time for the Nikon Z6 III to come out. A long time. The full-frame hybrid mirrorless camera was heavily rumored prior to its June 2024 announcement – and I’m not sure there’s been a bigger buzz for a Nikon camera since. A full-frame mid-range camera is always going to court a lot of interest, but what made the Nikon Z6 III such an enticing prospect was its predecessor.

The Nikon Z6 II was a solid if not exceptional camera. It righted many of the original Z6’s shortcomings, but wasn’t a significant upgrade – more of a Z6 1.5, if you will.

Taking that into account, and the more advanced competition, it was obvious that the Big N was gearing up for a true successor in the Nikon Z6 III.

A tempting prospect: The "Baby Z9"

In May 2023 the Nikon Z8 launched as the spiritual successor to, in my opinion, the best DSLR camera ever made: the Nikon D850. But this wasn’t just a Nikon Z7 II in a more rugged body, it was a photo and video powerhouse that boasted a fully stacked 45.7MP sensor with no mechanical shutter. Its specs were largely identical to the flagship Nikon Z9, earning it the moniker "Baby Z9".

I was shooting on a D850, having stuck with the D8XXX series since the Nikon D800, and immediately the Nikon Z8 was my dream camera. But I questioned whether or not I really needed a camera as capable as the Nikon Z8. The D850 was everything I could ever want from a camera and I was totally in love with its incredible image files.

I was working on Digital Camera World's sister publication, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, and was fed up having to constantly borrow Z-Series cameras when testing new Nikon Z lenses and accessories. So, I decided I needed to get with the times. The problem was that, despite endless rumors, the Nikon Z6 III wasn’t available yet.

I didn’t want to purchase a Z6 II or Z7 II, because the whole point of moving away from my D850 was to have a cutting-edge camera. And while the Nikon Z8 was my dream body, I felt it was simply too much camera to justify.

I even took a secret look at the Sony A7 IV and Fujifilm X-T5, but the former had been out for a while and as much as I loved the X-T5 (I still want one) I’m a full-frame photographer at heart. So, I waited a little bit longer before I finally caved and bought a Nikon Z8. Two months later, Nikon launched the Nikon Z6 III…

Nikon Z6 III: Two months too late

I went to the launch event. I loved it. If the Nikon Z8 is a "Baby Z9" then the Nikon Z6 III is a "Baby Z8". It’s a fantastic photo and video hybrid with a partially stacked sensor, blistering burst speeds, whip-fast autofocus, jaw-dropping EVF and top-notch IBIS. There is no doubt in my mind that it’s the camera I should have purchased for three reasons: resolution, size and price.

I’ve talked extensively about how a high-resolution camera like the 45.7MP Nikon Z8 can affect image quality due to camera shake, meaning you often have to double or triple the reciprocal rule in order to capture critically sharp shots. When using a camera with a more modest 24.5MP sensor like the Nikon Z6 III, you can stick to the reciprocal rule more closely.

Obviously the Nikon Z8 is a lot smaller and lighter than the Z9, but it’s still a bit of a behemoth next to the smaller and lighter Nikon Z6 III. And while I relish having a large camera to balance a long telephoto lens, I don’t take my Z8 out nearly as much as I would a Nikon Z6 III, because it’s simply too big and heavy.

And finally, the most obvious difference between the two cameras is their price. Granted, by the time I bought it, the Nikon Z8 was regularly on sale for a chunk off the RRP, but the Nikon Z6 III’s launch price was $2,499 / £2,699 / AU$4,499.

The Nikon Z8 launched at $3,999 / £3,999 / AU$6,999 and the cheapest I’d seen it at the time was with a healthy 17.5% discount. Even then, it was more expensive than the Z6 III – I’m talking about the price of a decent zoom lens, which is a very important consideration.

Don’t buy what’s best, buy what’s best for YOU

And yet, the Nikon Z8 is still my dream camera. It’s technically the best camera I’ve ever owned and I’m not sure how it could ever be eclipsed (I certainly don’t need it to be). Had the Nikon Z6 III been announced a couple of months earlier, though, I’d almost certainly own one right now, instead.

Still, there’s value in this kind of discussion. If you’re looking for a new camera, don’t necessarily purchase at the end of your budget; really consider your use cases. To loosely quote Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight: An expensive high-resolution monster might be the camera you deserve, but not the one you need right now.

A bigger and more technically advanced camera isn’t necessarily the right choice for everyone. Don’t buy what’s best, buy what’s best for you.

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If you like the Nikon Z6 III, but prefer a retro camera then check out the similarly specced Nikon Zf. If you’re looking for an alternative from another manufacturer, check out the Canon EOS R6 Mark III.

According to Leica Rumors, Meyer Optik Görlitz is continuing its comeback and is now apprently working on the with a sort a lens that immediately catches the eye. After a break of almost a year and a half, the Hamburg-based optics maker has confirmed that it is developing a new 42mm f/1.2 lens, including a version for Leica M-mount.

That alone is enough to make many rangefinder users pay attention. A 42mm focal length sits in that interesting space between the classic 35mm and 50mm fields of view, offering something slightly different for everyday photography, portraits, travel, and available-light shooting. Pair that with a very fast f/1.2 aperture, and this starts to sound like a seriously characterful optic.

Inside, the lens is said to feature 10 elements in total, including two aspherical elements and two floating elements. That suggests Meyer Optik is aiming for more than just vintage charm here, with optical correction and close-range performance clearly part of the design brief. The lens will be offered for Sony E, Canon RF, and Leica M mounts, which should give it appeal beyond the Leica world.

But the detail I cannot stop looking at is the inclusion of 15 red aperture blades. Do red aperture blades make a real-world difference to the final image? I am definitely not convinced. My feeling is that this is more about aesthetics than optical performance, but I have to admit, I absolutely love it. There is something wonderfully bold and slightly indulgent about seeing that flash of red inside a handmade lens.

The new Meyer Optik Görlitz 42mm f/1.2 will be handmade in Hamburg, Germany, and while there is still more to learn about pricing, availability, and final performance, it is already one of the more intriguing lens developments for Leica M users and others. In a market often dominated by technically perfect but visually forgettable lenses, this feels like something with a little more personality.

Fujifilm recently announced that the GFX100RF – a compact, fixed-lens medium-format camera boasting a whopping 102MP medium-format sensor – won a Technical Award from the Japan Society of Photographic Sciences (JSPS).

Looking at the camera, I have to agree with the recognition. Fujifilm has arguably carved out a new niche, as this is the first truly digital medium-format shooter offering ridiculously crisp resolution and a fixed lens in a compact body.

Granted, the GFX100RF is far from cheap, retailing at $5,400 / £4,074 / AU$7,739, and requires compromise to only work with a single 35mm focal length (28mm full-frame equivalent).

However, despite these drawbacks, for me, it’s a solid example of how minimalist setups pairing the right lens with the right camera body can be the key to taking great photos, but also to motivating you to do more photography in general.

One of the main praises the GFX100RF received during the awards ceremony was for its optimized lens and body design.

From the behemoth MP count to the bespoke fixed 35mm f/4 wide-angle lens, Fujifilm geared every decision behind the model with rendering maximum-quality images in medium format in mind.

Obviously this is a minimalist setup for photographers with higher budgets and more experience, but those with less cash to splash or just getting into photography can replicate the approach, albeit at much lower resolutions.

Take a Fujifilm X-T5 paired with the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR lens, or a Sony A6700 matched with a Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN, for example.

Both of these setups provide an excellent balance of image quality and minimal weight thanks to the optimal pairing of camera body and lens in compact APS-C-sensor designs.

The X-T5’s respectable 40MP sensor and the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR’s top-notch edge-to-edge sharpness work really well together for shooting things like landscapes.

And the Sony A6700’s class-leading autofocus pairs well with the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN constant f/2.8 aperture, especially for portraiture.

Of course, an interchangeable-lens system won’t always be as light as the GFX100RF’s fixed-lens design, but you get the idea.

A single setup consisting of a portable camera body thoughtfully coupled with a lens that maximizes that camera’s specs can do more for your photography than multiple cameras and lenses.

As for the other GFX100RF features the JSPS liked, it commended the aspect ratio switching dial and digital teleconverter switching (for cropping into the center of the sensor) for expanding the “range of photographic expression”.

I particularly agree with the aspect ratio switching dial and hope to see other brands incorporate this into future models.

Shop the Fujifilm GFX100RF

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See our expert pick of the best compact cameras along with our say on what the best medium format cameras are.

If I were stranded on a desert island with just one lens, I’d want it to be a 70-200mm f/2.8. At the wide end, you've got a versatile short telephoto that can be used for everyday snaps and portraits, while the zoom range provides enough reach for wildlife photography. This class of lens also tends to work very well for close-up work if you don’t need true 1:1 macro.

But if you’re thinking of stepping up to a full-frame camera or even switching systems, who makes the very best 70-200mm? Well, everyone’s favorite Hong Kong-based photography YouTuber Matt Granger has answered that question, pitting pro-grade f/2.8 telephoto zooms from five of the top manufacturers against each other in a real-world head-to-head battle.

During the video, Matt tests the autofocus, build, image stabilization, and image quality of each lens, attached to a high-resolution camera. The Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70–200mm f/2.8 ASPH is used with the Leica SL3, the Canon RF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z on the Canon R5 Mark II, the Nikon Z 70–200mm f/2.8 VR S II on the Nikon Z8, the Sigma 70–200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports on the Sigma fp L, and the Sony FE 70–200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II on the Sony A7R V.

Ultimately, Matt concludes that the Nikon, Canon and Sony exist in a class of their own, but there are a few caveats, so to find out his opinion on each lens, make sure you watch the video (above) all the way to the end. If you’re interested in finding out the telephoto lenses that Digital Camera World rates, check out the best telephoto lenses.

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Want a lens that's a little shorter? Check out the best standard zooms. If you're after something with more reach, here are the best lenses for bird photography. And to stay up to date, here's the latest camera news.

As much fun as the likes of the Camp Snap 2 or Kodak Charmera cameras are, they’re just that; a bit of fun. Slightly more expensive models, including the zoom-equipped Kodak Pixpro FZ series, or the Yashica City compact camera range, are likewise best viewed without too much of a critical eye. They’re fine for what they are: affordably priced snapshots with basic operation and feature sets, the kind of ‘stack them high, sell them cheap’ digital compacts we were awash with 15 years ago, before the smartphone boom persuaded most of the major players to simply stop making compacts.

For a while until relatively recently, if you wanted a new standalone camera to use instead of your smartphone, it was still quite a jump to the likes of the Ricoh GR IV series, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III or an interchangeable mirrorless camera, which, it felt to me, were starting to get prohibitively expensive. And ever further from the reach of the simply curious, but non-expert photographer.

But the Kodak brand, or rather its JK Imaging Ltd global licensee, kept point-and-shoot cameras going at a time when, as it seemed to most other brands and consumers, compact cameras were dead. It slowly carved its own niche when most were looking the other way. Its offerings may not be five-star critical recommendations – far from it – and yet it now regularly tops the bestsellers’ list.

The above being said, I’ve still never felt the need to ‘hold my nose’ when using a pocket money-priced ‘retro’ compact. Because the very reason such snapshot cameras appealed in the early 2000s to early digital photography adopters is still the case today; albeit to a greatly reduced audience than in their mid 2000s to 2010s heyday.

A point-and-shoot camera was what you once owned before moving on to a bridge camera, and then on to a DSLR. And next, when we were told the future was mirrorless, we swapped over to a smaller-format interchangeable lens cameras.

My point is that basic snappers were – and, I believe, will again prove to be – gateway drugs to more serious photographic gear. And, hopefully, the photographers of the future with it.

It’s still quite a jump from phone snapping to interchangeable lens photography. So don’t cut out, or sneer at, whatever bridges the gap, even when that camera is a basic point-and-shooter.

Check out our guide to the best point-and-shoot cameras

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that early digicams and dedicated compact cameras are resurging in trends at the same time that computers can “create” AI images. Experimental film giant Lomography has a new option for photographers trading modern tech for analog: The Fisheye No. 2 35mm Camera La Mer.

The Fisheye No. 2 takes circular photos, thanks to its built-in 10mm 170-degree view fisheye lens. That allows creators to fit more of the scene into the photo, or use the unusual distortion as a creative effect.

Lomography says that the Fisheye No. 2 La Mer is designed for experimental photography, embracing the exaggerated perspective of a fisheye and mixing it with film imperfections like grain, unusual color mixes, and light leaks. And yes, the camera is also capable of snapping multiple exposures.

The Fisheye No. 2 has a fixed f/8 aperture and only two choices for shutter speed: 1/100 or bulb. A built-in flash allows those settings to keep shooting indoors and at night.

As a 35mm camera, the Fisheye No. 2 takes a readily available film format, opening up more flexibility and experimentation based on what film is inside.

Those features are wrapped up in a compact camera – although the bulbous lens on the front adds to the size and gives the camera a rather unusual appearance. The camera uses a detachable viewfinder that slides into the hot shoe slot.

Lomography’s Fisheye No. 2 camera has actually been around since 2009 in multiple different colors and special editions, but the June 2026 refresh brings a seashore-inspired makeover to the analog compact camera. The new version of the camera features a pastel periwinkle body and a soft yellow color to the viewfinder.

Like the existing colorways, the experimental camera isn’t made to take a major hit on the budget (at least not on the camera itself). It retails for $69 / £69 / CA$89 / AU$109. The camera is available from Lomography and needs to be purchased along with 35mm film.

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Ready to ditch modern perfection? These are the best film cameras still available in 2026.

Ultra-wide lenses typically come with a curved front glass that prevents the lenses from usuing filters in the traditional sense. But a new lens from Brighin Star has an unsual take with a filter holder that also doubles as a lens hood. The Brightin Star 14mm f/2.8 spans an impressively wide view – and arrives compatible with full-frame E Mount, RF Mount, Z Mount, and L Mount mirrorless camera bodies.

The Brightin Star 14mm f/2.8 covers an impressively wide 116-degree view, but like most ultra-wides, that creeates a curved front element, making traditional screw-in filters impossible.

Instead, the full-frame lens includes a detachable filter holder that can accommodate square 82mm ND filters, but also supports circular polarizing filters. The filter holder also doubles as a lens hood.

Filter holders for ultra-wide lenses aren’t uncommon, but most are sold seperately. Brightin Star includes a filter holder, but also allows it to double as a lens hood to help prevent flare too.

The manual focus design, 116-degree wide view and f/2.8 aperture is a mix meant for astrophotography as well as architecture and interiors. The lens is built with 13 elements in nine groups, including coatings to reduce flare and help keep stars sharp. Brightin Star says that the design is meant to minimize lens distortion.

While the manual focus is perhaps expected for the brand and price point, I’m surprised that the lens still offers focusing as close as .2m in front of the lens. That could help photographers turn the perspective distortion that comes from such a wide view into a quirky creative effect.

The lens uses a ten-blade aperture, which means narrowing that f/2.8 aperture down will turn points of light into ten-point starbursts.

The Brightin Star 14mm f/2.8 will be available beginning on June 17. The lens is set to retail for $279 in the US – about £208 / AU$394 / CA$390. Until June 27, Brightin Star is offering a $40 launch discount.

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Take a deep dive into the best lenses for astrophotography or the best ultra-wide lenses.

Beginning on July 01, a host of popular Ricoh GR Series compact cameras will see prices increase by 6-11% in Japan.

The announcement was made today, June 16, on the Ricoh Japan website. The company stated that recent increases in raw materials costs, as well as a “significant rise” in manufacturing and logistics costs, mean it can no longer produce GR models at current prices.

According to the announcement, six models are affected, including the GR IV, GR IV HDF, GR IV Monochrome, GR IIIx, GR IIIx HDF, and the GR IIIx Urban Edition.

With Ricoh headquarters based in Japan, it is unclear if the price changes will affect the camera's cost in other regions.

Originally launched as a premium film camera in 1996, the GR series has evolved into a lineup of ultra-compact, fixed-lens compact digital shooters widely regarded as some of the best for street photography. That popularity stems in part from an APS-C sensor hidden inside a body that looks like a basic point-and-shoot.

However, prices for these cameras have increased significantly across all regions in recent years, partly due to the long-term rise in compact camera popularity and more recent events such as AI memory demand.

In the US, price jumps have hit customers particularly hard, with the base Ricoh GR IV (2025) launching at $1,499 (£1,117 / AU$2,120), roughly 50% more expensive than its predecessor, the Ricoh GR III, when it was released in 2019.

Prices in Europe reflect similar hikes, with models such as the GR III and GR IIIx variants generally hovering around £950 (approximately $1,270 / AU$1,800), and special editions and new GR IV models around £1,200 (approximately $1,600 / AU$2,270).

According to Ricoh, the new prices will be seen on the Ricoh Imaging Store Japan and GR SPACE TOKYO – a physical Ricoh store in the Japanese capital.

But the company hasn't mentioned if third-party retailers will also pass the increased costs onto customers, nor if GR Series cameras will also become more expensive in other regions.

In light of the price increase, Ricoh has said it intends to “strive for even higher quality” products and service standards.

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See our expert pick of the best compact cameras. These portable powerhouses might even fit in your pocket!

It's tough being an S9 owner. Panasonic proudly announced an ultra-small full-frame camera that's about the same size as a Fujifilm X100VI – but the only ultra-small lens available for it was barely fit for purpose, and every other L-Mount lens was comedically oversized on the camera.

Since then, even the so-called small Lumix S 40mm f/2 and TTArtisan 40mm f/2 are too chunky for my taste. But thankfully, mercifully, Viltrox has come to the rescue with an ultra-small lens that the Lumix S9 has been screaming out for.

Already available for Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mounts, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 has just been launched for L-Mount. It's a super-thin pancake lens that's just 15mm thick, making it a perfect pairing for the svelte S9.

I wish this lens was available for the S9 at launch, as I think it would have utterly transformed the reception that greeted the camera. Instead of Panasonic's poorly-received, manual focus, fixed-f/8 26mm pancake, this is the proof-of-concept optic that the Lumix deserved.

As it is, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 – which my colleague Matt Richards awarded four stars in his review – offers silent and snappy autofocus, a faster (but still fixed) f/4.5 aperture and tasty central sharpness (even if it gets choppier towards the edges of frame). Heck, it even has a built-in lens cap that can be engaged with the flick of a slider switch!

All that tech and it's still slimmer than Lumix's 18.1mm-thick pancake – and only a shade heavier, too, at just 60g (compared to 58g).

And while I've been moaning about the S9, the L-Mount version of this lens obviously fits any camera using the mount – it's equally at home on the similarly small Sigma BF, chunkier bodies like the Lumix S1IIE or even a Red Dot camera like the Leica SL3. But we all know that it's meant for the S9.

"I feel that the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is the last word in convenience and portability, thanks to its incredibly small and lightweight build," Matt said in his Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 review. "I really like using it for street photography and for walkabout/travel shooting, as it keeps size and weight to an absolute minimum."

He does note that the fixed aperture can prove tricky (though nothing that isn't remedied by nudging your ISO) and found that flaring can be an issue, but otherwise concluded that "it's a fun lens that keeps things simple." Which is exactly what I want from my S9 – and is exactly what the 26mm f/8 failed to deliver.

Anyway, S9 users like me can finally shut up as we've got the lens we always wanted. It's available now for $99 / £90 (Australian price to be confirmed). Now, if only Samyang can be persuaded to bring the Remaster Slim to the L-Mount as well… 

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This is definitely one of the best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix S9, but see how it fares against the best L-Mount lenses from all manufacturers.

Photographing the sun safely has traditionally meant one of two things: building a DIY filter using specialist solar film, or investing in a dedicated astronomical solar filter system. The K&F Concept ND1,000,000 takes a different approach.

Rather than using a dedicated solar film, it’s essentially an extremely dark 20-stop neutral-density filter that reduces sunlight by a factor of 1,000,000. Designed primarily for ultra-long-exposure photography, it’s a convenient, durable, and straightforward screw-in design.

Compared to fragile Baader AstroSolar Safety Film or foldable universal filters like the Daystar Universal Lens Filter, the K&F filter is much easier to travel with. There’s no cardboard to crush in your luggage, no delicate film to puncture or stretch, and no tape-covered DIY construction rattling around your camera bag.

For this review, I tested the filter primarily on a DSLR camera with a 100-400mm telephoto lens. The results were surprisingly impressive – though not without important compromises and safety considerations.

K&F Concept ND1,000,000: Specifications

K&F Concept ND1,000,000: Price

The K&F Concept ND1,000,000 is simple and reasonably affordable. Available in 49mm, 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, and 95mm sizes, prices typically hover around the $50 / £38 mark for the 77mm size, and there are frequent discounts.

That’s competitive pricing considering the filter also doubles as a creative long-exposure tool outside eclipse seasons. Unlike specialist solar film that may sit unused for years between eclipses, the K&F ND1,000,000 can also be used for ultra-long daytime exposures, smoothing water, removing crowds, cloud streak effects, and minimalist landscape photography. So it should appeal to photographers worried about investing in niche eclipse gear.

However, dedicated solar filters still offer advantages in thermal management and safety certification. The K&F is ultimately a photographic ND filter first and foremost, not a purpose-built astronomical solar filter.

K&F Concept ND1,000,000: Design & Handling

Safety first. The K&F ND1,000,000 is a photographic filter, not a certified visual solar observing filter. You should never look directly at the sun through it – or via a DSLR's optical viewfinder. Mirrorless EVFs and rear LCD Live View systems are the safest workflows to use (besides, zooming in on a Live View image of the sun is the best way to manually sharpen the image).

The K&F ND1,000,000 feels surprisingly well-made for the money. The aluminum frame threads smoothly with no cross-threading issues, the grip texture is easy to handle even with gloves, and the included hard protective case is tough. It occupies almost no space in a camera bag and feels substantially more durable than solar film systems.

However, there are practical trade-offs. Glass solar filters absorb and retain heat far more than solar film systems do. After prolonged shooting sessions in direct sunlight – the definition of an eclipse shoot, which can last over three hours – the filter becomes distinctly hot to the touch. This makes removing the filter quickly before totality slightly trickier than with lightweight slip-on film filters, which typically rely on cardboard or tough plastic housings.

That said, you don’t necessarily need to fully tighten the filter during eclipse photography. Leaving it slightly loosened allows much faster removal just before totality while still remaining secure enough for shooting the partial phases.

K&F Concept ND1,000,000: Performance

Considering its intended purpose as a creative long-exposure filter rather than a specialist astronomy product, the K&F ND1,000,000 performs impressively well. Mounted on a Canon 100-400mm telephoto lens attached to a mirrorless camera, image quality was genuinely good. Contrast remained strong, flare was well controlled, and the filter introduced no obvious vignetting or focusing issues during testing. The ND1,000,000 should be the only filter mounted on the lens when imaging the sun to avoid ghost reflections.

Compared to DIY solar film filters, the screw-in design makes setup dramatically simpler, especially while traveling. There’s no concern about crushed filter cells, wrinkled film, or masking tape-secured housings. For lightweight eclipse expeditions, that convenience becomes extremely appealing. Dedicated solar film systems still hold a clear optical advantage.

With ISO100 and f/8 dialed in, exposures between 1/13 sec and 1/100 sec produce usable images, with 1/50 sec superior. Compared to Baader AstroSolar Safety Film, the K&F filter produces a yellow-tinted and slightly softer image of sunspots and the solar limb, as well as a little less contrast across the sun’s disk. The difference isn’t huge for casual use, but experienced eclipse photographers will notice it.

The K&F Concept ND1,000,000 ND filter gets hot. Dedicated solar film reflects much of the sun’s energy away before it enters the lens, whereas dense glass ND filters absorb more internally. Since prolonged Live View sessions in hot environments may increase thermal stress on both the filter and camera, it’s something to consider.

Without formal solar certification documentation, the K&F ND1,000,000 should be considered for occasional mirrorless solar photography with moderate telephoto zooms – thereby avoiding the need for optical viewfinders. With those caveats in mind, it works far better than many photographers might expect.

K&F Concept ND1,000,000: Verdict

The K&F Concept ND1,000,000 is not a replacement for dedicated astronomical solar filters, but that’s not really the point. What it offers instead is one of the most practical, compact, and travel-friendly ways to occasionally photograph the sun with a mirrorless camera. For eclipse travelers wanting a lightweight setup without DIY filter construction, it makes sense. Image quality is solid, handling is straightforward, and the screw-in design is dramatically easier to travel with than delicate solar film systems. The ability to repurpose it for creative long exposures outside eclipse season also helps justify the purchase.

However, the compromises are real. Dedicated solar film from Baader or Thousand Oaks remains cheaper, sharper, and better able to handle heat. This filter should also never be treated as suitable for direct visual observing.

For casual eclipse photography and lightweight travel kits, the K&F ND1,000,000 is an excellent option. But for publication-grade solar imaging at long focal lengths, specialist solar film still leads the way.

Alternatives

The viral Kodak Charmera is no longer stuck in the 1980s. The Kodak Charmera Millennium edition brings the trendy but tiny low-fi camera into the early 200s.

The refreshed Kodak Charmera trades colors and patterns inspired by the 1987 Kodak Fling into Y2K-inspired metalics and pixel art. The Y2K inspiration also influences what filters and frames the Charmera can use with the photos, adding pixel filters in four different colors. The Millennium Edition also has four different frames to choose from, including a Y2K video game theme and a TV-inspired frame.

The update arguably brings the Charmera’s exterior into better match to the electronics inside. Like the earlier edition, the Kodak Charmera maintains its 1.6MP sensor, taking snapshots that measure just 1440 pixels wide – the photos resemble those of early camera phones. That low-fi resolution better matches early digital camera tech than the 1980s disposable film camera that the original Charmera is based on.

That small 1/4 inch sensor is paired with a 35mm equivalent f/2.4 lens.

Like the 1987 Kodak Fling, however, the Kodak Charmera remains a tiny camera. The Millennium Edition Charmera measures just 58 x 24.5 x 20mm – that’s only 2.2 inches wide and less than an inch tall.

Kodak is keeping the blind-box intact for the new Millennium-inspired designs as well. The six new colors and patterns will be sold in boxes that don’t reveal what color is inside, turning the camera into a collectable game. A six-pack of all six colors will also be available.

The new Kodak Chamera Millennium Edition sells for the same price that the original is currently selling for. That’s about $35 / £35 / AU$55 / CA$55 for a single camera and $210 / £210 / AU$ 324 / CA$324.

The original Charmera quickly sold out right at launch – the Millennium Edition could potentially see the same level of popularity. Worldwide sales open on June 16 at 10 PM EDT / 7 PM PT / June 17 at 3 AM BST.

The Kodak Charmera is made by Reto Production, a Kodak licensee that also makes the Ektar H35mm half-frame film camera.

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We took the Kodak Charmera on a trip – and this is what we captured! Or, take a look at the best point-and-shoot cameras or the best cheap cameras.

So, you've got a camera and you've taken some pictures. But now you have to figure out how to transfer photos to a computer!

Whether you want to email your photos to relatives, share them on social media or get them into an editing app to make some tweaks, knowing how to transfer photos to a computer is your first step in getting your shots off your camera and onto a proper screen.

Here are three easy methods, including one that might just be a life saver when you're away from home and you don't have any of the leads or equipment you need…

How to transfer photos to a computer: USB connection

This is the simplest way to transfer photos to a computer, though it isn't necessarily the fastest as it depends on multiple factors (namely the speed of your camera's USB connection, the speed of your USB cable and the speed of your computer's USB port).

Simply connect your camera to your computer or laptop using a USB lead. If one has been provided with your camera, that is usually the best one to use – in fact, some older cameras can only transfer files using the manufacturers' proprietary USB cable.

How to transfer photos to a computer: Card reader

Some laptops have an SD card reader built in, but you can also connect an external memory card reader that plugs into a USB port either directly or via a lead. You will need an external reader for non-SD formats such as CFexpress and CompactFlash.

This is typically the fastest option, as direct memory card transfer is the most efficient way to move data. However, there are a few factors that might limit your transfer speed even if you have a fast memory card: the speed of your reader, the speed of your USB lead (if required) and the speed of your computer's USB connection (USB-A, for example, will be slower than USB-C).

How to transfer photos to a computer: Your phone

Okay, the first two methods are fine – provided you have a USB cable and / or a card reader. But what if you're at a cafe, on a day trip or anywhere else where all you have in your bag is your laptop? Luckily, there's a third sneaky method that's completely wireless!

Sadly, no current cameras are able to transfer directly to a computer via WiFi or Bluetooth. However, every camera brand has a dedicated smartphone app for wireless transfer – such as Canon's Camera Connect app, pictured above.

This enables you to quickly transfer photos onto your phone or tablet. Then you can either send them via email or an app like Dropbox, or use AirDrop or Quick Share to wirelessly beam them to your computer.

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Take a look at the best memory cards, including the best CFexpress cards for high-end cameras, and the best memory card readers.

A compact camera so trendy that it's still hard to find in stock more than two years after its launch has returned to the top of sales charts in Japan. The Fujifilm X100VI was the best-selling camera overall from one Japanese retailer last month, with the number one for the last several months, the Sony A7 V, dropping to second.

The Sony A7 V is the only non-Fujifilm camera in the top five in the latest sales data from Japanese photo retailer Map Camera, which recently shared the top ten cameras for May. While trends don’t always translate across geographic borders, with many major camera brands located in Japan, the region is one to watch.

1) Fujifilm X100VI

The Fujifilm X100VI has gone so viral that finding one in stock is often a challenge – but limited stock is likely affecting where the retro compact camera falls in the sales charts. In the latest numbers from the retailer, the Fujifilm X100VI has returned to take the number one spot.

Map Camera notes that the supply of the X100VI remains unstable, more than two years since the camera launched – and went viral on social media – in February 2024. But while the retailer says that stock is still unstable, the fact that there was enough stock for the camera to return to number one is interesting. I wonder if perhaps the popular camera may be finally catching up with demand.

The X100VI’s popularity stems in part from its compact, retro design along with a 40MP sensor and bright 23mm (full frame equivalent) f/2.0 lens.

2) Sony A7 V

The Sony A7 V comes in second place, the first time the newly launched mirrorless camera has fallen from first place in Map Camera's month-to-month numbers since launching late in 2025. The A7 V boasts 30fps burst speeds and smarter autofocus without moving to the price of Sony’s higher-end models.

Interestingly, Map Camera reports that most of the Sony A7 V sales are for the body only. That has the retailer hypothesizing that a lot of the sales are coming from existing Sony users who already own some E-Mount lenses.

The newly announced Sony A7R VI may threaten to outdo its lower resolution sibling, but with shipping beginning in June, it's not part of Map Camera's May numbers.

3) Fujifilm X-T30 III

The success of the X100 series seems to have bled over into Fujifilm’s mirrorless cameras, particularly those that sit at a lower price point than the X100VI. The Fujifilm X-T30 III is fairly compact for a mirrorless camera, yet still has a viewfinder.

The more budget-friendly X-T30 III, however, has Fujifilm’s previous-generation sensor, shooting 26.1MP photos.

4) Fujifilm X-E5

The mirrorless camera most similar to the popular X100VI is arguably the Fujifilm X-E5, which shares the same sensor and retro rangefinder-inspired design, but has interchangeable lenses (though there are a few other notable differences).

The X-E5 also pairs with a 23mm f/2.8 kit lens that keeps the camera feeling more like a compact camera than a mirrorless camera. The mirrorless’ success could potentially stem from the still-long wait list for the X100VI – or perhaps from the flexibility of swappable lenses.

5) Fujifilm X-M5

Fujifilm’s most affordable mirrorless camera has also seen limited stock availability since its launch, but the compact vlogging mirrorless camera is still proving to be popular. The Fujifilm X-M5 has the same resolution as the X-T30 III, but axes the viewfinder for an even more compact design.

6) Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III

Launched in 2019 but revived through social media trends, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III continues to sell well, despite limited availability. Map Camera says that the new special edition G7 X Mark III was included in these numbers, helping to push the one-inch sensor compact camera with a zoom lens higher up the list.

7) Panasonic Lumix ZS300 / TS300

Panasonic’s compact super zoom, which is called the Lumix TX3 in Japan but the Lumix ZS300 in the US and the Lumix TZ300 in the UK, only launched at the end of May but has already made the top ten. The camera’s 1-inch sensor with a 24-360mm equivalent zoom is already proving to be quite popular, as the camera was number one on Japanese retailer Yodobashi’s list for the second half of May 2026.

It will be interesting to see how the camera’s ranking changes next month, as Panasonic recently launched the Lumix L10, which begins shipping in June. Panasonic Japan has already said orders have exceeded expectations, so it will be interesting to see where the compact camera that mixes a shorter zoom lens with a larger Micro Four Thirds sensor fits into the trends.

8) Sony A7C II

The Sony A7C II is the more compact travel-ready mirrorless for Sony shooters, and the camera’s mix of size and price has it regularly appearing among top ten lists, despite being launched in 2023.

9) Sony A6700

The Sony A6700 is a compact mirrorless camera housing an APS-C sensor, offering more speed and performance over the more affordable A6400. Map Camera notes that the majority of sales for the A6700 are for the bundle with an 18-135mm kit lens, hinting that many buyers are first-time Sony users or photographers who want something small with a do-it-all lens.

10) Ricoh GR IV

The Ricoh GR IV is another compact camera that’s hard to find, so limited supply may be affecting numbers. Regardless, Map Camera still managed to get enough of the tiny camera for it to slide in at the bottom of the top ten.

The GR IV series is known for cramming an APS-C into a camera that’s still only around the size of a basic point-and-shoot.

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Trends could be a good indicator of the top cameras, but these are the best compact cameras and the best mirrorless cameras according to real photographers.

What’s in a name? Thypoch is a Chinese manufacturer best known for its Simera f/1.4 manual-focus prime lenses and more movie-focused Simera-C T1.5 cine lenses. Thypoch takes its name from ‘epoch’ and Simera is Greek for ‘today’. Taking a step forward, the new Voyager 24-50mm is the company’s first autofocus zoom lens, advertised as ‘the cine-soul in motion, bringing world-class cinematic rendering to your everyday kit’.

I’ve seen a variety of full-frame compatible standard zoom lenses that aim to be as compact and lightweight as possible, but they usually come with the compromises of a fairly slow aperture rating that varies with focal length, a lack weather-seals, and come up short at the long end of the zoom range. A couple that spring to mind are the Canon RF 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM and the Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3. On the other hand, traditional ‘trinity’ standard zooms with a constant f/2.8 aperture rating tend to be much bigger and heavier, but a variety of downsized alternatives have come to market, generally with a different zoom range to the classic 24-70mm (see ‘pricing’ below).

A notable recent newcomer in the alternative trinity camp is the LK Samyang / Rokinon AF 24-60mm f/2.8 FE for Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras, designed in partnership with Schneider-Kreuznach. Like the Samyang, Thypoch’s first autofocus zoom aims to be one of the best standard zooms on the market, as well as one of the best lenses for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras, at least if you’re on a tight budget.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Specifications

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Price

The launch price of the Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 is a relatively budget-friendly $649 / £489 / AU$926. For the sake of comparison, other ‘alternative trinity’ standard zooms include the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM at $1,249 / £1,249 / AU$1,599 and the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 at $1,197 / £889 / AU$1,499. Naturally, the Thypoch is also a direct competitor to the Sony FE 24-50mm f/2.8 G, which has a much more expensive list price of $1,298 / £1,149 / AU$2,000, costing about twice as much.

Third-party offerings for Sony E-mount cameras include the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | C at $989 / £779 / AU$1,320 and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD G2 at $899 / £649 / AU$1,279. The LK Samyang / Rokinon AF 24-60mm f/2.8 FE that I mentioned earlier launched at $899 / £635 / AU$1,209. On the face of it, the Thypoch looks very competitively priced.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Design & Handling

Along with a constant f/2.8 aperture, an almost constant theme to ‘alternative trinity’ standard zooms is that they sacrifice wide-angle coverage, typically starting at 28mm instead of 24mm. The Thypoch, along with the Samyang / Rokinon, buck the trend and match full-sized trinity zooms with a 24mm minimum focal length. The wider perspective is very noticeable when shooting. However, something’s gotta give and what you gain in wide-angle coverage you lose in telephoto reach. Again, most alternative trinity standard zooms stretch to 70mm or 75mm, the Samyang / Rokinon only gives a nod to telephoto reach, maxing out at 60mm, and the Thypoch has none at all, only going to a ‘standard’ 50mm focal length at the long end.

In its defense, Thypoch claims that its first autofocus zoom lens covers three classic or ‘golden’ focal lengths of 24mm, 35mm and 50mm. I’d personally add 28mm to the list, bringing the total up to four. Either way, the net result in terms of handling is that you get a very useful range of focal lengths, all with the same ‘constant’ f/2.8 aperture rating. More remarkably, and unlike with the Samyang / Rokinon lens, the Thypoch has a fully internal zoom mechanism, so the physical length of the lens doesn’t extend at any zoom setting.

Despite the downsized design and lightweight build, the lens is based on no less than 16 optical elements arranged in 13 groups. Those include two aspherical elements, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and three HR (High Refractive index) elements. The aim is to maximize sharpness, clarity and color rendition while minimizing unwanted aberrations. Nano-structure coatings are also applied to suppress ghosting and flare.

A key facet of any ‘trinity’ zoom lens is the relatively fast and constant f/2.8 aperture, that remains available at all focal lengths. Advantages include the ability to maintain quick shutter speeds under low lighting conditions, to freeze motion and avoid camera-shake without needing to bump up your camera’s ISO setting too much. But the biggest plus point is that you can gain a tighter depth of field for creative effect, isolating subjects within a scene by blurring the background. Bokeh becomes an important factor in the overall performance of the lens and to help ensure that bokeh remains attractive when stopping down a little, the aperture is based on a well-rounded 10-blade diaphragm.

Handling feels impressively up-market, especially for such a budget-friendly lens. The zoom and focus control rings work with smooth precision. Helped by the fully internal mechanisms for both, there’s no hint of zoom creep. The dedicated aperture control ring operates in one-third click steps through its entire range of f/2.8 to f/22, complete with a marked, calibrated scale for easy reference. As usual, there’s an ‘A’ (Auto) position at the narrow end of the range, for controlling the aperture from the host camera body, rather than on the lens itself. It’s a must if you’re shooting in Program AE or Shutter-priority modes.

A couple of downsides are that there’s no switch for locking the aperture ring in its Auto position, so you need to be careful not to nudge it accidentally to a narrow aperture setting when controlling the aperture from the camera body. A bigger problem for videographers is that there’s no de-click switch for the aperture control ring. The upshot is that smooth, silent and stepless aperture transitions are unavailable. Back on the plus side, handling extras include an AF/MF focus mode switch and a customizable function button on the left hand side of the barrel. I’d generally use the latter for autofocus-hold.

Low-budget lenses from certain camera manufacturers (Canon and Nikon spring to mind) are notorious for being supplied with no hood, the item in question being sold separately as an ‘optional extra’. I’m happy that a good-quality and efficient petal-shaped hood is supplied with the Thypoch, as part of the standard kit.

When attached, the hood doesn’t extend very far but does offer extra resistance against ghosting and flare, as well as giving some physical protection to the front element of the lens. It’s a win-win.

I’ve used various lenses that are designed to be lightweight, which have plastic rather than metal mounting plates. That’s not the case here, as the Thypoch features a ‘proper’ metal mounting plate with gold-plated electronic contacts, a rubber weather-seal and a USB-C port for applying firmware updates, if and when needed.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Performance

Like most modern lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, the Thypoch utilizes a linear stepping motor for autofocus, as well as for shifting the relevant groups of elements when focusing manually. Autofocus speed is quite pedestrian for this type of focusing system but typically whisper-quiet in operation. Similarly, manual focusing is smooth and precise. The lens’s autofocus abilities are compatible with Sony AF options like face/eye-detection and tracking, while focus peaking is available for manual focusing.

In my ‘real-world’ tests, sharpness was a bit of a mixed bag. I found center-sharpness to be generally very good when the lens was correctly focused, even at the widest aperture of f/2.8, although it paid to stop down a little at the longest zoom setting. Levels of sharpness towards the edges and corners of the frame were a little lackluster at f/2.8, but noticeably better at medium apertures, again dropping off at the longest zoom setting, where narrowing the aperture gave relatively little improvement.

My main issue with the Thypoch's performance is that I encountered a problem with the lens frequently autofocusing a little short of the subject on which I was trying to focus, especially at or near the long end of the zoom range. This front-focusing issue made foreground areas look sharp, but sharpness was lacking in areas in the scene that were at the distance I was autofocusing. I’m confident that the problem doesn’t lie with my Sony A7 III camera body, as I haven’t had the same issue before or since with all of my other Sony and third-party E-mount lenses (I have many). I’m hoping it's an issue that Thypoch might be able to fix with a firmware update for the lens.

Back on the plus side, the quality of bokeh is pleasingly soft and smooth at f/2.8 and remains attractive when stopping down a bit, aided by the well-rounded 10-blade aperture diaphragm. This helps to maintain a reasonably circular appearance for ‘bokeh discs’ caused by defocused lights or bright spots. In addition to smooth bokeh, there’s good control over axial chromatic aberration (bokeh fringing) at f/2.8, with an absence of colored fringes around high-contrast transitions just in front of or behind the plane of focus. The following gallery contains shots of a phrenology head against a garden backdrop, taken at various apertures from f/2.8 to f/8. It serves as a good test for sharpness, bokeh and axial chromatic aberration.

For such a relatively compact f/2.8 constant-aperture zoom, there’s fairly little vignetting even with automatic in-camera correction disabled. The same holds true for distortions, which rely rather less heavily on automatic in-camera correction than many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, especially those that aim to be compact in size. Unlike when using many of these lenses, you can opt to disable automatic in-camera correction for distortion, rather than it being forced on.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Sample Images

The following gallery of sample images was shot at the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in the English city of Wells. Most of the pictures were shot in pairs, demonstrating the field of view and overall image quality at the shortest and longest zoom settings, respectively. Some of them taken at or around f/8 demonstrate the front-focusing issue that I encountered mostly at the long end of the zoom range. I also shot some of the images wide-open at f/2.8, to give an idea of the quality of bokeh.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

In laboratory conditions, center-sharpness generally proved very convincing even wide-open at f/2.8, although it dropped off substantially at the long end of the zoom range. Edge/corner-sharpness is comparatively disappointing at wide apertures and fails to improve much when stopping down to medium aperture settings at the longest zoom setting.

Fringing:

The lens does very well to minimize both lateral and axial chromatic aberrations, which remain negligible across the whole image frame, throughout the entire zoom and aperture ranges.

Distortion:

There’s the typical swing of barrel distortion at the shortest zoom setting, switching to pincushion at the long end. However, the Thypoch does a whole lot better to keep distortions to a minimum, compared with many modern lenses designed for mirrorless cameras. As such, it relies much less on automatic in-camera corrections than is often the case.

Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8: Verdict

As some say, ‘if something looks too good to be true, it probably is’. An alternative trinity standard zoom lens that’s so compact and lightweight, selling for such a budget-friendly price, makes the Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 look like a lens that would be wonderfully easy to live with, as well as a standout bargain to buy. Add to that the impressive, weather-sealed build quality, handling extras like an AF/MF focus mode switch, customizable function button and dedicated aperture control ring, and the lens does indeed look a little too good to be true, considering its selling price.

I wanted to fall in love with this Thypoch lens but, while I do like it a lot, I have a couple of reservations. My main problem is that I found autofocus accuracy to be inconsistent in my real-world tests, and that edge/corner-sharpness was disappointing at f/2.8 throughout the zoom range. Narrowing the aperture to medium values brought little improvement at the longest zoom setting. Center-sharpness was also relatively poor at the long end of the zoom range when using the widest aperture.

For a lens based on a rich cine heritage and billed as being ‘cine-soul in motion’, I’m also surprised that there’s no de-click switch for the aperture control ring, or that the ring isn’t permanently de-clicked. Maybe it’s just because I only tend to use an aperture control ring (where available) when I’m shooting video rather than stills.

Ultimately, the Thypoch looks an attractive lens at an appealing price, and it’s refreshingly compact and lightweight, with solid build quality. It’s just not as excellent as I’d hoped, mostly because my review sample was hampered by poor autofocus accuracy.

Alternatives

Insta360 has struck back against DJI with five patent claims covering gimbals and 360 degree-cameras – this in apparent retaliation for DJI's patent lawsuit launched the same day Insta360 launched the Luna Ultra gimbal camera.

What will this actually mean. First, of course, we'll get to hear a lot of posturing from the two companies. Insta360's founder JK Liu said "At Insta360, we prefer to let our products do the talking. But we are not afraid of a legal battle when challenged."

The patents that Insta360 has asserted as its own are, according to the company, being used by DJI in a number of its major product lines, including the Osmo Pocket series (the center of the storm, of course), the Ronin/RS series of camera gimbals, the Osmo Mobile series of phone gimbals, and the Osmo 360.

Other than the Ronins, these are all product categories that Insta360 now has at least one competing product in since the June 10 launch of the Luna.

That launch was strong, with the Luna Ultra ranking as the best-selling camcorder in Amazon USA in the 24 hours after launch.

Insta360 has been clear that the Luna Ultra is not a response to DJI's product (though the similarities are evident to me as a reviewer). JK added "Development began in 2020, with earlier Insta360 products including the ONE R, Link Series webcams, and Flow Series gimbals helping shape the technology and design direction behind Luna Ultra. DJI filing lawsuits on the same day we launched Luna Ultra speaks volumes—exposing their fear of competition from a highly competitive product."

Though it may not be related, and I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions, it is interesting that the date of launch on Insta360's side was something of a surprise for those of us covering the industry – coming a little sooner than first anticipated. At the time, I thought it was because some retailers accidentally leaked it.

Crucially, the product will not be disappearing from the shelves, and nor are we expecting to see any changes in the timeline of DJI's product launch.

In many cases, new DJI products have become available through different retailers in the USA – buying the Pocket 4 in the USA is possible – before appearing on DJI's own store anyway, and the Pocket 4 is one of those, so the Pocket 4P may be one of them too.

In these cases, the demand for the products of both companies, which appears global and present now, is likely to result in a behind-the-scenes settlement even should a court decide that a patent belongs to one or other company.

Such a decision, if contested, will be some years away, and neither company will suspect product sales in the meantime. The legal solution, should the court decide it is appropriate, will be one of restitution (in other words, paying the money that was lost).

In the meantime, check our guide to the best pocket gimbal camera.

Chinese lens manufacturer has just posted that it is launching three autofocus lenses for Nikon APS-C mirrorless cameras tomorrow, June 16.

The 7artisans 25mm f/1.8, 35mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.8 are already available for Sony E and Fujifilm X mounts - but now will go on sale for use on models such as the Nikon Z50 II and the Z fc.

The trio of lenses is designed to be ultra-lightweight - hitting the scales at around 180g (6.35 ounces) each. When the crop factor is taken into account, the lenses with provide equivalent focal lengths of 37.5mm, 52.5mm and 75mm.

The prices of the new Nikon AF versions will cost the same as for existing mounts, with the individual lenses costing $125 a piece - or you can buy all three in a set for $359.

Some people might not be aware that Tamron's largest shareholder is Sony. Which, in a very roundabout way, kinda means that Sony makes lenses for rivals like Canon and Nikon. However, that could be about to change thanks to "a massive capital upheaval, perhaps the largest since the company's founding".

For years Sony has owned the biggest share in Tamron, enjoying a 15.35% slice of the company as of December. But according to a report by Digital Camera Life, the second-largest shareholder – activist hedge fund investor Effissimo Capital Management – could might have muscled its way to a majority interest.

As of December, Effissimo owned 10.76% of Tamron. However, as of April, the group has increased its ownership stake to 17.38%. So unless the electronics giant likewise bought a bigger stake in Tamron, Effissimo now owns 29,691,800 shares compared to Sony's 25,038,000.

Who is Effissimo Capital Management?

Effissimo is a Singapore-based hedge fund investment firm that has made a name for itself by strategically buying into Japanese manufacturers such as Nissan and Toshiba, the latter leading to a buyout that privatized the company.

Described by the Financial Times as "a secretive fund run by Japanese managers," Effissimo is "known for its high-profile campaigns against some of the biggest names in corporate Japan".

Often acting in the background, Star Magnolia Capital notes that "Effissimo quietly built large, economically decisive stakes in target companies and then pushed for change through behind-the-scenes engagement".

All of which suggests that its controlling interest in Tamron is not a benign investment but may signal an intention to modify the direction of the company.

What does Effissimo's move mean for Tamron (and Sony)?

So what does this all mean? Digital Camera Life has some interesting insights.

The outlet clarifies that Tamron may not necessarily welcome Effissimo's aggressive purchasing of shares, but may be using its presence "as a legitimate 'justification' for management reform" following the 2023 scandal that saw former president and CEO, Shiro Ajisaka, depart Tamron over misappropriation of company funds.

"Does Tamron want to be free from Sony? The answer is 'no.' Sony will continue to be Tamron's most important 'guardian angel' and 'biggest business partner.' There is virtually no reason for Tamron to want to separate from Sony.

Sony's firm hold of 15.35% of the shares acts as a safety valve (a white knight-like role) that prevents the company from being taken over by another company."

It posits that Tamron's recent announcement that it plans to launch more than 10 lenses per year "might be a positive response (or defense) to the pressure from these funds (demands to increase corporate value instead of letting cash sit idle)."

As such, it could actually be a positive move for all concerned – specifically in terms of accelerating the push into the Canon RF lens ecosystem.

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See how Tamron's glass ranks among the best Sony lenses, the best Canon RF lenses and the best Nikon Z lenses.

The KJ23PRO 2K is produced by BOBLOV, a well-known independent Chinese brand that has built a solid reputation when it comes to the best body cameras. This latest offering is a heavily upgraded model in their KJ product line, acting as a successor to the popular BOBLOV KJ21.

Previous models were focused on uniform wear, but the KJ23PRO 2K adopts a dual-purpose design by including a car bracket and suction mount, allowing it to seamlessly shift from a traditional wearable device to a fully functioning dashcam.

This new hybrid purpose addresses the need for continuous monitoring, making the product ideal for law enforcement, private security professionals, and outdoor workers who require a smooth transition between in-the-field recording and vehicular monitoring. That said, if you want a dedicated camera for your car or van, then one of the best dash cams will offer superior results.

The model I tested is the 2K version, although a 4K alternative is available. The huge 4000mAh internal battery is capable of 15 hours of continuous recording, which is more than enough to cover long work shifts. The KJ23PRO 2K is ultimately a solid offering in a crowded market.

BOBLOV KJ23PRO 2K: Specifications

BOBLOV KJ23PRO 2K: Price & Availability

The 128 GB model of the KJ23PRO costs a very reasonable $109 US / £99.99 / $170 AUS. Other storage options include the 256 GB model for $130 US / £129.99 / $210 AUS and the 64 GB alternative for $100 US / £79.99 / $140 AUS.

The KJ23PRO offers excellent value for money, sitting comfortably between budget-friendly and higher-end alternatives. The fact that you get 2K video with a massive 4000mAh battery that delivers up to 15 hours of continuous recording makes the device very good value for money.

That said, the lack of Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) or built-in GPS is disappointing. Alternatives to consider include the MIUFLY S2 Pro 2K which adds GPS and password protection but sacrifices video sharpness, as well as the Transcend DrivePro Body 40, which offers advanced features like Wi-Fi and superior build quality.

The bottom line is that the KJ23PRO undercuts higher-end options while offering better battery life and resolution than cheaper entry-level models.

BOBLOV KJ23PRO 2K: Build and handling

The KJ23PRO is a utilitarian, industrial-looking blocky body camera featuring an ultra-compact and lightweight footprint, making it ideal for front-line deployment. In the hand it's pretty hefty, but when mounted to clothing, its weight is hardly noticeable. At just 90 grams there won't be any sign of physical fatigue during long shifts.

The unit is constructed primarily from composite plastic and will clearly survive heavy daily wear and tear. I hit the case against my solid wooden desk, and it didn't even leave a mark. The case also features a matte, textured finish which diffuses light to reduce tactical visibility and provides a non-slip surface for reliable gripping in wet environments.

Speaking of water, the KJ23PRO boasts an IP66 weatherproofing rating, making the body highly resistant to water and dust ingress. The charging and data transfer USB-C port is also sealed to protect the inner workings of the device.

The layout of the lens, lights, buttons, and display lends itself to a straightforward user experience. The front houses the camera and is flanked by high-intensity infrared (IR) LED emitters arranged symmetrically.

On the back is an integrated 2-inch LCD screen that lacks high-end quality but is sufficient enough for reviewing footage. The display is protected by thick bezels, although it still sits flush with the case and is therefore at risk of being damaged when knocked.

All operational buttons are generously separated and provide tactile feedback so you know when they've been pressed. The record button is also colored red so it can be found quickly.

The case includes a robust, heavy-duty shoe-style mounting point that enables the body camera to be mounted to shirts, jackets, uniform pockets, and vehicle windshields or dashboards. All of these mounts are shipped with the camera. All in, it's a well-built and well-designed unit.

BOBLOV KJ23PRO 2K: Performance

Let's get straight into what matters most, the video quality. The camera tops out at 2560x1440 px, although this can be reduced if you'd like to save disk space. All resolutions record at 30 fps, so there are no slow-mo capabilities. Cycling through resolutions as well as all other settings is super straightforward thanks to the simple color menu interface.

I can only describe the quality of the video as reasonable. It's fairly clear, although quite grainy, and blacks are heavily crunched. The lens and sensor had no problems during predictable lighting conditions, although it struggled to expose faces correctly when the sky was bright.

More positively, the wide-angle lens maximises the chances of evidence being captured, and the quality of footage, even at the edges of the picture, is clear enough. The lack of image stabilization and GPS tracking is disappointing, although at this price point, their absence is unsurprising.

Unfortunately, the photo quality is almost unusable even at the highest 38 MP resolution. Photos are grainy, lacking clarity, and struggle with motion blur. The image quality is marginally better towards the centre of the picture, but even this still suffers from heavy grain.

The display is large enough and clear enough to review footage. It also works well in bright sunlight. The speaker is a little tinny, although dialog is recorded and played back with sufficient clarity.

One of the selling points of the KJ23PRO is its 15 hours of battery life (1080p resolution), which is more than enough to last an extended shift. Recharging the battery from empty to full takes four hours, which makes it possible to recharge in between shifts.

The KJ23PRO can be mounted on clothing and as a dashcam. Switching between these is simple and effortless thanks to the robust and well-engineered mounts. Spring-loaded clips are solid and dependable.

BOBLOV KJ23PRO 2K: Overall Verdict

The KJ23PRO is a rugged, budget-friendly hybrid camera that excels when it comes to versatility. It confidently fulfils a dual-purpose role, equally able to mount to clothing as it is to a windshield.

The standout feature for me is the massive 4000mAh battery, which served up around 15 hours of continuous recording, more than enough to comfortably power through an extended work shift.

The build quality is high with a composite plastic casing that is tough enough to withstand knocks. I also appreciated the IP66 weatherproofing and the matte, textured finish for extra grip in the rain.

Video quality is reasonable enough and absolutely usable for providing clear evidence of events. Unfortunately the camera struggles to capture clear images, with photos subject to heavy grain.

Ultimately, if you only plan on capturing video and can live without high-end bells and whistles, its unmatched battery life and rugged durability make it a solid choice.

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It's well worth checking our guide to the best body cameras, though if your needs tend more toward video quality than long battery life, perhaps check the best action cameras. Don't forget you might even save on your car insurance with one of the best dash cams.