As major camera brands shifted to mirrorless, Pentax has remained, perhaps a bit stubbornly, committed to the longstanding DSLR. But now, Pentax has discontinued production of every DSLR in its lineup – in order to make way for the development of “a new series of digital SLR cameras based on an entirely new concept.”

In an announcement shared on September 09, Ricoh announced that it is discontinuing production of all Pentax K-series DSLRs “in preparation for our transition to a new stage.”

The announcement reads: “Currently, we are re-examining the value of photography and developing a product that will allow more people to enjoy the act of taking pictures itself.

“It will still take some time before this product is released, but it will be a completely new concept digital SLR camera that will make full use of the assets of K-mount lenses that we have accumulated over more than half a century.”

Ricoh did not drop many hints as to what that “completely new concept digital SLR camera” will be, but made it clear that it will use the existing K-Mount lenses, will honor the SLR design and will be a digital – not film – camera.

A “completely new” concept built around the DSLR that has been around for 35 years will not be an easy task. The Pentax K-series originally launched in 2003. While the company remained committed to DSLRs as the biggest brands went mirrorless, the more recent Pentax cameras were known for sensor-shift stabilization – a design that also powered an unusual astrotracer feature.

The company’s comments also seem to hint that the upcoming DSLR will also be beginner-friendly:

“At Ricoh Imaging, we will continue to pursue the ideal style of SLR photography, and we want to deliver products that allow everyone who is interested in photography and wants to try using a camera to experience the joy of SLR photography and the wonder of photographs.”

The “joy of SLR photography” hints that Pentax’s upcoming “new concept” DSLR will likely be built heavily around the shooting experience. The idea that a camera should be fun to shoot is a growing concept amid the rise of screen-free cameras and retro camera designs. More smartphone users seem to be drawn to the idea of having a dedicated camera without the distractions of a smartphone.

While the DSLR now lags behind mirrorless technology in terms of features like resolution and subject detection autofocus, one of the DSLR’s endearing features is the optical viewfinder, rather than the mirrorless’ electronic one. The viewfinder is in the very definition of DSLR – digital single-lens reflex – as “reflex” refers to the reflex mirror that bounces the image from the lens up into the viewfinder.

With the rise of screen-free cameras and retro designs, perhaps the optical viewfinder could be poised for a comeback. But, the company is stressing that the upcoming camera will be “a completely new concept,” and new digital cameras inspired by old film cameras certainly are something that’s been done before – no matter how happy I would be to see a digital remake of the Pentax K1000.

The Ricoh brand certainly isn’t a stranger to creating a highly successful line of niche cameras. The Ricoh GR IV series of APS-C sensor compact cameras has repeatedly hit bestseller lists and sells so well that stock remains limited. But the launch was also perfectly timed amid the growing compact camera trend.

While Pentax is not the only camera maker still producing DSLRs, the brand was along in insisting that it wouldn’t move into the mirrorless space. (Or, at least, not again, as Pentax once offered the small-sensor Pentax Q mirrorless series).

Despite remaining committed to the DSLR, numbers from Japan hint that Pentax only shipped around 10,000 DSLRs last year compared to industry leader Canon’s 580,000 – a number that pales in comparison to Canon’s 2.3 million mirrorless cameras shipped.

DSLRs have been steadily declining over the last few years. In 2025, the number of DSLRs shipped out of Japan was just 11% of that of mirrorless cameras.

Pentax noted that the new concept DSLR “will take some time” and did not give an estimated arrival for the new launch.

While Pentax has now ended production of its K-series of cameras, the announcement does not include other non-DSLR cameras, like the Pentax WG-8 waterproof compact camera and the Pentax 17 half-frame film camera.

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I recently wrote about how crap cameras are being snapped up in droves by a younger audience. This appeared to confirm image quality was no longer the be-all-and-end-all when seeking a dedicated capture device, as opposed to a smartphone.

While its toughened snapshot cameras have found fans in families with children and action shooters wanting a waterproof option, Ricoh cameras have typically been more closely associated with photography specialists than generalists.

Its GR1 camera from 1996, to choose one pertinent example, was a portably lightweight 35mm film compact. Its portable size, no-nonsense design and robust magnesium alloy build, complete with 28mm f/2.8 lens, made it a favourite of street and travel photographers wanting an alternative to a bulkier SLR set up.

Image quality was the aspect that most impressed. It delivered high contrast, detail-rich results for almost a decade before its GR Digital successor arrived in 2005. That it took almost ten years to be replaced highlights just how highly photographers rated it. Ricoh only stopped servicing the GR1 in 2014.

So, it’s no surprise that the digital GR series was well received in its wake and continues to be so. Successive iterations, including even more specialised black and white capture-only spin-offs, are currently bagging multiple placings in top ten camera sales listings, edging aside the likes of Canon and Nikon.

While we’re constantly told by industry watcher CIPA that the fixed lens compact is the only camera category still growing, I can’t imagine the same youthful Gen Z audience that is snapping up cheap and cheerful point-and-shoots is routinely adding a prosumer-grade GR camera from Ricoh to their online basket.

Instead, I’m encouraged and believe there’s still a large enough number of true photography enthusiasts wanting something portably compact, which doesn’t compromise on image quality, to propel Ricoh GR cameras to the top of the best seller lists.

What was once considered niche or specialist, has, in a shrinking market, risen to the top. Or something near it. Japan’s financial institution Nikkei recently reported Ricoh had boosted its camera market share from 0.8% to 2.1%, with its 210,000-unit sales triple that of the previous year.

The GR series’ unassumingly boxy design and serious all-black finish may not be as flashy as the Fujifilm X100IV, but for street photography, it’s the more sensible option.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of Ricoh’s recently teased 40mm f/2.8 GR IVx compact, promising a 25.74MP APS-C sized sensor, when it arrives at the back end of this year. Such spec will tempt photographers looking for something with a viewpoint sufficiently close to human vision for street photography. As well as highlighting that not all digital compacts need to be plastic-y, low-res toys to find favour in challenging times.

Ricoh also gives credence to the belief that sometimes by specialising, rather than attempting to be all things to all men, you can generate just as much, if not more, success.

The popular retro Olympus PEN series is entering its OM System era. The OM System PEN is a compact mirrorless camera mixing the PEN legacy with simple controls and a design that’s small enough – and durable enough – to want to carry every day.

The OM System PEN, announced on September 09, carries the same unstacked 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds sensor and TruPic IX image processor as cameras like the OM-5 Mark II, but revives the longtime favorite PEN series with its retro, rangefinder-inspired design and yet sits on the more affordable end of OM System’s lineup.

Take a look at a guided tour of the camera:

The PEN has an unusual mix of stabilization and weather-sealing for the price

Price-wise, the PEN slots in between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV and the OM System OM-5 Mark II, making the new camera one of the brand’s most affordable options, second only to the last remaining camera to carry the Olympus name.

Priced at $999 / £849 / AU$1,499, the OM System PEN brings two features that are difficult to find in this price bracket of mirrorless category: weather-sealing and in-body image stabilization.

The OM System PEN isn’t just weather-sealed but rated as IPX1 splashproof. That rating isn’t as robust as the IP53 rating for most of OM System’s higher-priced cameras, but weather-sealing is rare among budget-priced cameras and rarer still to come with an official IP rating. The IPX1 rating means the camera is rated to withstand rain (but not water spraying from every direction), while the X means that the camera wasn’t tested for dust resistance.

The OM System PEN also houses a stabilization system rated for 5.5 stops.

Weather-sealing and stabilization are arguably the two biggest features that OM System is known for, as the camera brand has positioned itself as an outdoor camera brand in the wake of the split from Olympus. With the launch of the PEN, even the cheapest mirrorless camera that carries the OM System name has those two features.

Finding both stabilization and weather-sealing in a mirrorless camera under $1,000 is hard to do without picking up an older or used model – though not impossible. The similarly priced Nikon Z50 II is weather-sealed but doesn’t have IBIS. Canon’s cheapest mirrorless with both weather-sealing and IBIS is the EOS R7 ($1,499 / £1,349 / AU$1,799); Sony’s is the A6600 ($1,399 / £1,450 / discontinued in AU), and Fujifilm doesn’t get to both features until the X-T5 ($1,699 / £1,399 / AU$2,699).

The biggest competition to the PEN for bringing both stabilization and weather-sealing is fellow Micro Four Thirds camera maker Panasonic, which offers five-axis sensor-shift stabilization with splash and dust seals on the Lumix G97 at about $850 / £899 / AU$1,499 with a lens.

The OM System PEN is the first in the PEN series to include weather-sealing, a move that makes a lot of sense for what the camera is meant for. OM System is targeting this camera both towards beginners and photographers looking for an everyday carry camera – and it’s hard to carry a camera every day if that camera can’t withstand a little rain.

The OM System PEN still maintains a gap between the brand’s next camera up in the lineup – the OM-5 Mark II – however. The OM-5 Mark II has better IP53 weather-sealing and up to 7.5 stops of stabilization, but also faster performance at 10 fps with a mechanical shutter to the PEN’s 6 fps. The PEN’s electronic shutter can also reach 30fps, but focus is fixed on the first frame.

Both the PEN and OM-5 Mark II share a 121-point autofocus system, though the PEN also has pet and human eye subject detection (albeit in stills only).

The OM System PEN keeps a retro but easy-to-use design

Like earlier PEN cameras, the newest addition to the series uses a viewfinder that’s placed off in the corner, rangefinder-style rather than the SLR-style centered placement. While the camera favors a retro design, the dials and controls are geared more towards simplicity and usability, featuring a more traditional mode dial. OM System describes it as “a timeless design for the joy of photography.”

But, like earlier digital PEN cameras, the 2026 PEN still has a dedicated control dial for creative control to easily switch between different color or monochrome looks. The PEN has the same color profiles as the OM-3, including the ability to customize different looks, but OM System is also launching an update to the OI.Share app that allows tweaking color recipes in the app and uploading to the camera – including creating new recipes based on an inspiration photo.

The PEN’s touchscreen is tilt-capable and includes a selfie mode that triggers shots with the touchscreen when flipped forward.

Alongside weather-sealing and stabilization, computational photography remains a big push for OM System, and the PEN features a dial just for those modes as well, including high-res mode, live NDs, and focus stacking. Additional modes, such as multiple exposures, are available inside the camera’s menu.

The OM System PEN is more geared towards stills, but the camera does offer 4K shooting, both vertical and horizontal videos, and the wider dynamic range modes OM-Cinema1 and OM-Cinema2, along with supporting the same creative controls for stills for shooting video.

The Olympus PEN series has long been a favorite among retro camera fans, spanning both the original film camera in 1959 to modern digital options like the 2016 Olympus PEN-F. The OM System PEN aims to pay homage to that inspiration as a camera that’s beginner-friendly, but that more serious photographers may want to reach for as a compact, everyday carry camera – and the weather-sealing and stabilization mixed with the retro design will go a long way towards those goals.

The weather-sealing makes the new OM System PEN slightly thicker than the PEN F, but the mirrorless still comes in at a compact 43.4mm depth and a lightweight 393g – including a new battery that’s rated to 410 shots.

The OM System PEN is expected to begin shipping in late October in the US, or late September / early October in Europe, along with the newly announced kit lens, the M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III.

Pre-orders have already opened at several retailers. The camera, available in black or silver, retails for $999 / £850 / AU$1,499.99 / CA$1,399 body only, or $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,799.99 / CA$1,549 with the kit lens. In North America, the camera will also be offered in a two-lens kit for $1,299 / CA$1,799 with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses.

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In my heart of hearts, I knew that the OM System PEN wasn't going to be a named successor to the Olympus PEN-F. But while it doesn't carry the "F", this new PEN is absolutely a spiritual successor to the PEN-F. And in every way possible – perhaps including its looks – it's a better camera.

I know that OM System can be a tough sell for some people, so let's quickly take an objective look at what the OM System PEN offers for the price.

For just $999 / £849 you get a camera that's weather-sealed, has in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and an electronic viewfinder (EVF), is loaded with pro features like 30fps Pro Capture, has computational photography tools like simulated ND filters (Live ND) and 80MP High Res Shot, has algorithmic autofocus (including astrophotography) and packs a stack of film-inspired picture profiles.

On top of all that, the OM System PEN is one of the best-looking retro cameras on the market. Seriously, aside from a sensor size prejudice, what's not to like about it?

Okay, there are a couple of things – like the 8-bit video, though honestly this is a stills-first camera to its core – but overall this is a frankly obscene amount of firepower in a camera that's sublimely small and effortlessly cool.

Take a look at my quick guided tour of the camera:

OM System PEN: Specifications

OM System PEN: Price & availability

The OM System PEN will be available in both silver and black in late September / early October with a price tag of $999 / £849 / AU$1,499 body only.

It will also be available in a bundle with the new, weather-sealed OM System M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III kit lens (a 28-84mm equivalent) for $1,099 / £949 / AU$1,799.

In the US and Australia, a double-lens kit that adds the M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 R lens (80-300mm equivalent) will also be available for $1,299 / AU$2,099.

For reference, Fujifilm's cheapest body with weather sealing, IBIS and an EVF is the Fujifilm X-T5 at $1,999 / £1,699, while Canon's cheapest is the Canon EOS R7 at $1,649 / £1,449. (Call me churlish, but I'm discounting the Panasonic Lumix G97 due to its primitive contrast-based AF system.)

OM System PEN: Build & handling

The OM System PEN is almost identical in size to the PEN-F, with handling that's very familiar all-round – from the rangefinder-like positioning of the EVF on the left shoulder to the presence of the Profile Control switch on the front.

While it doesn't boast the same premium heft and construction as the PEN-F (as in, don't expect a single block of milled aluminum), in the hand it drives much as the F did – only this time you have the benefit of IPX1-certified weather sealing and operation in environments from 32°F / 0° to 104°F / 40°C.

Another big upgrade from the PEN-F is the presence of a dedicated memory card door on the side of the body – rather than stowing the card in the battery compartment, which these days is a mark of entry-level cameras.

Another upgrade for many, and something that has been adopted from the Olympus PEN E-P7 (a brilliant 2021 camera that was only released in Europe), is the repositioning of the power switch to the right-hand side of the top plate.

This makes it possible to turn on and operate the camera one-handed, for quickfire street shooting – or, as my friend Emily from Micro Four Nerds calls it – "Festival Mode". I personally never use a camera this way, but I know how important it is for a lot of photographers.

Also making its way across from the E-P7 is the aforementioned Profile Control switch, rather than the full Creative Dial from the PEN-F.

This is a simple flip switch that enables you to access the picture profiles menu while shooting, giving you access to the Color and Mono profiles, along with Color Profile Control and general recipe settings. (The Creative Dial offered dedicated positions for Color, Mono, Art (Filters) and CRT – the Color Creator / Profile menu.)

The battery compartment at the bottom contains a brand new battery design for OM, the squat (almost square) BLS-7. CIPA rates the battery as good for 410 shots (or 80-130 minutes of video), but I've got well over 600 shots out of a battery before recharging.

OM System PEN: Performance

The OM System PEN embodies everything that I've always loved about the PEN family, dating all the way back to the original E-P1 in 2009 (which was Olympus' first ever mirrorless camera).

It's a quick, nimble camera with agile autofocus that enables you to react instantly to the world around you. Paired with the compact new M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III kit lens, it's a weather-sealed and near-pocketable marvel – making this a truly take-anywhere, shoot anything, whatever the weather setup.

True to the PEN ethos, "as simple as pen and paper", this camera can be used as a straight-up point-and-shoot; stick it in auto or semi-auto and it's a fire-and-forget snapper that gives you great results. But the more you investigate the many magic tricks up its sleeves, the more you realize what a creative powerhouse this thing really is.

Like Fujifilm cameras, the OM System PEN is loaded with film-inspired picture profiles and a slew of Art Filters. So, if you want to level up your images, you can enable a profile or filter and effectively "pre-produce" your image – giving you gorgeous JPEGs, straight out of camera, with no need to tinker in post production.

Want to jazz things up even more? You can fine-tune these profiles or dive into the Color Creator to customize the presets or make your own photo recipes.

You can even upload and share these using the OI.Share app (which, for my money, is the best companion camera app on the market if for no other reason that it actually works – and is brilliant for transferring files and remote shooting).

Want to get even more creative? Use the CP button to unlock a suite of computational photography features, including Live ND – a software-powered set of neutral density filters, enabling you to shoot long-exposure movement shots without the need for physical lens filters.

Or how about High Res Shot mode, which enables you to capture 80MP RAW images for those moments when you want hyper texture and detail – but without being bogged down by the everyday bulk of a medium format camera.

Experiment with in-camera focus stacking, shoot a spot of astrophotography with Starry Sky Autofocus, try light painting with Live Composite, shoot fast action like a professional with 30fps Pro Capture (which records the 12 frames before you fully press the shutter, so you never miss the magic moment)…

There is so much creative potential packed into the OM System PEN that you will become a more versatile and more adventurous photographer almost by osmosis.

But there are, of course, some limitations. The biggest one, as is ever the case with OM System and Olympus cameras, is the resolution; while Panasonic has graduated to 25MP sensors, OM is still using trusty 20MP affairs (for reference, this is the same one found in the OM-5 Mark II).

Personally, this makes no odds to me. As I've said before, ad nauseum, this is more than enough resolution for anything shy of larger physical prints; I have magazine covers and double-page spreads shot on 20MP and even 16MP OM / Olympus sensors. And if you do need the extra pixels for printing, High Res Shot gives you 80 million of them.

Really, though, the biggest limitation comes in terms of video; given that this camera uses the OM-5 Mark II sensor, you can only shoot 8-bit video. And while the OM System PEN adds the subject detection AF (for humans and animals) that was sorely missing from the OM-5, it only works for stills – not video.

In short, this isn't a vlogging camera; it's a pretty pure photography camera. If you want to shoot a bit of video for social media, or you need to snag a bit of B-roll, it's ideal – but moving pictures are absolutely secondary to still images. But make no mistake, those still images are stunning.

OM System PEN: Sample images

OM System PEN: Lab tests

While we've put the OM System PEN through our battery of lab tests, we are currently unable to process the results (until we can adequately de-crunch OM's newest RAW format).

I will update this review as soon as we've completed the lab analysis.

Until then, given that it uses the same sensor, you can probably expect the same ballpark performance as the OM System OM-5 Mark II's lab results.

OM System PEN: Verdict

I've been waiting half a decade for this camera; it's the first new member of the PEN family since the E-P7 launched way back in 2021 (which, incidentally, was also the first camera released after OM System splintered off from Olympus).

Some will opine that the OM System PEN isn't a PEN-F II. And I hear that, because few people wanted a PEN-F II more than me. But I'll be absolutely honest – this camera pretty much is a PEN-F II in everything but name.

The image quality is better. The stabilization is better. The autofocus is leagues better. The video, while limited, is also way better. It's IPX1 weather-sealed. And it's stuffed to the gills with clever computational features.

Heck, it's arguably better looking, too – though I'm sure plenty of people will pick a fight with me over that one.

Truthfully? There is now precisely zero reason for me to pick up my PEN-F. This new PEN does everything the F could, just bigger, better, more.

In terms of function, this camera feels a lot like the OM-5 Mark II – though I'd argue that the PEN is actually better thanks to the addition of the Profile Control switch and especially subject detection autofocus (which was the only real weakness of the OM-5, though it does boasts slightly better sealing).

However, as much as I'm inclined to compare it to other OM offerings, my biggest takeaway is actually how the OM System PEN compares to the Panasonic Lumix L10. And I should preface this by saying that I love shooting with the L10.

But the PEN is smaller and lighter. It's weather-sealed. It has IBIS. It's got dual exposure dials. In other words, it ticks all the boxes that the L10 missed – and of course, you can also change the lenses. Sure, the L10 absolutely annihilates it for video, but let's be real – nobody is buying the Lumix primarily for video, and the same is true of the PEN.

I would argue that anyone considering the L10 would be better off (quite literally, where cash is concerned) opting for the PEN. Not only does it offer acres more creative capacity, you'll also struggle to outgrow it – unlike the Lumix, which will leave you wanting the moment you fancy trying macro or telephoto photography.

The OM System PEN is the best bang-for-buck body on the market (not to mention one of, if not the, best-looking) and without a doubt the best everyday carry camera available for photography purists.

It’s like I always say: “You can’t put a good full-frame DSLR down!” Despite mirrorless cameras dominating the interchangeable-lens market, people are still buying up full-frame DSLR cameras. And while many have disappeared from the shelves of official retailers completely, a select few stalwarts are still available to buy new.

And it’s not hard to see why. The best DSLR cameras are reliable and of high quality, and in the case of Canon and Nikon especially, they open you up to a veritable smorgasbord of used lenses that you can pick up for some very low prices indeed. If you’re a photographer on a budget looking for a decent lens platform, a full-frame DSLR may still be the way to go.

It’s true that a lot of DSLR tech now lags behind mirrorless offerings, such as burst speeds, autofocus and video, but provided you’re happy with the resolution, image quality has remained largely unchanged, and plenty of full-frame DSLRs boast premium pro-grade features such as extensive weather sealing and optional battery grips.

Personally, if you’re working on a budget and want to pick up a full-frame DSLR, my recommendation would be to visit a reputable used retailer such as KEH (US), MPB (US/UK) or LCE (UK). That’s because even very good condition used DSLRs tend to be a lot cheaper than new retail prices.

What full-frame DSLRs can you buy new?

I decided to look at US retailer B&H Photo and UK retailer Wex Photo Video to find out what full-frame DSLRs are still available to buy new, and I was surprised by the choice.

Even though some of the models, such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Nikon D750, have been officially discontinued, stock is still lingering on shelves in some cases. My own personal favorite DSLR of all time is the Nikon D850, a camera I used to own and in my mind – and in the mind of many others – one of the greatest cameras ever made.

Ultimately, we really are in the twilight years of the DSLR. As it stands, Pentax remains the last bastion of modern DSLR development, with both Canon and Nikon having quietly shelved DSLR development in favor of a mirrorless future. Still, if you’re a stills photographer first and foremost and don’t need all of the cutting-edge tech, you could do a lot worse than a full-frame DSLR and a good set of compatible lenses.

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APS-C vs full-frame is a tale as old as time, and as a photography journalist, I’m definitely guilty of stoking the flames. But recently, I watched a YouTube video from a fantastic creator called Cam Mackey, and he simplified the whole debate into two words that have stuck in my mind ever since: “different looks”.

On a shoot where he was comparing the Leica M11 and Fujifilm X100VI, he talked about the different formats. Granted, he did acknowledge that there’s a big difference between the two, stating: “people out there that say: “Oh, full-frame vs crop sensor, it doesn’t matter,”” agreeing that in some cases it doesn’t, before continuing, “But those same people will also say: “Oh, medium format’s superior to full-frame””.

And as a predominantly full-frame photographer, I’ve definitely heard that argument time and again. But here’s the real thing I took away from the video: “So, you definitely get different looks, and you get different image quality, and you get a whole different feel from each sensor size.”

I absolutely love this sentiment. It’s such a simple way to think about sensor size, but creatively, it’s a healthier way than simply dismissing one or the other as better or worse. After all, they do supply you with different looks and different advantages. That’s why different sensor sizes exist – variety is the spice of life!

APS-C vs full-frame

The biggest difference between an APS-C image and a full-frame image is the crop factor. If both images are shot with the same lens, in the same position, with the same exposure settings, the APS-C image will appear zoomed in. If you cropped the full-frame image down to the exact composition of the APS-C image, it will look identical.

A big difference you usually hear people talk about is that full-frame cameras will give you a shallower depth of field and APS-C cameras will compress the image. But technically, an APS-C camera doesn’t produce a larger depth of field, nor does it produce more compression. The perceived difference is simply due to the crop factor.

Use the same lens on both bodies, and you’ll have to get closer to the subject with the full-frame camera, producing a shallower depth of field. And due to the cropped field of view on the APS-C camera, the image might look more compressed at a glance, but if you cropped a full-frame version of that image to the size of the APS-C image, the compression would look identical.

Another point that I often think about is that a lot of full-frame photographers heavily crop their images. But if you know a photographer uses a full-frame camera, you never question it. Ultimately, there’s no doubting that there’s a different quality to a medium format image, a full-frame image, and a crop-sensor image, but at the end of the day, there are way too many variables to simply crown one better than the other. It’s kind of like ranking the greatest bands of all time: everyone has a different taste in music, even if it's definitely Queen. I digress...

Different cameras for different purposes

There’s a reason why so many photographers end up having multiple cameras with multiple sensor sizes, and that’s because they’re different tools that excel at different applications. A lot of street photographers favor crop-sensor cameras, and a lot of professional portrait photographers favor medium format or full-frame cameras.

In recent years, APS-C has become more and more popular. A lot of this is down to Fujifilm’s excellent selection of X-series cameras. APS-C is also the choice of format for a lot of very popular Instagram photographers, especially those who capture street or travel photography.

So, if you’re choosing between an APS-C and full-frame camera or feel you need to ‘upgrade’ to a full-frame camera, think to yourself: you can still capture incredible imagery on both. At the end of the day, you’re getting “different looks”.

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Nikon silly season is beginning to heat up. As we head into the final third of 2026, the ‘Big N’ has only released two lenses, plus a development announcement for the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S. And with a history of releases in September, October and November, the anticipation is high. So, when Nikon Rumors posts about an “exclusive product presentation” from Nikon UK on September 25 at Grays of Westminster, it’s hard not to get a little bit excited about potential camera rumors.

The event, hosted by Nikon and RED creative, Bruno Murari, is even more curious given that no products are mentioned in the event schedule. What will be on show is simply referred to as “product highlights” or “the products,” which Nikon Rumors has described as "a bit strange" and "cryptic," and I have to agree; it does sound a little coy.

A string of rumors

All of this comes off the back of another Nikon Rumors post that I reported on last week. An Internet sleuth noticed gaps in the schedules of various Nikon Ambassadors, with a series of Nikon events to follow later in September, and theorized that this could point towards a possible product release. Complete conjecture, of course. It wasn’t all that long ago that Nikon Rumors reported on “almost everything” being supposedly delayed until next year, so at this point it’s anyone’s guess.

A release could happen, but it’s far from certain

I keep coming back to the same conclusion: it’s certainly the time of year for a big release, so nothing is beyond the pale. But if the rest of the year is anything to go by, not to mention some less-than-stellar financial results and ongoing market turmoil due to various factors, including Trump tariffs and component shortages. Suffice to say, I’m cautiously optimistic about a major Nikon release this year but heavily tempering my expectations.

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The big three camera market leaders are Canon, Nikon, and Sony. Now, fresh sales numbers from major Japanese retailer Kitamura are in, and one global player accounts for 50% of the Top 10 best-selling cameras in August 2026, while one brand is nowhere to be found.

According to Kitamura, Sony takes 5 out of the Top 10 spots. Nikon didn't make the ranking with a single camera.

At No.1 sits the Sony A7C II, "recommended for users who want to carry a full-frame camera with them at all times and don't want to compromise on performance," as Kitamura explains. Right behind is Sony's A6700 in No.2, followed by the A7 IV. Sony's latest full-frame release, the A7 V, takes No.6 and the ZV-E10 II comes ninth.

Canon has two models: the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and Canon EOS R6 Mark III, placed fourth and tenth.

OM System and Fujifilm fill the remaining three spots in the sales ranking. The OM System OM-5 Mark II 12-45mm f/4 Pro Lens Kit comes fifth; the OM System OM-1 Mark II is seventh, and the Fujifilm X-M5 XC15-45mm Lens Kit is eighth.

Kitamura's 10 best-selling cameras, August 2026

1. Sony A7C II
2. Sony A6700 High-Magnification Zoom Lens Kit
3. Sony A7 IV Zoom Lens Kit
4. Canon EOS R6 Mark II
5. OM System OM-5 Mark II 12-45mm f/4 Pro Lens Kit
6. Sony A7 V
7. OM System OM-1 Mark II
8. Fujifilm X-M5 XC15-45mm Lens Kit
9. Sony ZV-E10 II Power Zoom Lens Kit
10. Canon EOS R6 Mark III

Sony's chart-topping cameras

No.1 Sony A7C II
Kitamura says, "The successor to the A7C, which debuted as the world's smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless camera. Packed with the latest features into a compact body, it delivers performance that exceeds its appearance."

No.2 Sony A6700
"This kit includes the A6700 camera and the high-magnification zoom lens "E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS".

"Despite its compact size, this lens can zoom up to the equivalent of 202.5mm, allowing you to shoot a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, snapshots, flowers, animals, and sports, all with just this one lens," explains Kitamura.

No. 3 Sony A7 IV
Kitamura says, "This camera is Sony's most standard full-frame mirrorless camera. With high-precision real-time tracking, it keeps track of your subject, ensuring you never miss a moment for both still images and videos."

No.6 Sony A7 V
"The A7 series has finally reached its 5th generation.

"By adopting a newly integrated partial-stacked sensor and the next-generation image processing engine "BIONZ XR2," it achieves highly accurate AI subject recognition and blackout-free continuous shooting at up to approximately 30 frames per second.

"It is a high-performance camera that is hard to believe is a basic model," explains Kitamura"

No.9 Sony ZV-E10 II
Kitamura says, "This is the successor to the ZV-E10, which has gained popularity as a video camera for shooting vlogs and YouTube videos.

"It features the same BIONZ XR image processing engine as higher-end models, resulting in improved video capabilities and autofocus performance. It's a recommended camera for anyone who wants to shoot cinematic videos."

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Spypoint's Flex-S-Dark isn't the only trail camera on the market to combine a cellular connection and a solar panel built into the case, though the brand was certainly an early pioneer of the design.

And it makes sense – the appeal of the best cellular trail cameras is being able to leave them in a remote location and have clips and images sent to your phone from afar. But that's no good if your batteries keep dying, so a solar panel is there to top up the power – again to stop you having to keep checking and maintaining the camera.

The Flex-S-Dark is the successor to the original Flex-S, and keeps the core chassis, dual-SIM cellular connectivity and built-in solar tech of the original model – but upgrades the unit by adding invisible No-Glow LEDs for nighttime shots and the ability to trigger the camera on-demand from the app, rather than waiting for the next scheduled sync interval.

These improvements make it a real all-rounder, and the Flex-S-Dark sits at the top of Spypoint's flagship trail cam lineup. Its specs also position it at the premium end of the cellular market: 40MP stills, FullHD video with sound and a fast 0.3-second trigger speed.

To me, its main selling point is total hands-off maintenance. The solar panel (in theory) feeds an internal lithium battery to power the camera indefinitely without blowing through batteries, while a pre-installed SIM automatically latches onto whichever mobile network signal is strongest in your local area.

Still, it faces stiff competition from the recently reviewed Browning Defender Pro Scout Max Solar (46MP stills and smoother 30fps FullHD video) and the Tactacam Reveal SK (with a slower 0.5s trigger speed). But while Browning relies on a separate solar panel unit wired to the camera, Spypoint is pitching the Flex-S-Dark as a cable-free, cellular option.

But does it really offer a seamless solar setup and smartphone integration? And is that enough to offset the trade-offs in image specs?

As is usual for my trail camera reviews, I left the Flex-S-Dark camped out in a local UK woodland for several weeks to see how it fared capturing the badgers, foxes, deer and squirrels of the habitat – night and day.

Spypoint Flex-S-Dark: Specifications

Spypoint Flex-S-Dark: Price

The Spypoint Flex-S-Dark is near the top of the cellular trail cam market at about $190 / £220 / AU$550, depending on where and when you shop.

For that higher initial investment, you get a combination that fewer rivals can match: an integrated solar panel with a built-in rechargeable lithium battery and invisible, customizable no-glow dark LEDs.

The closest direct competitors are the Tactacam Reveal X-Pro and the Browning Defender Pro Scout Max Solar (a camera I tried and liked).

Browning’s solar setup offers a higher native image resolution, but comes with a much stricter, cap-heavy video transmission plan (something I really didn’t like). The Tactacam offers reliable cellular connectivity for slightly less money upfront, but lacks an integrated solar panel out of the box.

Some competitors require you to buy solar add-ons separately, but the built-in panel here handles daily charging automatically.

Spypoint also offers a free 100-photo per month plan, which I think makes ongoing costs more optional rather than mandatory if you have fewer triggers. Paid plans scale to $15 / £10 per month for unlimited photos (videos aren't mentioned), which is cheaper than rival Browning.

Spypoint Flex-S-Dark: Design & Handling

Older cellular trail cameras sometimes added bulk and size to house their radios, but the Spypoint Flex-S-Dark has a relatively compact footprint.

The main camera body actually sits slightly lower on a tree trunk than non-cellular units like the Bushnell Core S-4K, though its screw-on antenna at the side adds some extra vertical clearance (and is best removed when the camera is travelling to its location in your bag).

As trail cameras spend most of their lives strapped to trees and posts, not living in a camera bag, I don’t think a few extra grams or centimeters will bother most buyers – and the Flex-S-Dark is still low-profile and easy to tuck into cover.

The unit is clad in a utilitarian matte gray casing, a stark change to the traditional patterned camo print on many trail cams. Obviously, users aren’t all going to be using it in the same location as me.

Still, I found it far more noticeable to a passerby skirting the woodland footpath than other camo-printed models like the Browning Strike Force HD Pro X1080 – and that made me nervous to leave it alone.

To me, the unit feels reassuringly solid for life outside – and it doesn’t have any brittle plastics or rattly latches that I often notice on budget alternatives.

The defining physical feature is its roof-integrated solar panel. Unlike the Browning Defender Pro Scout Max Solar, which has a separate solar panel and runs a trailing wire up a trunk, the Flex-S-Dark builds the solar array into a top sloping face of the camera body.

It’s a clean, wire-free design that eliminates dangling cables that squirrels or weather could damage. You can also drop a tray of eight AA batteries or an optional LIT-22 lithium pack into the bottom compartment as a secondary backup, and this too feels solid.

There’s no button to eject the battery compartment, so it’s a case of yanking it out and back in again – a less smooth and satisfying experience. At the back of the cam, you’ll find a rubber-sealed 12V DC external power jack.

A flexible cellular antenna screw securely onto the side of the unit, and can be rotated and angled through 360° rather than being fixed in place. I found this flexibility practical in the field, allowing me to adjust its angle so it didn't get snagged on nearby branches.

Opening the heavy-duty latch reveals a departure from many traditional trail cam control panels. There’s no LCD screen for framing shots or navigating menus, which helps with keeping the overall size down.

Spypoint has stripped the layout down to a bare-bones interface: a power switch, a battery level indicator, a network signal meter, a format button for the microSD card and a physical Test button.

This minimalist layout meant I could prep in the field is thus: turn it on, wait for the LED bars to confirm cellular connection and format the card. But as ever, not having a screen means mounting the camera is a bit of a guessing game.

To check if the lens is pointed where you want it, you have to hit the Test button, wait for the photo to transmit to the Spypoint app on your phone, check the image and adjust the strap accordingly.

It’s not too much of a hassle during initial setup, as long as you have the Spypoint app set up and don’t leave it until you’re standing out in the rain like me. Once the camera is anchored with the included nylon strap (and excellent clamp), the unit does feel locked down and ready for long-term deployment.

Spypoint Flex-S-Dark: Performance

ABOVE: Sample clips from the Spypoint Flex-S-Dark trail camera

After woodland-testing the Spypoint Flex-S-Dark for several weeks, I’m left feeling both impressed and disappointed. The camera is mostly a reliable, well-connected scouting unit, but its video and stills performance fell short of my expectations.

The dual-SIM connectivity is the camera’s strongest asset. When I deployed it in a mixed woodland, I simply added it to the Spypoint app by adding in a serial code, and it picked up local UK networks without fuss.

The camera will automatically lock onto the strongest available signal without requiring manual configuration and let you know the status of the signal in the app.

There’s built-in GPS, too, which can plot exact camera placements onto an in-app map to help you keep track of camera deployments. Not something I needed, but I can imagine this being very helpful on larger estates and areas of land.

The headline roof-integrated solar panel needs some realistic expectations. When I had it mounted in my open garden with direct summer sunlight, the solar roof kept the internal battery sitting at 100% indefinitely.

Once it was tucked under woodland trees and a few days of overcast weather, the panel generated more than a trickle charge, but the battery status was still listed as High (and showing as full) after a week or so.

Being a cellular trail camera, the Flex-S-Dark required navigating via the Spypoint app.

This offers a really smooth and neat experience, with clear dropdown menus that make it simple to adjust sensor sensitivity, toggle capture modes, or even build weekly operational schedules to pause triggers during high-traffic human hours.

I liked being able to check the remote status tab of the camera from the app’s main screen; it instantly reports on signal strength, storage and levels for the internal solar battery and the backup AA tray.

What’s less pleasing is that setting changes made on your phone don't apply instantly, and updates are applied during the camera's next scheduled cellular transmission cycle.

Spypoint advertises a rapid 0.3-second trigger speed, a metric that applies to still photos. When set to record video, I felt like the camera suffers from a wake-up delay.

In several of my test videos, animals crossing the detection zone were already mostly out of the frame by the time the recording started – noticeably different to the Browning that caught subjects squarely in the center.

The Flex-S-Dark may well boast 40MP photo resolution and 1080p video capture, but like many trail cams, I think these numbers feel (and look) artificially inflated by sensor interpolation and heavy digital processing.

On captures where the woodland was in bright daylight, the scene suffered from highlight clipping and sunlit leaves becoming blown-out. And in flatter, evening light, the color saturation dropped off, giving mid-tones an unnatural yellow-green tint.

In the video footage, which I set to the maximum setting, artefacts are visible in the moving background vegetation, and the low 15fps frame rate created some motion smearing.

The Flex-S-Dark offers you the choice of two flash options: No-Glow for total stealth or Low-Glow, which can be detected but generally ranges further. Using the invisible No-Glow IR array, I was able to capture a foraging muntjac calm and unaware.

However, here the IR beam has a narrow hotspot in the center, rendering nearby foreground brambles as harsh, blown-out highlights. Subjects looked a bit soft and hazy unless they passed directly through the central sweet spot of the frame.

I don't think anyone would buy a trail camera for award-winning picture quality, but I was still left unsatisfied with the hit rate of my triggers – how often animals were blurred, cut off or hard to identify.

Spypoint Flex-S-Dark: Verdict

The Spypoint Flex-S-Dark definitely delivers on the promise of the best cellular trail cameras: easy, long-term deployment.

Its roof-integrated solar panel means no wires or cables to consider, and the multi-carrier connectivity and an intuitive companion app make remote monitoring simple. What takes the model further than competitors is also having those invisible No-Glow IR LEDs (or Low-Glow if you want them) and on-demand app triggers.

But while all this convenience is fantastic, I’m still underwhelmed by the overall image quality. My daylight captures often looked overexposed (where other cameras have handled the same high-contrast woodland scene well) and heavily processed.

And despite the unit's undetectable night flash, uneven illumination created some bright central hotspots that left surrounding areas hazy and prone to motion blur. Fast-moving subjects occasionally slipped past the frame, too.

I thought the camera's app was great – streamlined, responsive and easy to use. It also incorporates Spypoint's Buck Tracker AI species recognition, a feature that automatically scans and tags photos as they arrive.

North American users might appreciate the free antler-detection filter for quickly sorting deer; however, UK wildlife enthusiasts (like myself) will need a paid Insiders Club subscription to unlock tags for other animals or human activity filters.

If your priority is pure set-and-forget utility with long battery and simple app management, the Flex-S-Dark is a highly practical choice.

But for wildlife enthusiasts who want tack-sharp stills good enough to identify individual animals, fluid video clips, or wide dynamic range may find the overall image output underwhelming compared to class rivals.

Alternatives

Check out our full guides to the best trail cameras, and also the best cellular trail cameras

The DSLR market may be dying, but Canon seems to be the camera’s life support right now. While the company has already moved decisively toward mirrorless cameras, new industry figures reveal that it’s still producing DSLRs in surprisingly large numbers.

According to data from market research firm Techno System Research (TSR), published in Toyo Keizai's Company Shikiho Industry Map 2027, Canon produced approximately 580,000 DSLRs in 2025.

That dwarfed production by the other two active DSLR manufacturers, Nikon (which produced 60,000) and Pentax (which produced just 10,000).

Overall, Canon’s figure represented almost 90% of the 650,000 DSLRs produced by the manufacturing triumvirate combined, despite the company's DSLR lineup having shrunk drastically in recent years.

In 2021, the company announced that it would no longer develop new DSLR models – and the only models remaining on sale are the flagship Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, mid-level EOS 5D Mark IV and entry-level Canon EOS Rebel T7 / 2000D.

While Canon recently confirmed the discontinuation of the EOS 5D Mark IV – after the recent TSR data was collated – it’s unclear whether it will stop production of new EOS-1D X Mark III and EOS Rebel T7 / 2000D units any time soon.

After all, Go Tokura, Canon's executive vice president, confirmed to our editor-in-chief, James Artaius, at CP+ earlier this year that the company is continuing mass production of DSLRs while sales remain strong.

However, Canon’s 580,000 figure also represents a substantial decline from the previous year. TSR data puts Canon’s 2024 DSLR production at approximately 790,000 units, a 27% year-on-year fall.

Nevertheless, Canon's continued output demonstrates that the DSLR market has not disappeared entirely – and that there is apparently still enough demand for it to keep production lines running despite its near-total focus on mirrorless development.

TSR's figures are production estimates rather than retail sales or shipments. The company's Digital Still Camera Production Statistics research is published quarterly and tracks camera production by manufacturer and camera type.

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The Leica M11 might be gone, but I don’t think it will be forgotten anytime soon. In fact, I would argue that the original Leica M11 will eventually be remembered as one of the most important digital M cameras Leica has ever made.

Not necessarily because it reinvented the rangefinder, but because it appeared to be the camera that convinced a much wider generation of photographers to finally take the plunge. For many people watching from the sidelines, the M11 became the camera that started their Leica journey.

When Leica launched the M11 in 2022, it also made a very deliberate attempt to show that an M camera could compete technologically with the best full-frame cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon.

At its heart was a new 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, giving photographers the sort of headline resolution normally associated with some of the most technically advanced mirrorless cameras on the market.

Yet Leica being Leica, it did things slightly differently. Its Triple Resolution Technology enabled you to shoot at 60MP, 36MP or 18MP while still using the entire sensor area – meaning you could have maximum detail when you wanted it, without being forced to deal with enormous files every single time you pressed the shutter.

That might sound relatively ordinary today, particularly as the same technology has continued throughout the wider M11 family, but at launch it helped change the perception of what a modern Leica M could be.

This was still the beautifully simple, manually focused rangefinder that photographers had loved for decades, but underneath it was a thoroughly modern digital camera.

There was internal storage, USB-C connectivity, vastly improved battery life and enough resolution to crop aggressively without immediately destroying your image. Leica hadn't abandoned what made the M special; it had simply dragged the digital side of the camera firmly into the modern era.

But I think the M11's biggest contribution had very little to do with specifications.

Around its launch, something interesting started happening online: more content creators, YouTube photographers and prominent photography personalities seemed to be talking about Leica, buying Leica cameras and, perhaps most importantly, showing what it was actually like to live with one.

Suddenly the M-System wasn't being discussed exclusively by lifelong Leica owners and rangefinder devotees. The M11 was appearing alongside Sony Alpha cameras, Fujifilm bodies and Canon EOS models in videos watched by photographers who may never previously have considered spending Leica money on a camera.

The hype surrounding the M11 undoubtedly helped Leica reach a different audience.

Sample images

And I think that mattered enormously. Leica has always carried a certain mystique, but mystique can also create distance. The M11 somehow made the brand feel more accessible without actually becoming affordable.

Watching photographers that you followed online forget about autofocus, pick up an M11 and start talking about slowing down, manually focusing and rediscovering photography created a surprisingly powerful pull. It made people curious.

Some undoubtedly bought into the hype, while others discovered that rangefinder photography genuinely suited them, but either way the M11 seemed to become a gateway into Leica ownership for a new generation.

The standard Leica M11 has now bowed out, with the Leica M11-P becoming the natural successor and taking the same basic formula further with additional refinements. Yet I think the original deserves its own little chapter in Leica history.

There will always be technically important M cameras, and there will always be collectible ones, but the M11 arrived at exactly the right moment, when photography culture was increasingly being shaped by creators, YouTube and social media.

It was the Leica that caused a stir, convinced photographers to jump ship and made an entirely new audience wonder whether their next camera should have a red dot on the front. The M11 might be gone but, for a lot of photographers, it was where Leica began.

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The role of the Bridge camera used to be a more defined one. Sitting between the compact camera at one end of the digital camera spectrum and the interchangeable lens system camera at the other, it was positioned to combine elements of both.

Today, we’re firmly in the mirrorless camera generation, with the entry-level models providing a similar handling experience but with a generally larger sensor size; it is more of a challenge to see the benefits even the best bridge cameras can bring to the table.

That is before you look at the lens on the Kodak AZ653. The range is huge! There are spotting scopes which might struggle to provide the magnification of the 1560mm equivalent focal length. Mirrorless lenses might be a lot smaller and lighter than their DSLR counterparts, but an APS-C or full-frame-based lens with this kind of range would still be prohibitively cumbersome and expensive.

Therefore, while it may seem that the market for the AZ653 is a lot smaller than it might have been ten years ago, it should still appeal to photographers who want magnifying power on a budget or are considering a superzoom companion for a Safari trip.

Replacing the earlier AZ652, the new model has a very familiar specification; however, so the question is: has enough been changed, improved, or upgraded over the previous model? And can a camera with a tiny 1/2.3in sensor really be taken seriously for advanced photography assignments?

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Specifications

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Price

The Kodak Pixpro AZ653 is available in most regions, priced at $449 / £349 / AU$ 750. This positions it as a good alternative to many entry-level mirrorless cameras or smartphones, while providing the same focal range as multiple standard zoom lenses rolled into one.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Design & Handling

I’ve always had a soft spot for the design of a Bridge camera, and the AZ653 is no exception. It is like a miniature DSLR. I say that since it was ultimately the DSLR format that influenced the design of most cameras meant for high-end enthusiasts and professionals that came after them.

The Kodak features a pleasantly deep and sculpted handgrip, which allows a firm hold of the camera even if working single-handed. In fact, there are mirrorless cameras around today that are less comfortable to operate than the AZ653.

Despite it being a small camera body, it’s possible to fit all fingers of the right hand onto the grip, without the little finger left hanging. I did feel tempted to allow my little finger to slip under the camera to support it a little better; however, because it’s such a lightweight product, this wasn’t uncomfortable.

Other than the zoom range itself, a standout feature is the control ring around the lens barrel. This not only gives the camera a more professional look, it also allows tactile control of major camera settings, speeding up operation. It works well for the most part, not least because of how familiar it felt coming from an interchangeable lens system. Out of the box, the ring on my sample camera was set to control the aperture value; however, I didn’t find this especially useful, given the limited F-stop range available.

In the case of this camera’s biggest selling point – that mammoth 65x zoom – it made sense to have the ring control the zoom setting. The downside here is that, because the focal length range is so massive, it takes a long time to actually move through it from 24mm to 1560mm. The ring itself is quite stiff, while the electronic zoom mechanism is at times painfully slow to move the lens elements.

It also has a tendency to stop at intervals through the range, often necessitating a pause before resuming the turn of the control ring to kick-start the zoom once again. This really slows down operation, making the setup unsuitable for ultra-fast subjects.

Since the rotary zoom switch around the shutter button is connected to the same electronic zoom motor and works more quickly, there is sadly much less sense in using the physical ring as a zoom control.

The build quality might not win awards, but the AZ653 still feels well made. It’s reassuringly solid, and while it is quite plastic-y, this is in much the same way as many mirrorless camera bodies and lenses do these days, even the higher-end types. As far as sub-$500 cameras go, the AZ653 is decidedly premium in appearance and finish. I particularly like the rubber coating around the viewfinder, which makes it more comfortable when placed to the eye, and the rubberized material wrapped around the handgrip.

It is disappointing that there is no articulated LCD screen. The fixed monitor adds a dated look to the camera, especially since a flip or twist style screen is now seen as a standard feature of most mid-range cameras. To make matters worse, it’s also not touch-sensitive.

I get it, Kodak is trying to keep costs down, but using features like touch focus, touch shutter and even image and menu scrolling have become muscle memory for many photographers, all of whom will be frustrated by being stuck with the scroll wheel and rocker if they are anything like me.

On a more positive note, all of the buttons are well placed, as is the PASM-style mode dial on the top right of the camera.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Performance

Ok, so we have to be realistic when setting our expectations regarding the maximum possible quality. In good light, outdoors, the camera is able to produce some reasonably good images. While 20MP isn’t high-resolution by today’s standards, it’s more than enough for A4 prints and social media use. Kodak has also been wise to limit the pixel count on the tiny sensor. The photosites are small enough already, so cramming on 30MP or more just to satisfy the headlines would have likely pushed the image quality too far.

As it is, fine detail starts to suffer above ISO400, especially once the ambient light levels fall outdoors or when shooting in dimly-lit interiors. By ISO3200, files are pretty mushy, although more texture can be extracted from the Raw files than out-of-camera Jpegs, which are subjectively bad across the board, even at the lowest sensitivities.

The integrated zoom lens does actually perform impressively well. I liked the general levels of sharpness, which stayed consistent throughout the (admittedly limited) aperture range. The optics are sharpest in the center of the frame and resolution does fall off heading out towards the corners. There was also a noticeable decline at the longest reaches of the 65x zoom, with blurring of critical detail creeping in from about the top third of the focal range.

Chromatic aberration and distortion are fairly well controlled, as is corner vignetting. This is where the advantages of an integrated lens become clear; many long zooms designed for interchangeable mounts don’t speak so efficiently with the host camera’s digital contributions to aberration correction.

Video fares similarly well. The AZ653 understandably can’t compete with larger sensor cameras like the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, or Nikon Z8, which are now favored by many professional filmmakers over traditional video cameras.

There is the limited depth-of-field control to contend with, introduced by the small sensor, leaving shots with a lot of background detail you must be mindful of when composing your footage. There is also noticeable grain even at modest ISO settings.

You’re also limited to Full HD (1080p), with no provision for 4K. This is likely to bother hybrid content creators who want to capture both still images and B-roll for reels on Instagram and TikTok, particularly those searching for a do-everything camera to take with them on their travels.

The stuttery zoom and autofocus also become a problem when shooting video. On several occasions, the AZ653 lost focus altogether in the middle of a clip, and failed to find it again despite being outdoors in good light, with plenty of contrast to lock on to. Irritatingly, audio is disabled while zooming during recording, most likely to remove the noise created by the motor.

However, with no audio jack or accessory shoe to plug in an external mic, this basically renders the camera useless for video when the subject matter requires reframing mid-footage. There is a USB-C port, so technically you could plug in a wireless receiver such as the one provided with the DJI Mic Mini, but this would also make it impossible to hold the handgrip, located just in front.

Kodak Pixpro AZ653: Verdict

The Kodak Pixpro AZ653 is not a bad camera. As far as entry-level cameras go, it actually represents reasonable value. For less than $500, you’re getting a feature set big enough for most beginners, enough resolution for online use, a sharp lens with an incredibly versatile focal range, and a premium handling experience.

As long as you’re aware of the limitations of the small sensor area, and are willing to accept the poorer low-light performance in exchange for an ultra-lightweight build and form factor, the AZ653 will tick most of the boxes for a reliable travel companion.

That said, some fairly major compromises have clearly been made to keep the cost down. The LCD screen is disappointing, both in the preview quality and the lack of touch sensitivity and articulation. These can be seen as essential features in a camera made for 2026 audiences, and their omission is hard to ignore.

This is also not a camera I’d recommend you buy for video features. It is almost like video was included as a token rather than as an integrated part of the specification. It’s a shame as with provision for external accessories to be used, namely an external mic, the AZ653 would have been a near-perfect vlogging camera: small, discreet, and able to cover almost all subjects you might encounter in an average day.

As it is, the AZ653 seems like a bit of a relic of the 2010’s that has managed to live on well beyond its expected shelf life. However, if you can look past the obvious shortcomings, there is very limited competition for the balance of price and lens reach.

Alternatives

Check out our full guide to the best bridge cameras for other options

It’s been a little will they won’t they when it comes to Nikon lately. Just last week I wrote about a rumor claiming big delays across the board, and now Nikon Rumors is back with a more positive tale from the grapevine, surmising some kind of Nikon release in September.

Apparently, a reader has looked into the schedules of various Nikon Ambassadors and found that many of them are free during the week of September 12, but scheduled for Nikon events on September 26. This has resulted in the theory that Nikon could be launching something in mid-September and showing it off later in the month.

The argument is supposedly bolstered by Nikon ambassador Kristi Odom, whose schedule is apparently free in both instances. Kristi is an award-winning wildlife photographer, which has caused the same camera sleuth to surmise that she’d be the perfect pro to test a rumored flagship APS-C camera (Nikon Z70) and the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S (which has already had a development announcement).

While something could indeed be released in September, I’ve been burned by the rumor mill so many times lately, I’m not sure picking apart evidence like the imaging equivalent of Hercule Poirot is particularly helpful. After all, only a couple of weeks ago, everything was supposedly delayed…

And yet, if Nikon is intent on releasing something this year, we are definitely heading into the period where that could happen. You don’t have to be Jessica Fletcher to work out that Nikon has a habit of announcing cameras at this time of year. The Nikon Z6 II, Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z9, Nikon Zf, Nikon Z50 II, and Nikon Zf Silver were all announced in September, October, or November. Anything later is a bit too close to Christmas, and then that’s the year over with.

As to what Nikon could announce, that’s beyond me. Lately we’ve had rumors regarding a Nikon Z70, fixed-lens full-frame Nikon, and of course, a Nikon Z9 II. I, for one, am still keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed for a Nikon Zfc II. So, take your pick. I’ll keep my ear and magnifying glass to the ground and let you know if more Nikon camera rumors surface.

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Despite the mirrorless camera takeover, DSLRs are still popular with amateur and professional photographers – and Pentax remains one of the few brands keeping the format alive.

Now, however, one of its cult favorite cameras appears to be on the way out. The Pentax K-1 Mark II, a 36MP full-frame DSLR, is now marked as "discontinued" by multiple major retailers in Japan.

While Ricoh has yet to confirm global discontinuation officially, this follows the earlier disappearance of the K1 Mark II 28-105mm lens kit. In the past, Ricoh often hasn't issued a formal announcement; instead, its products just quietly left the market.

While Canon and Nikon moved much of their focus to mirrorless, Pentax always remained a compelling alternative for photographers who prefer the traditional DSLR experience.

Saying this, the brand ended the production of multiple models in a relatively short amount of time. First it was the Pentax K-3 Mark II, followed by the Monochrome version in March 2026.

Current availability & prices

So, for anyone considering a K-1 Mark II, now is a good time to buy a brand-new DSLR rather than relying on the second-hand market, which could become the only option if global stock continues to shrink.

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Browse the best Pentax cameras and the best Pentax lenses. Also, take a look at the best DSLRs and the best full-frame DSLRs.

DJI's second offering in the 360-degree camera space is hot on the heels of arch-rival Insta360's X6. In theory DJI is still playing catch up – the X6 represented a 10th anniversary – but this camera has specs which could turn the eye of any 360-degree creator, not least the 10-bit recording across all modes and 1-inch image sensor.

Bringing the same 8K resolution for video as most other 360-degree cameras, there are a few boosts – including a 16K timelapse mode and, excitingly for many, 8K60fps (beating the Insta360 X6's maximum 8K50fps.

There is also some AI introduced in the software, with DJI Studio now including frame interpolation which can create up to 8K/480fps, or 64x slow motion in post, and on-camera AI boosting the night mode to a 'SuperNight 2.0'.

Is this enough to lift the camera to the top of our best 360-degree camera guide (after we've only just put the new X6 there)? Let's see...

DJI Osmo 360 II: Price

The Osmo 360 II launches in a Standard Combo for £509 / AU$929, and an "Adventure Combo" for £639 / AU$1,099. There are no US prices as the product will not be officially sold in the USA.

DJI Osmo 360 II: Specs

DJI Osmo 360 II: Build and handling

The Osmo 360 II doesn't feel a million miles away from its predecessor in design, a squarer and more boxy design than Insta360's despite the recent ensquarification of the X series with the new shorter X6.

The case design features have changed a bit on closer inspection though. There is a bigger microphone guard on the 'front' (the side without the display) of the camera, and the case appears to be screwed together.

The rugged plastic is also an even darker black, whereas the Osmo 360 (1) had a smooth front – no screws in the corners – as well as a prominent white DJI logo on a very dark gray surface. The new 360 II features a gloss black logo on a matt black background, and it's that bit more black.

The base of both cameras features for contacts for pogo pins in accessories, and the standard DJI action camera connector.

The touchscreen side has also changed slightly, with red and gray physical buttons below the screens, but in essence we're looking at a camera with back-to-back lenses which have nearly 1-inch sensors. The marketing team tends to refer to them as 1-inch sensors since they are square, and the upshot is that they deliver as much size as a traditional rectangular sensor would in the same circumstances (and, until recently, that is how 360-degree cameras were made – simply losing a significant percentage of the chip's surface area because the optics resulted in their being disused).

Like its predecessors, the camera has replaceable lenses, which should boost its appeal to action camera users.

DJI has also added the option for a double-rotate to initate shooting, which might make a lot of sense to gloved users (winter sports etc.)

DJI Osmo 360 II: Performance

When I powered up both cameras to test, the 360 II was notably faster, although the screen layout – with icons in each corner – seems remarkably unchanged.

Image quality – never really an issue on the previous model – is better here, and it was possible for me to detect evidence of the claimed 14.5-stop dynamic range, especially where light was mixed.

The desktop software still didn't feel as polished as Insta360's tools to me. It was able to find clips and download them, as well as tweak the lens effects, so to some extent I could just be being a stick in the mud.

I must admit that, in my testing (which, admittedly, was in different locations – York for this camera and New York for the X6), I felt that the Insta360 X6's microphone setup had the advantage when it came to operation without a worn wireless mic. This, however, is not a setup many folks should be using!

DJI Osmo 360 II: First Impressions

I've taken the camera out on a couple of trips, both before the final firmware was released, so I cannot offer a full verdict yet – this page will be updated in the coming days.

What I can say is that the camera produces surprisingly good results, and feels as robust as I needed in my hands. I am just as confident about its ability in low light as I am with the Insta360 X6, and I can see that the color science is going to need further examination.

In both cases, the presence of a 10-bit recording mode means that 360-degree video can be used more freely with other professionally graded content, and that should mean 360-degree video can be part of something

It's also pleasing to see that DJI has stuck to the goal of keeping the camera robust

An Instagram photographer with a passion for capturing sun flares has released a Reel along with the rather dramatic caption: “This photo just destroyed my camera's sensor… was it worth it??”

Karna Hansen’s (@karnawesthansen) video has certainly garnered plenty of attention, with 4.3 million views and counting. The picture is an absolute stunner; a perfect ring of flare surrounded by a patchwork of foliage. But did the photographer really destroy their camera in the process?

Karna shot the image on the Fujifilm X100F. The description of the video reveals that the camera does, in fact, still work, but says that “Every time I take a photo like this the camera sensor gets less and less usable.”

In reality, it’s unlikely that the sensor will degrade over time. The real danger is damage happening in the moment, but there are a few reasons why Karna’s compact camera is unlikely to get damaged from a shot such as this.

Firstly, this kind of photography should not be confused with solar eclipse photography, where you’re typically using a long lens that concentrates the sun’s rays onto the sensor, and/or longer exposures, which extend the time harmful rays make contact with the sensor. As such, a solar filter is essential for subjects such as solar eclipses and solar flares.

But Karna’s sunburst is taken at a wider angle, so the sun is smaller in the frame, and the exposure would probably have been fairly quick. In all likelihood, the camera’s sensor is in very little danger. That said, I don’t mind a little hyperbole in this instance, because it’s no bad thing to warn others of the harmful impact the sun can have on your camera.

Ultimately, the longer your camera is exposed to the sun, the more you risk damage. If you’re using live view or a mirrorless camera, where the shutter curtain is open, damage can occur even if you’re not taking a photo. And yet, as somebody who’s shot plenty of sunbursts and portraits with sun flare, I’ve not ruined a camera yet.

One other thing you must always be wary of is how to protect your eyes when pointing your camera towards the sun. The Fujifilm X100F sports Fujifilm’s Hybrid Viewfinder, which means it can be used as an electronic viewfinder and an optical viewfinder. When photographing the sun, it is imperative that you never look at it through an optical viewfinder, as this could seriously damage your eyesight.

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Want more sunny tips and tricks? How to create portraits with flare. Sunbursts and starbursts: shoot stunning sun flare photography. Cheat at photography: create realistic lens flares in Photoshop.

One of the key pieces to Sony’s mirrorless success is the speed made possible by the world’s largest sensor manufacturer’s stacked designs. But while Sony makes stacked sensors for full-frame mirrorless and stacked one-inch sensors in cameras like the RX10 V and RX100 VII, Sony’s APS-C mirrorless lineup skips the layered sensor built for speed.

Fresh reports are circulating that Sony’s sensor division is working on a 26MP APS-C stacked sensor. While Sony has yet to confirm the existence of such technology, the report is fanning the flames of rumors for potential new cameras such the Sony A6900 or a cinema-grade APS-C camera like the Sony FX30 II.

Sony’s stacked shutter design is the reason why cameras like the new Sony A7R VI can shoot at 30fps and 67MP when high-resolution cameras have traditionally been far slower than lower-resolution models.

The stacked design isn’t relegated only to Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras either, with the layered sensor design also popping up in cameras like the RX10 V bridge camera and the RX100 VII compact camera – not to mention the stacked sensors inside some Sony smartphones. In fact, Sony first brought a stacked one-inch sensor to compact cameras in 2015.

Ten years after bringing the stacked design to compact cameras, I think it’s a fair question to ask when Sony could fill the gap between compact and full frame with an APS-C sensor.

Stacked sensors give the imaging chip dedicated layers for memory in order to speed up processing times. The result is faster burst speeds for stills and faster video frame rates.

Such an upgrade would make sense for the theoretical update to the A6700, as Sony’s more advanced stills-focused APS-C model is a good budget option for genres like sports and wildlife. But the rumors are calling for Sony’s upcoming sensor to be 26MP, which wouldn’t offer a resolution boost over the current model.

Without confirmation from Sony, it’s unclear if the brand’s next mirrorless camera could feature a stacked sensor design. Sony is the world’s largest sensor manufacturer, and even if the rumored sensor exists, there’s still a good chance that it isn’t destined for one of Sony’s mirrorless cameras.

But, having used the Sony a6400 as a budget birding camera and having also shot with the A7 V and A7R VI, I would love to see Sony’s stacked sensors come to the A6000 series.

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Take a look at the best Sony cameras or the best Sony E-Mount lenses.

The secret is out: in an abnormally revealing teaser, OM System has revealed that a new compact, retro mirrorless camera is coming on September 09. But while the teaser has longtime fans hoping for a revival of the beloved PEN F series, the upcoming launch comes at a time when reports suggest the company’s mirrorless sales have dropped.

In a teaser revealed earlier this week, OM System shared a glimpse of the back and top sections of what looks like a retro, compact mirrorless camera. The first teaser revealed far more than most, without using the usual tactic to cast the camera in shadow. The rangefinder-style viewfinder had many fans hoping the camera is a refresh of the long-requested PEN series.

Then, a second teaser seemed to hint at a PEN legacy even more, displaying the 1959 Olympus PEN and the 2009 PEN E-P1 (the brand’s first digital mirrorless).

The teased camera will be the brand’s first major camera launch of 2026, as the company hasn’t launched a new model outside of the specialized OM-3 Astro and OM-1 Mark II Infrared. While it’s not unusual for OM System to launch only one camera a year, the teaser comes as the company is facing a sales slump.

OM System isn’t a publicly traded company, so unlike Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm, there’s no publicly available insight on the company’s sales and profits. But a recent report in Japan suggests that the company’s camera sales have dipped by 10,000 compared to last year, with an operating profit in the red to the tune of -¥1.6 billion – about -$9.9 million / -£7.4 million / -AU$13.9 million.

That echoes an earlier industry report ranking Japan’s top camera brands by the number of cameras shipped, which also said that OM System shipped 150,000 cameras, a drop of about 10,000 compared to the year before. That list showed Ricoh overtaking OM System, but more due to Ricoh’s sales numbers tripling, likely due to the popularity of the Ricoh GR IV series.

OM System has used a 20MP sensor on its Micro Four Thirds line since 2016, moving through two sensor variants with the same resolution in the past decade. While OM System says sensor development is ongoing, the company has focused on building rugged, outdoor cameras taking advantage of the Micro Four Thirds' more compact designs, well-loved stabilization system, and the brand’s computational photography prowess.

If the teased camera is in fact a refresh of the PEN line, I can see such a camera boosting the brand’s camera sales, regardless of whether or not the upcoming launch still uses a 20MP sensor. The PEN series is well loved, yet the last time the company launched a PEN with worldwide availability was still in the company’s Olympus days, back in 2020. (The Olympus PEN E-P7 launched in 2021, but was limited to Asia and Europe.)

Regardless, I think OM System fans are eagerly awaiting whatever’s next on September 09.

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Browse the best micro four thirds cameras.

Scientists use camera traps to capture all sorts of wildlife footage – and this time, they’ve recorded a feisty standoff between a big bobcat (Lynx rufus) and an adult Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) in Florida.

And while the footage was recorded on grainy trail cams, it looks more like an epic Godzilla vs King Kong battle that you’d see on the big screen.

The photos were taken in 2022 as part of a survey documenting mammal attacks on reptiles, with the ravenous assault unfolding over the course of 38 different frames.

The folks behind the study – researchers from the University of Florida – later published that, in the first few frames, the bobcat surprisingly approaches the snake before biting and clawing at its tail, body and head.

Subsequent images captured on the Bushnell Core trail camera show the results of the vicious attack, with the overturned rattlesnake bearing wounds to the head, midbody and tail. The scientists noted that the rattlesnake did try to retaliate, albeit unsuccessfully.

While rattlesnakes are dangerous to bobcats because the wild cats lack immunity to snake venom, bobcats are equally dangerous to rattlesnakes because they combine lightning-fast reflexes, paw-slapping tactics and precision biting.

According to the researchers, large reptiles such as rattlesnakes often occupy the top of trophic webs (interrelating food chains) and adult mortality through predation is rare.

They explained that because many large reptiles are long-lived, the loss of reproductive adults can have wider implications for species populations. As such, the camera trap footage comes as important documentation of this phenomenon.

What a showdown between a killer kitty and a savage snake, although I really wasn’t expecting it to be such a one-sided affair. Hopefully, these scientists can upgrade to HD camera traps in time for the next royal rumble.

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Here’s our pick of the best cameras for wildlife photography.

Fujifilm has built a reputation for retro-styled yet compact designs – and the brand's efforts have not gone unnoticed. The compact Fujifilm X-E5 mirrorless camera has just won the top APS-C Camera award from the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) awards, with Fujifilm’s budget-friendly X-T30 III taking home a value-based award.

The EISA awards are an annual call-out to the biggest new cameras, lenses, and sound tech of the year. The 2026-27 awards are headlined by several highly popular models, including the Sony A7 V as the Camera of the Year, its big sibling the A7R VI as Professional Camera, Nikon’s first cinema mirrorless the ZR topping the photo-video category, and the sold-out Panasonic Lumix L10 taking top compact camera honors.

But Fujifilm has taken home honors for both the best APS-C camera with the X-E5 and the “Best Buy Camera,” a category meant to highlight a more affordable shooter, with the X-T30 III.

The X-E5 and X-T30 III sit at opposite ends of the price range for Fujifilm’s APS-C range, but the two mirrorless cameras have a few things in common – a compact, retro-inspired design.

The Fujifilm X-E5 is regularly heralded as the mirrorless twin to the viral X100VI compact camera when paired with its compact pancake kit lens. The X-E5 uses a rangefinder-inspired design that places the electronic viewfinder off in the corner, rather than in the center like an SLR. Like the X100VI, the X-E5 boasts plenty of retro dials.

But the X-E5 also gives a dedicated spot for one of Fujifilm’s most famous features: a dial just to swap film simulations. That gives photographers quick access to switch in-camera color profiles.

Inside, the X-E5 packs in the tech that sits inside Fujifilm’s top X-series models: a 40.2MP APS-C X-Trans sensor with the X-Processor 5 and, unlike the X-E4, image stabilization and subject-detection autofocus.

The EISA Awards called the X-E5 “a photographer’s delight for street, travel and everyday shooting.” As someone who has actually traveled with the X-T5, I would have to agree. Working with the mirrorless and the 23mm pancake lens, I could almost forget that I wasn’t shooting with a compact camera.

The Fujifilm X-T30 III, on the other hand, is still retro and rather compact for a mirrorless, but sits as one of Fujifilm’s more affordable choices. The X-T30 III takes on the look of a vintage SLR rather than a rangefinder, but unlike Fujifilm’s cheapest mirrorless camera, the X-M5, the X-T30 III still has a viewfinder.

The budget price shows a little in the specs, with a 26.1MP resolution X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor rather than the fifth-generation 40.2MP option. Still, that sensor’s no slouch – in fact it’s the same one inside my X-T4 that I still use as a pro photographer.

While the X-E5 was a major upgrade from the older X-E4, the X-T30 III feels like a more incremental update. Still, DCW gave the X-T30 III a Recommended badge, as the refreshed budget camera updates the autofocus but not the price point.

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Take a look at the best Fujifilm cameras, or the best retro cameras.

The pocketable design has propelled the Ricoh GR series into viral popularity – but the line's long-lensed sibling is about to get discontinued as the company makes way for a new model. In one fell swoop, Ricoh announced both the discontinuation of the Ricoh GR IIIx and the development of the Ricoh GR IVx.

The x-numbered compact cameras bring a longer 40mm lens to Ricoh’s popular GR series. With the Ricoh GR IV launched last year, fans have been eagerly anticipating the pocketable camera’s long-lensed sibling – and on August 26, Ricoh announced that the GR IVx is in development, expected to arrive in the Winter of 2026 at the earliest.

Ricoh says that the GR IVx will come with a "newly developed GR lens."

While the Ricoh GR IVx may not be coming for several months yet, Ricoh has already shared a full list of specifications. That list hints that, like the GR III to the GR IIIx, the GR IVx will have the same 25.74 APS-C sensor, but swaps out the GR IV’s 28mm equivalent lens for a 40mm equivalent one, a 26.1mm f/2.8 lens.

Like the original, the GR IVx looks to keep what makes the compact camera series so popular: The large sensor inside a small camera. The upcoming Ricoh GR IVx has nearly the same dimensions as the existing camera; it’s just a few millimeters deeper and weighs slightly more for that longer lens.

I’ve used several Ricoh GR series compact cameras, and the X model is the one that I always lean towards. A 40mm equivalent lens is close to what the human eye sees. It’s a happy-medium focal length that can still shoot landscapes but doesn’t have the ultra-wide distortion when shooting portraits. Since I’m more of a portrait photographer than a landscape photographer, I’ve always gravitated more towards models like the GR IIIx.

In the GR IIIx review, the camera is described as "a camera that should be shouted about more," and I completely agree.

Ricoh says that because certain parts are no longer available, the Ricoh GR IIIx, as well as the GR IIIx HDF and GR IIIx Urban Edition, will end production in Japan in October 2026. Ricoh says that overseas availability may differ outside of Japan, but it looks like after this fall, the GR IIIx will become even harder to find.

The announcement of a new model just around the corner will likely encourage many to wait for the GR IVx – but I think there’s actually still a good reason for going for the GR IIIx even with a new model on the horizon.

Why? The Ricoh GR IV launched at a significantly higher list price than the GR III. In the US, the difference was about a 50 percent increase.

Ricoh hasn’t shared the price of the upcoming GR IVx yet, but the GR IIIx did launch at a slightly higher price than the GR III.

The list price of the Ricoh GR IIIx has already risen above its original launch price, thanks to high demand and the increasing costs for parts. But the GR IIIx is still cheaper than the GR IV in several regions. In the US, the GR IIIx is about $350 cheaper than the GR IV right now. In the UK, the price difference is about £200.

That’s enough of a savings to sway some not to wait for the new model, considering the old one won't be around when the new one launches. The GR IV got a new processor, more internal storage, better battery life, and a slight resolution bump from the Ricoh GR III – and the GR IVx looks to follow that same list of upgrades, just with a newly designed 40mm equivalent lens.

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Learn the differences between the different Ricoh GR series compact cameras, or read about the unique black-and-white-only Ricoh GR IV Monochrome.

It was watching the BBC's Springwatch, that spurred me into getting trail cameras for my small back garden. The TV show had shown how, with the aid of camera traps, they had shown a city householder that she had foxes, badgers and hedgehogs visiting her backyard after dark. I wondered if I could see the nocturnal wildlife in my own manor – so I bought a pair of Wolfang WT-02 trail cameras and set them to work.

They were unbelievably cheap – despite promising 4K footage and having the distinct advantage of built-in solar panels. But I didn't expect to win prizes with my footage - and didn't even know if I would record anything worthwhile – so something that proved the existence (or not) of creatures of the night in my own backyard.

Wolfang WT02: Specifications

Wolfang WT02: Price

There are plenty of cheap trail cameras to choose from at Amazon and elsewhere - but most are from companies you have never heard of. Wolfang is an exception – as DCW has tested several of its low-cost action cameras in the past, such as the WA300.

The Wolfang WT02 seems to have a recommended retail price of $69.99 / £49.99, but can regularly be found for $40 / £30 or lower, making it a staggerinly good deal.

Wolfang WT02: Design & Handling

The Wolfgang comes really well equipped, despite its price. The solar panel is a godsend for something that you may leave for weeks out the open – and even in the UK, where sunshine is far from guaranteed, the solar panel was more than adequate to keep the unit powered up. You do have the option to install four AA cells as a back-up (and the manufacturer recommends this for cold climates) – but in my experience it was not necessary, and this definitely helps to keep down the running costs.

My unit came with a microSD card, but I have read that not all retailers provide this – but even so this is literally all you need to get yourself set up and running. It comes with a webbed strap for attaching the unit to a tree, post or gate – but there is also a multi-angle mounting arm that you can use to attach more securely to a post or building.

The unit has a built-in color screen underneath it waterproof housing, which you use for set-up. This can also be used to review your images and videos – but I found it best to download the images from the card, and review the captured footage on my laptop screen.

The menu gives you a good amount of control over your captures - the resolution, the duration of each clip and so on. One useful feature I discovered is that you can set when the trail camera was active… on its first outing I had it set up to trigger 24 hours a day, which meant during daylight hours I got lots of clips of the neighbors' cats and of passersby. Tweaking the settings so it was only functioning from dusk to dawn meant my success rate increased dramatically.

Wolfang WT02: Performance

I knew there were foxes living near me – as had seen them crossing my road early in the morning on the occasions I have to get an early train or plane. And I had also been told there there were badgers in the allotmants that back onto my small garden. I therefore set up the cameras to record the path that runs behind my back garden and the allotment.

Amazingly, on the first night I discovered that we had both badgers and foxes that passing by on their search for food. The badgers would invariably be looking for snails and other creepy crawlies by the back gate. The foxes were intrigued by the infrared light that the trail camera uses to capture its after-dark footage.

The quality of the footage - given the price of the unit - is very impressive… and you can see that for yourself from the best clips captured in the couple of months that I had the camera set up.

My one criticism is that the microphone doesn't appear to do a good job of capturing the sounds of the wildlife - even though badgers are far from quiet as they forage for snackes. And I know the sound is actually recording - as you can hear clearly the rain falling in one of the daylight clips.

Above: Sample videos of badgers captured with the Wolfang WT02

Above: sample videos of foxes shot at night with the WT02

Above: assortment of video clips shot in daylight with the Wolfang WT02

Wolfang WT02: Verdict

For the price, the Wolfgang WT02 trail camera is a bargain – and particularly so as it is self-fuelled through its integral solar panel. There are models that will give you better quality, no doubt. And there are much more expensive options, that allow you to monitor the footage remotely via your mobile phone. However, if you are someone like me, or doesn't even know if there is any interesting animals to capture, this bargain device is a great way of proving whether there is (or there isn't). And at this price, I would recommend getting two (or more!) like me, so you can have more angles covered.

Alternatives

GoPro’s first mirrorless camera is so small that the Mission 1 Pro ILS looks closer to an action camera than a mirrorless camera. The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS’s size creates wider flexibility in getting shots in tight perspectives and creating small mounted rigs. But the small design isn’t without its downsides: GoPro recommends using an added support for Micro Four Thirds lenses that weigh more than 250g.

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS uses a Micro Four Thirds mount, which opens the action camera giant’s first mirrorless to hundreds of different lenses. However, the camera body doesn’t have any electronic form of communication with the lens, which means electronically driven “focus by wire” lenses aren’t supported.

In focus-by-wire optics, the focus isn’t physically adjusted from the turn of the focus ring but is instead adjusted electronically. This electronic design requires communicating with the camera body, and the Mission 1 Pro ILS doesn’t have any electronic contacts to communicate with the lens.

That takes MFT lenses like those from OM System and Panasonic off the table, as these lenses require communication with the camera to work. Besides disappointing creators who already own a stash of lenses from those brands, the incompatibility with OM System takes a number of weather-sealed lenses off the table.

While I was disappointed that I couldn’t mount my OM System 150-600mm lens on the Mission 1 Pro ILS – because how cool would a 1,800mm equivalent be! – the ILS will also need help supporting heavier lenses.

When I started testing the ILS, GoPro recommended that I use a lens support system for any optics over 250g, though the company noted that lenses with a built-in tripod collar could be supported by using the collar on a tripod.

Using a lens support system is going to increase both the size of the camera and the cost. SmallRig makes a universal lens support that sells for about $22, for example, but it requires rods and a baseplate. Adding the SmallRig 15mm baseplate and rods would be around $125 (about £91 / AU$175 / CA$173) worth of accessories to help support larger lenses.

Lenses 250g and under don’t need any additional support – and there are quite a few lenses that GoPro recommends from the Laowa 7.5mm f/2.0 Dreamer that I used with the new ILS to optics from TTArtisan, Rokinon, Meike, Viltrox and several others that fit both the mechanical focus and weight requirements.

One more thing to note? When swapping lenses, you have to go into the camera menu and select the correct lens, or HyperSmooth won’t work properly.

There are compromises that had to be made in order to create a mirrorless that small, and potential GoPro mirrorless buyers need to be aware of them before committing to the tiny 8K camera from the well-known action camera brand.

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Japan's latest compact camera sales figures from major retailer Yodobashi are in – and in the Top 10 chart for the first half of August 2026 are many cult point-and-shoot cameras that are years old. At the top of the ranking sits a compact first released eight years ago, then relaunched in 2024 with essentially the same technology.

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite takes the crown despite the wave of new compact camera launches lately, including Panasonic champions like the Lumix L10 or ZS300 / TZ300. It is hard to find stock, with second-hand prices often climbing above its original RRP of $699.95 / £549.99.

Yodobashi also reveals just how high demand is for some of the cameras on the list: four of the Top 10 are currently on backorder, including the No.1, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III (No.2), Ricoh GR IV (No.4), and Fujifilm X100VI (No.5) – all made the ranking due to previously placed orders. Sony's ZV-1 II also made the Top 10, despite being currently out of production.

Yodobashi's Top 10 best-selling compact cameras, 1st Half Aug 2026

1. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Silver | Black backordered
2. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III | Black | Silver backordered
3. Sony ZV-1 II | Black | White currently out of production
4. Ricoh GR IV backordered
5. Fujifilm X100VI | Silver | Black backordered
6. Sony RX10 V
7. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black | White
8. Canon IXY 650M / Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A | Black | Silver
9. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown | Black
10. Panasonic Lumix TX3 / ZS300 / TZ300 | Black | Graphite Silver

Canon's unbeatable PowerShot compact cameras

When the original Canon PowerShot SX740 HS launched in 2018, the compact camera market looked very different from today. Straightforward point-and-shoots were popular, while premium compacts (now found across the category) were far less common.

Canon clearly found a winning formula with the SX740 HS, and the Lite Edition keeps that formula largely intact. It uses the same core camera technology as the original, with the main difference being the removal of in-camera USB charging in favor of an external battery charger.

The appeal is easy to understand: a genuinely pocketable camera, a huge 40x optical zoom (24–960mm equivalent), and a familiar, straightforward shooting experience – a combination that remains difficult to replace, even as newer compacts arrive with more advanced technology.

Another Canon model making the list is the PowerShot G7 X Mark III, also a model that is years old. It launched in 2019, yet remains one of the most sought-after compact cameras on the market.

Compared with the SX740 HS / Lite, the G7 X Mark II has a 1-inch sensor and a bright 24-100mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens with 4.2x optical zoom.

Featuring a sensor format that is used in many of the best compact cameras, it gives users a big step up in image quality from most camera phones or action cams, also when compared to the smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor of the SX740 HS / Lite.

The Canon G7 X Mark III is more expensive second-hand

Used prices are now often higher than the G7 X Mark III's original retail price.

While this might seem unusual for an older camera, renewed interest in compact cameras and the dedicated shooting experience that differs from shooting with a smartphone are key factors. Social media also helped fuel the point-and-shoot revival.

With the camera now difficult to find in stock, that popularity has collided with limited supply – pushing second-hand prices well above what you'd normally expect from a camera release in 2019.

So while newer compact cameras continue to arrive with more advanced technology, the latest Yodobashi chart shows that buyers are still driven to get one of the established Canon cult models, winning with their proven formula.

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Fujifilm took inspiration from the X100-series of compact cameras when it crammed a medium format sensor inside a compact camera – but now the Fujifilm GFX100RF has swept all three of the world’s biggest awards for product design.

The Fujifilm GFX100RF has now earned a Bronze Award from the International Design Excellence Awards, or IDEA 2026. While the IDEA Awards were just announced earlier this month, the GFX100RF had already earned a 2026 IF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award ‘Best of the Best.’

Together, the IDEA, IF Design, and Red Dot awards are considered the world’s three largest product design awards – and the GFX100RF has now earned honors across all three competitions.

The GFX100RF uses the same 102MP medium format tucked inside mirrorless cameras like the GFX 100S. But what’s unusual about the GFX100RF is that it takes that sensor and crams it into the body of a compact camera with a fixed lens.

I took the GFX100RF on a trip last year to Los Angeles, California, and the camera felt small enough to forget that I was shooting with a luxurious medium format sensor.

The GFX100RF takes some inspiration from Fujifilm’s viral X100VI, carrying a similar retro look and feel – yet the GFX100RF carries some key design differences. The entire top plate is made out of one block of aluminum. The camera carries a definitive luxury feel in the build quality alone.

The design of the GFX100RF also elevates access to a handful of controls. The medium-format compact camera has some of the same top dials as Fujifilm’s other retro cameras. But, the GFX100RF also has a dedicated dial made just for quickly adjusting the aspect ratio. Another lever controls zoom – which is only digital, not optical, but 102MP leaves a whole lot of room for cropping and still getting excellent detail.

Putting digital zoom onto a lever on the camera body left some space on the built-in 35mm f/4 lens (28mm on full-frame equivalent). Fujifilm tucked in another control ring here that can be customized inside the camera’s menu.

Fujifilm’s recent camera designs haven’t gone unnoticed. The GFX100RF sits alongside popular cameras with a less luxurious price point like the X100VI, the X-E5, and the X-T30 III. Fujifilm’s viral cameras – and beloved retro designs – are likely one of the reasons that the company has seen huge leaps in camera shipments over the last two years, recently rising to the top three of Japan’s camera makers.

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I feel as if I’ve just shaken hands with Sasquatch. A mirrorless GoPro has been rumored so long it feels like a mythical creature – but now I’ve held the mirrorless GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS in my hands.

I’m a professional photographer and camera reviewer, but the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS is unlike any other camera that I’ve used before – and that’s both good and bad.

While the ILS was initially revealed at the Mission 1 series launch, back in April, pre-orders for GoPro's first mirrorless camera opened today, August 26, with shipping and retail availability beginning on September 02.

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS shares much of the same specs as the fixed-lens Mission 1 Pro, looking very much like the Mission 1 Pro had its fixed lens surgically replaced with a Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Besides the identical 8K60 sensor and GP3 processor, the ILS also looks and operates like a GoPro.

Holding the Mission 1 Pro ILS in my hands still felt very much like shooting with a GoPro – which is great news for GoPro fans. But the Mission 1 Pro ILS is a camera of compromises in order to pack swappable lenses into a camera that’s just 197g.

The Mission 1 Pro ILS packs high-end features into an affordable – and tiny – body

The legendary GoPro features that have migrated into mirrorless are headlined by HyperSmooth. I hate hauling around tripods, and I spent much of my time with the ILS capturing handheld video. Handheld shots are impressively steady, with just enough movement to have that POV-feel without being jittery or distracting.

The stabilization impressively even helped when getting in close to the subject. Using stabilization on different lenses is more challenge, however, and I did spot on occasional wobble – and HyperSmooth is definitely not smooth enough to actually run with the camera.

While that stabilization is possible with the fixed lens Mission cameras, the ILS mixes that with a handful of things that aren’t typically found on a GoPro, like longer focal lengths and yes, even bokeh and lens flare.

The other unusual feature of the ILS is how small it is – which is perfect for getting unusual angles. I even tucked the GoPro mirrorless inside a large jar. The body of the ILS is essentially the same as the Mission 1 Pro, but the mirrorless mount does jut out farther and taller from the body.

GoPros have long been the filmmakers' tool for shooting spots that a typical camera won’t fit – the ILS still offers that compact size, though naturally that will also depend on what lens is mounted to the front.

The ILS also has an impressive list of specifications for the $699 / £599 / AU$1099 / CA$949 price point. While there are a handful of mirrorless cameras that can be picked up at that price point, none of them are 8K-capable cameras. Yet, on the GoPro ILS, resolution reaches up to 8K60, with open gate available up to 8K30 and slow motion up to 1080p at 960fps (in 10 second bursts).

But, the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS has some significant compromises

The Mission 1 Pro ILS’s lens mount, however, doesn’t have any electronic communication between the lens and the camera. That means that the ILS is a manual-focus-only camera.

But, many Micro Four Thirds lenses are what’s called focus-by-wire, which means that the lens needs the electronics inside the camera in order to physically move the glass pieces to adjust focus. Without any electronic contacts, the GoPro ILS isn’t compatible with these lenses at all, even in manual focus mode, which eliminates a number of fantastic lenses from OM System and Panasonic.

One of the reasons the lack of support for lenses from brands like OM System is so disappointing is that the ILS body is splash-resistant when paired with a weather-sealed lens. The manual focus lenses that the ILS is compatible with are rarely weather-sealed.

Without any communication with the lens, users also need to go into the camera’s menu each time a lens is swapped and choose the right lens profile – forget this step and HyperSmooth will look terrible, as the camera needs that data for the stabilization algorithms to work properly.

The ILS’ small design also comes with a compromise – GoPro says that lenses that weigh more than 250g should be paired with an external lens support. Pairing the ILS with a heavier lens will require an additional investment in a base plate, lens support, and rod – accessories that add on to the cost, no to mention negating the small size.

GoPro users should also be very careful with mounted setups. GoPro doesn’t list a maximum recommended weight for their existing accessories – after all, all GoPros were small before the ILS, so a maximum weight wasn’t really needed. GoPro doesn't list a specific weight lens-ILS combo that should be avoided for traditional GoPro mounting accessories.

But, a GoPro representative told me, “If you plan to subject the camera to higher shock and vibe levels, then we recommend using heavier-duty third-party solutions and the 1/-4-20 threaded insert to mount the camera.”

The combination of a one-inch sensor with a Micro Four Thirds mount also creates a 3x crop factor. This can be great if you want to get in close for telephoto or macro, but less so if you need an ultra-wide view. The widest lens on GoPro’s list of supported lenses is the Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye, which will act like a 12mm wide-angle lens.

While many of the GoPro mirrorless compromises are related to the lens, the ILS is also geared towards cinema, not stills. Still shots have a built-in delay, and processing leaves the camera temporarily unable to shoot a second shot. GoPro’s mirrorless camera can take stills, but it’s secondary to video.

The non-electronic lens mount and the camera’s small size introduce several compromises. But the Mission 1 Pro ILS is built for filmmakers who likely already use manual focus or follow focus accessories.

Ahead of the GoPro mirrorless launch, a GoPro executive told me that the ILS isn’t going up against the likes of Canon, Sony and Nikon – GoPro sees the ILS as more of a tool in a multi-camera kit where the ILS isn’t the main camera.

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS is meant for mounting scenarios with more flexibility – and bokeh – than a classic GoPro, as well as for run-and-gun filmmakers who need something small and affordable. And for that, I’m glad the GoPro mirrorless is no longer the stuff of myths.

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GoPro has sliced off its longstanding ultra-wide lens and given a GoPro a Micro Four Thirds Mount. The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS is the action camera giant’s first venture into the world of mirrorless cameras – and it’s unlike any other camera that I’ve tried.

The ILS feels as if GoPro sliced off the lens of the Mission 1 Pro and gave it a Micro Four Thirds Mount. GoPro’s first mirrorless carries the same body design, handling, 8K60 sensor, and GP3 processor as the fixed-lens Mission 1 Pro.

But the ILS also carries the same price point as the Mission 1 Pro, making GoPro’s first mirrorless camera one of the cheapest 8K mirrorless cameras available.

GoPro’s move into mirrorless carries a set of features that feel very GoPro, including HyperSmooth and a familiar double-screen design. But there are some unusual sacrifices made to get such a small camera, making the ILS a bit more of a niche shooter.

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Price

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS launches at the same price as the fixed-lens Mission 1 Pro: $699 / £599 / AU$1099 / CA$949 – but you will also need to budget for a lens.

That makes the Mission 1 Pro ILS one of the most affordable 8K-capable mirrorless cameras.

But, as a GoPro, expect to be heavily tempted by the accessories, as the ILS feels almost like a modular camera. That list price doesn't include a lens. The point-and-shoot grip is a huge help for shooting handheld; then there's the Media Mod for added mic ports or the GoPro wireless mic.

Heavier lenses over 250g are going to need a third-party support system to help the tiny camera support the weight of the lens. And while the ILS has the classic GoPro mounting fingers, most GoPro mounts are only designed for lightweight setups – GoPro recommends using the tripod mount and third-party accessories made for larger cameras when mounting in a high-vibration scenario or with heavier lenses.

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Specs

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Build and Handling

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS may be GoPro’s first mirrorless, but the camera still feels quintessentially GoPro. The ILS feels like GoPro took the Mission 1 Pro and just swapped out the lens for a Micro Four Thirds mount.

The main part of the ILS body uses the same design as the fixed-lens Mission 1 cameras, making the camera the smallest mirrorless camera available. The lens mount juts out from the body a bit, increasing the depth and height of the camera’s dimensions, but the ILS can use the same Point-and-Shoot Grip and the same Media Mod as the fixed-lens Mission 1 cameras.

The ILS’s small size makes it possible to get some unusual perspectives from angles that a mirrorless camera wouldn’t normally fit, although this, of course, depends on the size of the lens.

The small size isn’t great to hand-hold, but GoPro also launched a point-and-shoot grip that gives the hand a decent-sized grip to wrap around for handheld shooting.

But there is a downside to the small design. GoPro says that lenses that weigh over 250g should be used with an external lens support, which means buying the support, a base plate, and rods. This not only increases the cost of the camera but also the size by adding in all those accessories.

Users should also take care when choosing mounts. GoPro’s mounts were designed for action cameras, not mirrorless cameras. GoPro recommends using third-party mounts and the camera’s tripod mount rather than the mounting fingers when working with heavier lenses or mounting scenarios with higher levels of shock and vibration.

The size isn’t the only thing the ILS has in common with earlier GoPros – the user interface will also feel very familiar to anyone who has used a recent Hero camera. Like the Mission 1 Pro and the Hero13, there are just two buttons on the ILS: one at the top to start a recording and the on-off button at the side (which also swaps modes).

That leaves most of the GoPro ILS adjustments through the touchscreen. I love that there’s the option to build your own modes, so you can save frequently used settings inside of its own custom mode (and you can delete the standard modes that you don’t want).

One key step that ILS users can’t skip? The ILS requires telling the camera body what lens you are using – if you skip this step, HyperSmooth won’t look smooth without that essential data.

Like recent Hero cameras, the ILS has a large screen on the back as well as a smaller screen on the front, but large lenses will partially block that front screen a bit.

A door at the side of the camera opens up for the battery and the microSD card slot. That Enduro 2 battery is rated for around 3 hours of 4K30, but the battery levels did drop fairly quickly when shooting 8K60.

Like GoPro’s action cameras, there are both the mounting fingers and a ¼-20 threaded mount at the bottom of the camera.

While the ILS has the same build as the Mission 1 Pro, the lens mount makes GoPro’s usual waterproofing impossible. The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS is not submersible without underwater housing, though the camera body is splash-resistant if paired with a weather-sealed lens.

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Lens Compatibility

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS uses a Micro Four Thirds mount – but not every MFT lens is compatible. The ILS doesn’t have any electronic communication between the body and the lens. This means that the ILS uses manual focus only.

But, this also means that focus-by-wire lenses won’t work on the GoPro ILS. Autofocus lenses with a focus-by-wire lens require electronics to move the lens pieces to focus; these lenses aren’t capable of adjusting the focus by a twist of the focus ring if there’s no communication between the camera and lens.

That means that most autofocus MFT lenses, like those from OM System and Panasonic, are not compatible with the Mission 1 Pro ILS. That does limit the number of available options quite a bit and is particularly disappointing because it eliminates a lot of weather-sealed lenses.

Lenses that weigh more than 250g will also require an external support in order to avoid putting too much stress on the small camera’s mount.

For this review, I used the Laowa 7.5mm f/2.0 Dreamer, which is one of a few dozen manual focus lenses that GoPro recommends (and is under 250g).

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Performance

Like GoPro’s action cameras, the Mission 1 Pro ILS leans heavily towards cinema and video rather than still photos, though the ILS is still capable of 50MP still photos.

For video, the Mission 1 Pro ILS packs much of the same specs as the fixed-lens Mission 1 Pro, including the same one-inch sensor, GP3 processor, 8K60, 8K30 open gate, and 1080p 960fps slow motion.

One of the biggest advantages of the ILS is the combination of HyperSmooth with swappable lenses. I spent most of my time with the ILS shooting handheld, yet the footage was surprisingly steady – not quite as good as from the fixed-lens Mission 1 Pro, but I was impressed that HyperSmooth even seemed to work on close-ups.

With HyperSmooth, handheld footage looks solid – not tripod solid, but usable footage that still has enough movement to feel like a POV shot. Occasionally, I did detect a bit of a wobble towards the edges when handheld and (attempting) to hold fairly still.

There was a noticeable fish-eye edge wobble when trying to do fast movement handheld, however, so I think true run-and-gun filmmakers actually running are going to want to pair the ILS with a gimbal.

The other key advantage the ILS has is how tiny it is. That makes it possible to get shots from tight angles. I even tucked the camera into a jar for one shot.

The Mission 1 Pro ILS's small size also makes the camera more mountable – however, dedicated GoPro fans will notice that the interchangeable lens model doesn’t support GoPro’s horizon lock to keep the horizon in the same place.

Mounting the camera on a bicycle with HyperSmooth on, footage was naturally not as steady as the handheld shots, but still impressive for a camera without any mechanical stabilization.

The 8K open gate resolution in 4:3 offers a lot of crop-ability for social videos, while still keeping a high level of detail. Naturally, the sharpness comes from the lens, not the camera, but the 3x crop factor means the ILS is going to be using the sharpest center of MFT lenses.

While the Mission series one-inch sensor is larger than that of a typical GoPro, it’s smaller than a typical cinema camera, which comes into play in low-light scenarios. I recorded some fireflies as dusk turned to dark. The ILS managed to capture some tricky shots at dusk that I don’t think a typical GoPro would have captured.

But, the ILS only stretches to ISO 1600 – which is still quite noisy – and I think the low-light shots hinted at some of the biggest limitations compared to a larger sensor cinema camera.

The ILS has a few color profiles built in, ranging from vibrant to cinematic. I spent much of the time in the cinematic color profiles, and I thought colors looked good, but a little too muted at times. But, the ILS is also equipped with GP-Log2 for the most color flexibility in post.

Much of the image quality coming from the ILS is going to depend on what lens is twisted on the front. But unlike any GoPro before it, that interchangeable lens mount means creators can pick a lens with the right vantage point and sharpness for the project. I loved that I was actually able to get some excellent lens flare and bokeh not typical of a GoPro with the Laowa 7.5mm that I tested.

Mixing a one-inch sensor with an MFT mount gives the ILS a 3x crop factor. That means that the ILS is using the sharpest center of the lens. That will give extra telephoto reach and even turn lenses that aren’t really macro into close-up-capable shooters.

But, that also makes getting an ultra-wide angle far trickier. The lens that I used with the ILS is technically a fisheye, but with the 3x crop, it didn’t have that typical fisheye look and instead functioned more like a 22mm lens.

The audio coming from the built-in array of 4 mics was surprisingly solid for a built-in mic, with minimal wind noise and decent volume for close subjects. GoPro includes the option to record 32-bit float to a separate file for editing. While fantastic for a built-in mic, serious videographers will want an external mic system. The Media Mod offers more ports for mics, while GoPro also launched its first wireless mic alongside the Mission 1 series.

The Mission 1 Pro ILS is a compact cinema camera, so still photos come secondary. The camera can shoot 50MP or 12MP shots with single shot, burst mode, and interval shooting for time lapses available.

There’s a slight one-second countdown before each photo, and after each shot, there’s a short processing period where you can’t shoot another photo until the camera is finished. Bursts are also limited to a pre-set number; you can’t hold the shutter button down until you want the camera to stop shooting.

This setup is one of the reasons the ILS doesn’t feel like a stills camera – you can take photos with it, but the Mission 1 Pro ILS doesn’t operate like a typical mirrorless camera geared for stills. Outside of the small size, the biggest perks of the ILS, like HyperSmooth, all lean towards video.

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: Initial Verdict

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS feels like a cross between an action camera and a mirrorless camera. The small size, stabilization, and 8K open gate are key perks that create a novel filmmaking tool.

There's really nothing like the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS, at least not in the same price range. 8K60 and 8K30p open gate at this price point with swappable lenses is a rare beast.

But while the Mission 1 Pro ILS is GoPro's first mirrorless camera, it's more of a niche filmmaking tool – the Mission 1 Pro ILS isn't designed to go up against the longstanding mirrorless brands like Canon, Sony, and Nikon. For starters, it's built for filmmaking and not stills, but it's also manual focus only and requires external support for heavier lenses.

With a manual focus design and video-first skillset, I wouldn't recommend the Mission 1 Pro ILS for beginner vloggers or still photographers.

And while the one-inch sensor may be large by action camera standards, it's small by mirrorless standards – so I don't see serious filmmakers using the Mission 1 Pro ILS as their primary camera.

But the small, mountable design with the ability to swap lenses is unusual. I can see filmmakers loving the Mission 1 Pro as a secondary purpose-built camera for shooting in tight spaces, mounted rigs, and run-and-gun setups where mobility is key.

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UPDATE: OM System Japan has dropped a second teaser for its new PEN camera, due to launch on September 09.

This time there is less focus on the new camera itself, as it remains entirely in shadow (unlike the original teaser, which gives us a great look at the body). Instead, it positions the new product as a new chapter in the history of the PEN lineup.

First it shows the original Olympus PEN half-frame film camera from 1959, then the Olympus PEN E-P1 from 2009 – which was the company's first ever mirrorless camera. Finally, it shows the outline of the new camera – which, as I discuss below, certainly looks like a PEN-F II. Or maybe a PEN E-P5. Or maybe something new altogether… 

ORIGINAL STORY: Has the day finally come? OM System has just dropped a teaser video for a new camera – and it sure as sugar looks like it could be a successor to the iconic Olympus PEN-F.

"Stay tuned. Something new is coming" states the text on the video (which I've embedded below) announcing a reveal on September 09. Unlike a lot of teasers, we get a surprisingly good look at the camera – which, as you can see, boasts the rangefinder-style silhouette of the manufacturer's PEN cameras (rather than the SLR-style shape of the OM series).

And I may be biased, so you tell me – take a look at the camera shown in the teaser next to three of my PEN cameras: the original Olympus PEN-F film camera, the PEN-F digital camera and the Olympus PEN E-P7, which was the last PEN camera to hit the market:

As you can see, the new camera that OM is teasing bears the same signature two-tier top plate as the PEN-F digital. Most PEN models have had a similar design that homages the original film PENs, but as you can see with the PEN E-P7 – it has been much more subtle, with only the PEN-F digital having a stepdown that's anywhere near as pronounced as we see in the teaser.

Other signposts that we might be looking at a PEN-F II are the fact that the teaser camera has an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Famously, the PEN-F digital was the only camera in the product line that possessed an EVF.

Taking a look at the power switch, I'll grant you, it looks a lot more like the design found on the EP-7 (and it's on the same side, too). However, if you look at the second (rear) dial, you'll note that the E-P7 had both exposure dials on the top plate while the PEN-F digital had the rear dial positioned essentially on the back of the camera – in the same position seen on the teaser.

Finally, the E-P7 has a pop-up flash on the left shoulder and a tilt-only screen. As you can see, the teaser camera – like the PEN-F digital – has no pop-up flash and has a hinged screen that indicates a fully articulating affair.

So, does all this mean that we're looking at an OM System PEN-F II? Well, not necessarily.

While this is certainly a PEN camera, it's entirely possible that this is an evolution of the EP series or even a new line altogether. The old rules, under the Olympus regime, don't necessarily apply any more – so the fact that it has an EVF and articulating screen don't necessarily mean that it's a PEN-F.

But then, by the same token, the old Olympus missive that the PEN-F had to be a premium camera milled from a single ingot of aluminum – which made it a pricey camera that therefore sold under expectations – don't necessarily apply either. This can be a PEN-F that isn't made of aluminum and doesn't carry a high manufacturing cost.

If the Lumix L10 has taught us anything, it's that there is still a huge appetite for a pretty-looking Micro Four Thirds camera – which this new PEN, whatever its designation, is guaranteed to be. But it also has to have modern specs to match – and that's a department where OM System, which is still trotting out long-in-the-tooth 20MP sensors and underwhelming video specs, faces the biggest challenge.

OM has previously told me that every lens it launches will be weather-sealed, because it has styled itself as an outdoor brand. Thus, I expect this camera to be similarly sealed – and it would be the first PEN to possess the feature.

This might also explain what looks to be the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II on the front of the camera in the teaser video. That's a perfect outdoor 35mm equivalent lens for street photography, so it would make sense, though it does pour cold water on hopes for a new pancake lens (like an upgraded version of the M.Zuiko 14-42mm EZ Pancake that doesn't suffer a fatal cable issue).

Whatever it is, we've only got a couple of weeks to wait until OM reveals what this new camera is, does and looks like. You can bet I'll be right there to tell you all about it – quite possibly with my credit card in hand…

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Japan's latest camera sales figures by major retailer Yodobashi are out – and the No.1 is a full-frame mirrorless that many photographers have been waiting for. Since its release in December 2025, the Sony A7 V has regularly topped the sales charts. But the real all-rounder camera champion sits at No.2 and No.4: the Sony A7C II, a compact full-frame that has been on the market for almost three years.

The A7 V is a multi-award-winning camera, having been named Camera of the Year twice by EISA and the Camera Grand Prix, and was also awarded the title Best Full Frame Expert Camera at the TIPA World Awards. When it entered the market around eight months ago, it quickly became one of the most popular cameras in Japan.

But the more interesting success story is the A7C II. Announced in August 2023, it continues to appear among Japan's best-selling mirrorless cameras, beating newer releases more often than some might expect – and there's a good reason why.

Yodobashi's Top 10 best-selling cameras, 1st Half Aug, 2026

1. Sony A7 V
2. Sony A7C II Zoom Lens Kit | Silver | Black
3. Fujifilm X-M5 + XC15-45mm Lens Kit | Silver | Black
4. Sony A7C II | Silver | Black
5. Canon EOS R50 Double Zoom Kit | Black | White
6. Hasselblad X2D II 100C
7. Canon EOS R5 Mark II
8. Canon EOS R10 + RF-S18-150 IS STM Lens Kit
9. Canon EOS R6 Mark II
10. Sony ZV-E10 II Double Zoom Lens Kit | Black | White

The Sony A7 V vs. Sony A7C II

So why is a nearly three-year-old camera still selling alongside Sony's newest full-frame model?

Both the A7 V and A7C II are full-frame mirrorless cameras, but the A7C II has two major advantages: price and portability.

At 514g, it is considerably lighter than the 695g A7 V. The A7C II is currently available for $2,498 / £2,099, while the newer A7 V costs $2,898 / £2,799.

The A7C II is a compact all-rounder that champions performance and portability. It already delivers advanced AF, high-resolution imaging, and solid video capabilities – meaning some users may not see a compelling upgrade in newer models.

That's why, even three years later, the A7C II is still a competitive player in a competitive market that's known to move fast.

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DJI’s next 360 camera will arrive in a September 3 announcement, according to official teasers.

In a teaser shared on August 25, DJI shared a video with the tagline “All Angles. All Epic” alongside a September 3 announcement date. The hashtags accompanying the social media posts make it clear what’s coming: The DJI Osmo 360 II.

The teaser may not come as a surprise for the most dedicated DJI fans – DJI had previously teased its next generation 360 camera earlier this summer, but only in China.

The latest teaser indicates that the 360 camera will be announced outside of China on September 03. With Federal Communications Commission regulations in the US, however, the upcoming camera is unlikely to arrive in the US any time soon.

While the Osmo 360 II’s China-only teaser means the camera doesn’t come as a surprise, DJI’s second generation 360 camera arrives just a little more than a year after the company launched its first entry into the immersive camera space. The original Osmo 360 launched on July 31, 2025.

DJI’s new teaser doesn’t offer many hints as to what’s coming to the Osmo 360 II. The teaser starts with a close-up of the sensor, and showcases a brief glimpse of the lens before offering a glimpse of part of the camera’s exterior.

The original Osmo 360 launched with an unusually large pair of one-inch square sensors. The camera was DJI’s first entry into the 360 camera space, but DCW reviewer Adam Juniper called it “not just a brilliant first 360-degree camera, a new ‘one to beat.’”

That leaves the second generation with a lot to live up to – and barely a year has passed since the first generation launched.

Luckily, DJI fans won’t have to wait too long. DJI says the launch is happening on September 03 at 7 AM EDT / Noon BST.

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There are very few cameras that could survive seven decades without completely reinventing themselves, but the Leica M is one of them.

While the rest of the camera industry moved from rangefinders to SLRs, then DSLRs and eventually mirrorless cameras packed with autofocus, subject detection, and increasingly clever electronics, Leica has spent much of the past 70 years refining essentially the same idea, as Mike Chudley has recently discussed in this YouTube video.

The story begins with the Leica M3, launched at Photokina in 1954 and the camera that established the M-System as we know it today. It introduced Leica's bayonet M-mount and combined its viewfinder and rangefinder into a single window, creating a design that would become instantly recognisable. Remarkably, that basic concept remains alive today – Leica even points out that an M lens dating from 1954 can still be fitted to its latest digital cameras.

Of course, the M has evolved along the way. The M2 introduced 35mm frame lines, the M6 brought integrated exposure metering, and the digital era eventually delivered cameras such as the M9, the first full-frame digital M rangefinder, followed by the CMOS-powered M (Typ 240) and today's 60MP M11 generation. Yet despite enormous changes beneath the skin, the traditional M shooting experience remained wonderfully familiar: manual-only focusing, physical controls and that unmistakable optical rangefinder.

And that is really what makes the Leica M so unusual. With a rangefinder you can see beyond the frame lines and watch subjects enter your composition, while there is no viewfinder blackout when the shutter fires. There is no eye-detection autofocus deciding where the camera should focus, either. You are responsible for distance, focus, exposure and timing, and I think that is exactly why the M continues to appeal in an age when almost every other camera is trying to make photography easier.

Ironically, Leica has now shown that even its most sacred traditions are not completely untouchable. The Leica M EV1, launched in October 2025, became the first M camera to replace the traditional optical rangefinder with an integrated electronic viewfinder.

It still uses manual-focus M lenses and retains the familiar M form, but adds a 5.76-million-dot EVF, focus peaking and magnification to make accurate manual focusing considerably easier. It is probably the biggest change to what we consider an M camera since Leica entered the digital age.

Yet even the M EV1 proves the wider point. Leica has changed sensors, added meters, introduced digital technology and now even experimented with an EVF, but it has stubbornly protected the fundamental idea behind the M-System: a compact, beautifully built camera that puts the photographer firmly in control.

Modern Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras will beat a traditional M on almost any specification sheet, but that has never really been the point. After more than 70 years, perhaps the Leica M's greatest achievement isn't that it refused to evolve – it's that Leica knew exactly which parts were worth changing, and which ones were better left alone.

I have always had a slightly complicated relationship with Leica's Q cameras. I loved shooting with the Leica Q2 Reporter when I reviewed it around its launch, and I have spent plenty of time with the Leica Q3 as well. Both are exceptional cameras in their own right, but there was always one thing stopping me from completely falling for them: that 28mm lens.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Leica's Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. In fact, optically it is superb, and on both the Q2 and Q3 it makes for an incredibly capable combination. The problem was simply me. At the time, I was almost exclusively a 50mm shooter, so moving to 28mm always felt like I was standing just a little too far away from the photograph I actually wanted to make. The camera was brilliant, but the way it saw the world did not quite match the way I did. The Q2 and Q3 could simulate longer focal lengths through their crop modes, but I always wanted that tighter field of view to be there optically from the start. Then, in September 2024, Leica threw something of a curveball.

Rather than simply updating the Q3 again or releasing another special edition, Leica launched the Q3 43. Fundamentally, it was the Q3 that people already knew, complete with its 60MP full-frame sensor, autofocus system and compact form, but on the front was something completely new: an APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH. fixed lens. Suddenly the Q was no longer a camera that effectively told you that 28mm was the Leica way of seeing the world. There was another choice. And for me, that changed everything.

I had always thought that if Leica produced a Q with something closer to a 50mm lens, it would make far more sense for the way I photograph. Leica did not quite give us 50mm, but I actually think its decision to go with 43mm was more interesting. The company reasoned that 43mm provides a perspective close to natural human vision, allowing the photographer to see something, raise the camera, and photograph it with relatively little change in perspective. Leica described the focal length as closely mirroring natural perception, and while arguments about exactly which focal length best represents human eyesight will probably continue forever, I completely understood what Leica was trying to achieve.

It also meant Leica did not simply take the existing Q3 and bolt a longer version of the same lens onto it. The APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH. gave the camera a completely different identity. Some photographers inevitably questioned why Leica had gone from the f/1.7 Summilux on the 28mm Q3 to an f/2 Summicron, but I think that misses the point slightly. This was an apochromatically corrected lens designed specifically for the Q3 43, and Leica clearly wanted outright optical performance as much as outright speed. The company says the lens was engineered to deliver high sharpness and contrast even at its maximum f/2 aperture. More importantly, it opened the Q system up to photographers like me.

Twenty-eight millimetres is fantastic for environmental work, travel, street photography and situations where you want to place a subject firmly within its surroundings. But not everybody sees photographs that way. Some of us naturally isolate things. We see a person across the road, a detail on a building or a moment happening slightly further into a scene and instinctively want to tighten the frame. With 43mm, the Q suddenly allowed you to do that without immediately reaching for a digital crop. That, I believe, is why the Q3 43 mattered far beyond being another Leica launch.

To be clear, Leica did not invent the idea of putting a more normal focal length onto a premium fixed-lens camera. Ricoh had already launched the Ricoh GR IIIx in 2021 with a 40mm-equivalent lens, specifically in response to photographers wanting an alternative to the 28mm GR III. What Leica did differently was take that idea into the very top end of the market and prove that photographers were prepared to spend serious money on it. I do not have Leica's internal sales figures, so I cannot tell you categorically how many Q3 43 bodies were sold compared with the regular Q3. But I can tell you what I saw.

Around the launch, getting hold of one appeared incredibly difficult. Stock disappeared, retailers had waiting lists, and for a while the Q3 43 seemed to be one of those cameras that people were desperate to find. Then something happened that really stuck with me. I was out shooting in London not long after launch and saw six Leica Q3 43 cameras being used in a single day. A week or so later, I saw another two being used on a beach in Cornwall.

Eight cameras might not sound remarkable when you are talking about Canon, Sony or Nikon, where thousands upon thousands of bodies are circulating. But eight examples of the same brand-new Leica, a camera costing several thousand pounds, appearing in front of me within roughly a week? That got my attention.

It suggested to me that the Q3 43 was reaching beyond the traditional Leica audience. These did not feel like cameras being bought simply because somebody wanted another Leica for the collection. The Q3 43 made sense as a standalone photographic tool, and I suspect it brought plenty of photographers into the Leica ecosystem who might never have considered an M camera or an interchangeable-lens SL. That is where I think its wider influence becomes particularly interesting.

Within months, the premium fixed-lens camera market suddenly felt far more important. Fujifilm unveiled the GFX100RF in March 2025, taking its 102MP large-format sensor and putting it into the first fixed-lens GFX camera. Its native lens remained a 28mm-equivalent design, so it was not copying the Q3 43's focal length, but the philosophy was remarkably familiar: take extremely high image quality, pair the sensor permanently with a carefully optimised prime lens and build the whole thing into a camera that photographers could carry without an interchangeable-lens system.

Then Sony returned to a category it had effectively left dormant for almost a decade. In July 2025, it launched the Sony RX1R III, combining a 61MP full-frame sensor with a fixed 35mm f/2 Zeiss lens. Sony even added Step Crop Shooting for 35mm, 50mm and 70mm framing, leaning heavily into the idea that a high-resolution sensor and one exceptional fixed prime could provide more flexibility than the words "fixed lens" might initially suggest.

Can I prove that Leica's Q3 43 caused Fujifilm to build the GFX100RF or persuaded Sony to resurrect the RX1R? No, and development cycles mean those cameras would almost certainly have been taking shape long before the Q3 43 reached customers. But I do think Leica helped validate where the market was heading. It showed there was serious appetite for an expensive, highly specialised camera that deliberately removed the choice of interchangeable lenses and instead concentrated on giving photographers one excellent way of seeing. That is an important distinction.

For years, camera development was largely about giving us more. More lenses, more focal lengths, more megapixels, more video modes, more autofocus modes and more buttons. Cameras like the Q3 43 work almost in the opposite direction. They give you an incredibly capable sensor and then deliberately restrict one of the biggest choices a photographer normally has. Here is your lens. Here is your field of view. Now go and make photographs. And photographers clearly embraced that.

Today, the situation is very different from those first frantic months after launch. In the UK, major retailers now show the Q3 43 either in stock or available in limited quantities rather than with the long waits that surrounded it early on. Park Cameras currently lists it as in stock, while Wex has recently shown limited stock. It has gone from being the Leica everybody appeared to be hunting for to an established part of the Q family.

I think that is perhaps the greatest compliment you can give it. The Q3 43 did not feel like a novelty that Leica produced simply because it could. It became a genuine alternative to the regular Q3. And that changed the conversation around fixed-lens cameras.

The question was no longer simply whether you could live with a fixed lens. It became which fixed lens you wanted.

That sounds like a small difference, but I think it is enormous. Leica effectively turned focal length into a model choice rather than a limitation. Instead of choosing between a compact camera and an interchangeable-lens camera, photographers could start choosing between different interpretations of the same compact-camera philosophy.

The original Q3 remains an incredible camera and, for photographers who naturally see the world at 28mm, it probably remains the better choice. But for those of us who always wanted to step slightly closer without physically doing so, the Q3 43 finally made the Q concept click.

I wanted a Q with a tighter lens for years. Leica eventually gave me one, just not quite the 50mm I expected. And in doing so, I think it helped reshape what the premium compact camera could be.

Shop Leica Q3 43

It’s taken me a while to get my hands on the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow, one of the company’s most popular non-cellular trail cameras. Bushnell has long been recognised for its outdoor optics, and this unit is aimed at wildlife enthusiasts or spotters who want a good level of visual detail with little fuss.

If you’re interested in specs, the camera’s main shoutouts include 4K video at 20fps, 30MP stills (interpolated) and improved storage up to a 512GB SD card, meaning you can leave the camera for longer without worrying about filling the memory too quickly.

The S-4K No Glow isn’t a new model. Released around mid-2021, it’s effectively the slightly more affordable sibling to the Bushnell Core DS-4K No Glow (the DS standing for double sensor) that we tested back in 2022. The S-4K shares the same heavy-duty casing and 4K capability but uses one 4K sensor that relies on an automatic mechanical IR filter to switch between day and night capture.

The S-4K No Glow faces tough competition in our guides to the best trail cameras and best wildlife cameras, but on paper at least it excels in a few areas. Firstly, the camera offers what I’ll call ‘true’ 4K video resolution. I’ve come to realise that many budget trail cameras advertise 4K video, but actually use software interpolation to take a lower-resolution sensor (like 1080p or 720p) and stretch the pixels to fit a 4K frame. And the result is footage that still looks pixelated.

So the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow records full 4K, which promises better fine detail to the picture. But of course, resolution is only one element in determining footage quality; dynamic range, flash range, and trigger speed all contribute, too. With a trigger speed of 0.2 seconds for photos, 0.4 seconds for video, the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow is near the top of its class for response time among ~$200 non-cellular cameras. And as its name suggests, the camera also has completely invisible IR flash, meaning it shouldn't spook shy mammals or alert walkers-by to its location.

One thing niggling me about the S-4K No Glow was the spec that footage maxes out at just 20fps in 4K. I don’t want stuttery footage when recording fast-moving animals, and anything under 25 or 30fps can create that. It is possible to set higher frame rates with the S-4K No Glow, but only by dropping the recording resolution down to 1080p.

With the Core S-4K, it feels like Bushnell is pitching an unpretentious, reliable workhorse for serious wildlife watchers who want sharp footage but don’t need apps and remote footage. But it’s about five years old now. Should this make us worry about outdated tech, or does it still hold its weight against newer rivals from Browning and Spypoint? I took it out into my local British woodland to see if its single-sensor setup and fast trigger rates delivered the premium picture promised, or if I’d end up missing the remote convenience of a cellular connection.

Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow: Specifications

Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow: Price

The Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow retails at around $200/£190, putting it in the premium tier of traditional, non-cellular trail cameras. At first, I thought that tag sounded steep for a camera that can’t send images directly to your phone, especially when budget brands like Stealth Cam or GardePro offer entry-level models for half this price. But Bushnell is targeting wildlife enthusiasts wanting native high-resolution video and instant trigger speeds over wireless phone updates.

Where the Core S-4K leads the market is that, unlike cheaper 4K cameras that use digital interpolation to fake resolution, it uses a dedicated dual-sensor array to capture true, native 4K video. It is also one of the few cameras in its class to support full 512GB SDXC storage, allowing you to shoot 4K clips for longer without filling the card.

The camera faces some competition from the Browning Recon Force Elite HP5 Ultra (2026 model). This maxes out at 1440p, but offers a smoother 60fps frame rate for action shots compared to Bushnell's 30fps at 4K, and half the trigger recovery time at 0.5 seconds. Being a non-cellular model, of course, there are no data subscriptions to factor in. The Core S-4K No Glow is a fair price for a high-end trail camera, though it’s not exceptional value either.

Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow: Design & Handling

To look at quickly, the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow resembles any quintessential camo trail camera. Its tree-bark-inspired camouflage is designed to blend into woodland trunks, and doesn’t do a bad job – though the cool reads a little too cool gray for a UK woodland in summer.

It’s a minimalist cubed design, and the only indication of external branding is a subtly embossed 'B' on the front door. Size-wise, it’s a relatively light and compact model measuring 6.5 x 10.5 x 15cm, as there's no cellular antenna or solar panel to consider. It sits nearly 2cm flatter than the Browning Strike Force HD Pro X1080 I tested most recently, so it sits more flush against a tree trunk or flat mounting post out in the field.

The camera’s handling also follows a familiar layout for anyone who has used modern trail gear. There’s a heavy-duty latch holding the fold-open front door shut with a solid snap. I couldn't find an official IP rating for weatherproofing.

I tested the camera during the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer, so while I can’t vouch for its ability to keep out water, I’ll say that the Core S-4K certainly feels solid and well-constructed. The weather sealing is handled by a thick rubber gasket running along the inner rim to keep the internal buttons isolated from rain and humidity.

As is standard again for trail cams, you open up the secure latch from right to left to reveal the control center. The layout is super simple: a four-way plastic arrow pad with a central OK button, a dedicated menu button, an on/off toggle switch, and an eject button for the battery compartment. The plastic buttons feel a little more rattly than some rivals I’ve tested, but they respond predictably enough – and realistically, nobody buys a trail camera for its button feel. It’s a shame they don’t light up, mind.

On the right side of the casing is the SD card slot and a 9V DC external power jack. Placing the SD slot on the side rather than the bottom makes inserting and retrieving memory cards easy, even when the unit is strapped to a tree. The same can be said for pressing the release button to drop out the 6 x AA battery tray.

The batteries load smoothly, which isn’t always the case, and I found that the tray slides smoothly up and back into place. Though Bushnell says you might get a year out of full batteries, it’s reassuring to know that you can swap power in seconds without needing to unmount the camera from its position.

Above the control panel sits the welcome 1.5-inch color LCD, useful for double-checking your framing and camera angles before walking away. Because of its small size and basic resolution, I found it functions more as an alignment guide rather than a precise monitor for reviewing footage. I struggled to pick out any fine details and had to wait to view clips on a proper laptop monitor when I came home.

Setting up trail cameras can be more fiddly than it needs to be. But running through the Bushnell settings menu using the arrow keys makes for one of the simplest setups I've experienced. The interface has a high-contrast black-and-white design, and while I think this would make navigating menus in dark woods easy, the small display size still meant my (usually good) eyes struggled a bit, forcing me to get up close to read what settings I was changing. Still, for usability and hassle-free mounting, the S-4K No Glow gets the core fundamentals right.

Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow: Performance

Above: Sample clips from the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow

I’ve been testing several trail cameras over the past few months, and like those other models, I strapped the Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow to a tree in my local British woodland for several weeks. I regularly swapped between 30MP stills and 4K video clips to see how its single-sensor setup holds up in real-world conditions. One big perk over other models I’ve tried is that you can also set it to ‘hybrid’.

This 2-in-1 mode where it’ll shoot an image first, then begin recording a full 4K video clip (for whatever duration you set. It’s the mode I found myself using most often, particularly as you can’t change the mode remotely without cellular. That way, I got a still image for quick identification, backed up by motion footage to observe the animal more closely.

Working this way adds a slight operational delay compared to running it in photo-only mode. Because the camera has to capture/process a photo and then switch to recording 4K video, there’s a tiny lag between the initial photo and the start of the video clip. There’s also a slightly longer recovery time before the camera can trigger a second sequence.

Supposedly, running Hybrid Mode also burns through battery power faster, but this isn’t something I noticed. After two weeks of running the camera in a set-and-forget way, the battery gauge looked nearly full. In Bushnell's menu system, when the camera is set to its highest infrared output (Long Range or High illumination mode), nighttime video clips are limited to 15 seconds to prevent battery drain and thermal overload.

With the camera set to its highest trigger sensitivity and its quoted 0.2-second trigger speed, I found it genuinely responsive. Looking at my test frames in photo mode (not hybrid), both a trotting fox and a roe deer were captured in the middle of the frame rather than disappearing off the edge. However, even with rapid firing, fast animal movement in low light still produces noticeable motion blur, particularly around shuffling legs and paws.

Despite Bushnell touting 30MP stills and true native 4K video, the visual reality under a dense canopy is mixed. Looking at my daylight capture of a roe deer, the hair textures on its flank looked a little smudged and painted rather than tack-sharp – a reminder that high megapixel counts can’t overcome a single sensor struggling with dynamic range.

Color balance is partly a personal choice, and every trail camera renders slightly differently in this respect. Comparing the daylight capture of a roe deer directly against a very similar shot from the Browning Strike Force HD Pro X1080 highlights the Bushnell's variation. Where the Browning renders natural, warm woodland earth tones with soft highlight roll-off, the Bushnell shifts heavily toward a cold, teal-tinted white balance. Vibrancy is also punchier, where the Browning leans towards a more natural appearance overall.

Transition periods and night captures highlight the strengths and limits of the single sensor. An early-morning grayscale capture of a squirrel on a fallen log demonstrated that while the resolution is sufficient to spot small mammals, low-contrast dawn light leaves the image looking flat and washed out, making it tricky to pick out subjects.

But at night, the completely invisible "No-Glow" IR array comes into its own. The light beam is spread evenly across the middle distance without there being bright hotspots in the middle, In one shot I tracked a cat without spooking it or triggering any eye-glare reactions (don’t ask me what it was doing in the middle of a wood, though). Close-range auto-exposure is a bit harsher; when a muntjac deer grazed the bottom edge of the frame, the lower LEDs hit more directly, overexposing its back – but that’s getting into picky territory.

You can record media with or without data strips imprinted onto the bottom. Here, I’ve chosen to include them for illustration – the Bushnell records time, date, moon phase, and temperature. Like most trail cameras I’ve tested, the internal thermometer ran a couple of degrees higher than ambient woodland temps, but as a basic logging tool for local animal activity, it does the job.

Switching over to 4K video clips, the impact of the 20fps cap is apparent, but by no means awful. Watching a nocturnal fox pace across the scene, the footage is sharp and undeniably clear for identifying species, but the tail and stepping paws have a slight, juddery motion that lacks the fluid polish of 30fps or 60fps video.

Again, the No-Glow IR matrix leaves animals completely unbothered, and the fox trotted past without a single glance toward the tree. Audio capture is more than functional. It picked up the faint crunch of footsteps on dry leaves, and though the microphone introduces a background hiss that gives it a slightly tinny, compressed edge, this is something all trail cams contend with.

Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow: Verdict

The Bushnell Core S-4K No Glow is an honest and practical choice for wildlife watchers who want high visual resolution without a monthly data subscription. I'd be confident in the batteries lasting months, but if you do want to go long stretches without checking the camera, you'll need a high-capacity SD card (and the camera supports up to 512GB).

Unlike Low-Glow models, I found that the Bushnell's stealthy No-Glow IR flash performed brilliantly at night, illuminating woodland paths without scaring nocturnal creatures. I also particularly rate the Hybrid Mode, which lets you capture a high-resolution photo alongside motion-backed 4K video for easy field monitoring.

The optical claims aren't without caveats, though. Under a dense and leafy woodland canopy, I found that the sensor could struggle with dynamic range – blowing out sunny highlights and pushing shadows toward an unnaturally cold, teal. Heavy internal processing left finer fur textures looking a bit smudged, and the 20fps cap at max resolution introduces a subtle judder to fast-moving animals.

If you want fluid 60fps action or remote app transfers, newer cellular trail cameras from Browning or Spypoint might suit you better. But if your main goal is long-term, unpretentious local recording with dependable 0.2-second response times and fantastic 2-in-1 captures, I think the Core S-4K No Glow is still a solid contender.

Alternatives

Check out our full guides to the best trail cameras, and also the best cellular trail cameras

Japanese electronics retailer Yodobashi Camera has released its top-selling camera rankings for the second half of July 2026. The Sony A7 V reigns at the top spot and, for the first time, its kit bundle featuring an FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II cracked the chart, landing in the tenth spot.

Yodobashi releases its top 10 best-selling cameras report twice monthly, for the first and second halves of each month, compiling sales data from its online store as well as 24 brick-and-mortar locations across Japan.

Positions 2 to 8 remained the same as for the first half of July, with the 100MP medium format Hasselblad X2D II 100C continuing its unexpected Japanese momentum in third place with the renowned Canon EOS R5 II in seventh.

But the dominance of the A7 V, the latest in Sony’s prosumer A7 lineup, is worthy of note. According to Map Camera, another major Japanese retailer, following its release in late 2025 the A7 V “swept through the market,” dominating Map’s charts for 4 months consecutively.

Yodobashi top 10 digital cameras (second half July 2026)

1. Sony A7 V
2. Sony A7C II kit (FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6)
3. Hasselblad X2D II 100C
4. Sony A7C II
5. Fujifilm X-M5 kit (XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ)
6. Canon EOS R50 double zoom kit (RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM + RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM)
7. Canon EOS R5 Mark II
8. Nikon Z50 II double zoom kit (Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR + Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR)
9. Canon EOS R10 kit (RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM)
10. Sony A7 V kit (FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II)

It’s no wonder Sony has topped sales charts, considering how well the A7 V is geared toward both stills and video.

The hybrid camera features a 33MP partially stacked sensor, up to 30fps blackout-free shooting, 7.5 stops of in-body image stabilization, plus oversampled 4K 60p video with 4K 120p in a Super35 crop.

However, the Sony rig sits at the higher end of the prosumer hybrid setup price range, with an RRP of $2,899 / £2,799 UK / AU$3,999.

Currently a Sony A7 III shooter, I certainly recommend the A7 V – but there’s an alternative that doesn’t appear in Yodabshi’s best-selling list I’d look at before deciding: the Panasonic Lumix S1R II.

This is Panasonic’s flagship full-frame mirrorless hybrid, featuring a 44MP sensor, Phase Hybrid AF with AI tracking and internal 8K video recording.

Since moving away from the old Depth From Defocus (DFD) contrast-based AF system to the newer Phase Hybrid AF system, Lumix cameras have seen their performance bolstered and popularity grow.

What’s more, not only do the S1R II’s specs rival the Sony A7 V’s, but it’s a flagship model for just $100 more in the US (£100 less in the UK / AU$1,000 more in Australia). So, just because Lumix doesn’t make Japan’s top-10 sales ranking doesn’t mean it isn’t worth considering.

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Here’s our pick of the best mirrorless cameras. Find the perfect model for beginners through professionals.

There was a lot of discussion surrounding the Panasonic Lumix L10. But it's fair to say that the bulk of it was about, well, the bulk of it.

It was pretty unaninmous that the L10 is a fantastic compact camera – but it was also pretty unanimous that it was too big to be considered "compact".

Indeed, a lot of people lamented that it's bigger than the Lumix LX100 – a camera that Panasonic doesn't make any more. But just because Panasonic doesn't make it any more, doesn't mean you can't still buy it!

There were so many people saying, "I would buy this if it was smallerm" and "This would be the perfect compact camera if it was the size of the LX100".

Folks, the LX100 already exists! You can buy it right now!

It's always baffled me that camera reviewers – and tech reviewers in general – seem to forget about anything that isn't on the shelves right now. I understand that people want to read about what's new, but kit doesn't cease to exist just because it's not currently being manufactured.

The Lumix LX100 is a perfect case in point.

Right now, everyone is looking for a truly pocketable, powerful compact camera. Everyone wanted that luscious Leica 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 lens in a smaller body. What they're looking for is the LX100 – or perhaps the Lumix LX100 II.

The Lumix LX100 packs a 16.84MP sensor while the LX100 II's is 21.77MP sensor, with both cameras offering the same multi-aspect ratio shooting experience as the L10 (for up to 12.7MP or 17MP resolution respectively).

The autofocus is Panasonic's more leisurely DFD system (Depth From Defocus, aka contrast detect), which isn't as snappy as the L10's Phase Hybrid AF, but for the sedate kind of everyday, travel and street shooting you'll be doing, it's absolutely fine.

When it comes to continuous shooting, the LX100 actually out-bursts the L10's 30fps by offering up to 40fps in Super High speed mode, though the caveat is that these are low-res 3MP files. Otherwise, both the LX100 and LX100 II match the L10's 11fps mechanical speed (but bursts with AF are limited to 5.5 and 6.5fps respectively).

Obviously there is a gaping chasm in video capability, with the L10 offering 5.6K 60p with all the bells and whistles, while its predecessors are capped at more basic 4K 30p – though pretty much everyone concedes that these are primarily stills cameras.

Still, the most important aspect of this conversation is the size: where the L10 lumbers in at 127.1 x 73.9 x 66.9mm and 508g, the L100 is a mere 114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0mm and 393g while the LX100 II is a bit more butch at 115.0 x 66.2 x 64.2 mm and 392g.

Those numbers may not look like much on paper but, as you can see, in practice they make all the difference. The L10 is the same size as the Lumix S9, a full frame mirrorless camera, while the LX100 (in particular) and the LX100 II are truly compact compact cameras.

The only issue, of course, is that these cameras aren't current… but again, they are still very much available! The LX100 you see here came from MPB, a used camera specialist that's a great equalizer when it comes to conversations like this.

When you buy from somewhere like MPB, you're not limited to what a company is trying to sell you right now – you can explore its entire back-catalog to find the camera you actually want. So, if you want a camera that's closer to the LX100 than the L10, I recommend you give it a look.

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Take a look at the best compact cameras, which comprises everything from the best point-and-shoots to the best APS-C compacts to the best full-frame compacts.

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III launched in 2019 at a time when compact cameras were losing steam to smartphones. But then, five years after it launched, something unusual happened: influencers discovered what the camera’s one-inch sensor and zoom lens could do. And suddenly, the aging G7 X Mark III was a viral sensation.

But because the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III’s viral fame came as point-and-shoots were declining, the camera’s fame came at a cost – literally. With the unexpected surge in popularity, the G7 X Mark III quickly went out of stock. Used prices shot up, and third-party sellers started charging far more than the camera’s $879 / £859 / AU$1,349 list price.

Canon hasn’t been sitting on the trend, either – the camera maker has already increased compact camera production several times. Last August, Canon officially said that the G7 X Mark III was among the models that had increased production and the company resumed orders for the popular camera in Japan.

But one year later, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is still so popular that it’s hard to find in stock – at least, at list price. In the US, even used models of the G7 X Mark III are selling for more than $1,500 at reputable used camera stores like KEH, MBP and Adorama.

The PowerShot’s popularity isn’t unwarranted. The camera uses a 20.1MP, 1-inch sensor that’s larger than that of the average point-and-shoot camera.

But while compact cameras with larger sensors aren’t hard to find, the G7 X Mark III also packs a 24-240mm equivalent zoom lens. That longer lens is more flattering for portraits, helping to drive the camera’s viral popularity among influencers and content creators.

But creators also rave about its built-in flash, which is far more powerful than that of a smartphone's. Where a phone uses LED lights, the G7 X Mark III uses a Xenon flash – which is more powerful and helps deliver that more retro direct flash look.

As compacts have resurged in trends, camera makers have been scrambling to add new options – and there are now far more to choose from than when the G7 X Mark III first went viral in 2024. Yet the camera still has a unique blend of sensor, lens and flash.

The new Panasonic Lumix L10 has a larger Micro Four Thirds sensor and a 24-75mm equivalent zoom, but there’s no flash.

The longtime favorite Sony RX100 VII – released the same year as the G7 X Mark III – has a longer lens and still has a flash, but the aperture isn’t as bright, and the list price is far higher (though about equal to what used G7 X Mark III’s are selling for).

Canon’s own PowerShot V1 has a similar sensor, but uses a wider lens with a shorter 16-50mm focal range for photos. Because the V1 is meant more for vlogging, the camera doesn’t have a built-in flash (though there’s a Multi-Function Shoe that supports some Canon flashes and standard flashes with a hot shoe adapter).

This year marks the PowerShot series’ 30th anniversary – and the milestone is coming at a time when compacts have made a comeback, despite the capabilities of camera phones.

Canon has increased compact camera production multiple times since the G7 X Mark III went viral and said that production will increase again in the second half of 2026. The question that remains is this: when will the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III be readily available at list price?

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Don't want to wait? These are the best cameras with zoom. Or, take a look at the best compact cameras.

The earliest camera phones came with megapixel counts that required a decimal point. But as modern camera phones are surpassing the triple-digit megapixel mark, one camera store in Japan has noticed a trend: the low-resolution compact cameras from two decades ago are suddenly in high demand.

A used camera store chain in Japan, Five Star Camera, has such a large selection of older cameras – and, in particular, CCD-sensor-based compact cameras – that the store says around 90% of its customers come from overseas.

But a recent interview with the store’s representatives highlights a few key trends in the used camera industry – especially the dominance of early 2000s compacts, which have become so popular that some now sell for 400% their original price.

“Among compact digital cameras, models equipped with CCD sensors of around 5 to 7 megapixels are particularly popular,” Ryoya Hayakawa, the manager for the Nishi-Shinjuku branch of Five Star Camera, told Japanese publication DC Watch (translated by Google).

“Their grainy image quality is favored as a retro style that iPhones can't replicate. However, there's a tendency towards prioritizing looks over specifications, a trend often referred to as the ‘Y2K style.’”

While early 2000s digital compact cameras have been trending for a few years now, the interview highlights a key reason behind the trend: “Looks over specifications.”

The demand for 20-year-old compact cameras is about getting a certain look to the images. Digital cameras have now largely moved away from CCD sensors to CMOS, but the older sensor format is particularly well known for its color rendering.

Whether or not CCD sensors deliver a more “film-like” look is a highly debated topic among photographers, but Y2K-era cameras in themselves have a unique retro look: the lower-resolution files, early digital color science and cheaper lenses inside basic point-and-shoots create a certain quality.

That was often paired with a powerful direct flash that, in itself, also carries a retro vibe.

The drive ”backwards” towards less perfect, low-tech cameras is an interesting turn as digital photography reaches exceedingly advanced capabilities with high resolution, global shutters, and faster frame rates.

The trend towards older cameras highlights the fact that the value in a photograph is often not the technical quality but the memory itself.

Yet there is a downside to the continued trend towards using old compact cameras: price. Five Star Camera noted that some models are going for four times their original price, such as early Ricoh GR series cameras.

The interview echoes a previous report from another camera store in Japan, Komehyo, that hinted the demand for used compact cameras has increased five times over what the market looked like five to six years ago.

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The compact camera trend is putting portability back in the spotlight, but one start-up is working to build a camera so small, it’s only about the size of a lipstick and weighs less than a golf ball. The SNYP Pocket Camera is an unusually shaped camera with a rotating lens.

The SNYP Pocket Camera weighs just 33g, but the rectangular shape and small size mean you'd be forgiven if you mistook it for a tube of lipstick.

The size isn’t the only unusual feature. The camera’s lens, which sits at the top of the “lipstick” tube, can rotate 360 degrees. That rotation allows users to still see the 1.45-inch screen when snapping selfies.

The small camera still manages to fit in a 16MP resolution for stills and 2K for video, though the start-up doesn’t say what size or kind of sensor is tucked inside the tiny camera.

The SNYP Pocket Camera comes with a handful of built-in filters that swap with the press of a button. There’s one inspired by retro film, but there’s also another inspired by CCD sensors and early 2000s compact cameras.

Because of the small size, there's no built-in flash.

Along with shooting photos and videos, the camera has an audio-only mode, allowing it to double as a voice recorder.

At the bottom, the camera has a microSD card slot and a USB-C port for charging and transferring images. At the top, the camera has a vent for cooling and heat dissipation.

The size of the Pocket Camera reminds me a bit of the Kodak Charmera. The camera from SNYP lacks a keychain and comes with an unusual rotating lens and higher resolution, but the compact design, built-in screen, and different filter options feel like the upcoming camera could be trying to go after the same audience.

The SNYP Pocket Camera is launching on Kickstarter, with the campaign ending on August 26. Pledges begin at $49 (about £36 / AU$69 CA$68), with shipping estimated for November 2026. The camera is expected to retail for twice that outside of the crowdfunding platform.

All crowdfunding pledges carry some risk. The Pocket Camera is the first campaign from the startup SNYP.

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One researcher at Michigan State University says he’ll be spending the next three months pulling memory cards on more than a thousand trail cameras – yet the data powered by the camera traps is proving to be more reliable and less intensive than traditional methods of monitoring the health of the endangered gray wolf population.

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the gray wolf population has recovered enough that the species may no longer need to be labeled as endangered, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The insight comes from a series of 1,311 trail cameras, the first time the state has successfully tracked and monitored the gray wolf population for an entire year.

While the gray wolf is still a federally protected species, the latest research suggests that the numbers have exceeded the DNR’s population recovery goals. Data from the camera surveys could help the gray wolf be officially reclassified as a recovered species.

While researcher and doctoral candidate Matt Nelson says he will be pulling memory cards to gather the next year’s worth of data from now until October, the series of trail cameras is proving to be a less labor-intensive and less weather-dependent method of monitoring the species’ population.

Previously, the DNR would track the population of the gray wolf using snow tracks in the winter, which could follow wolf packs across as much as 60% of the Upper Peninsula. But monitoring the health of the species by snow tracks only offers a seasonal insight into the population and can be highly weather-dependent.

Using a series of trail cameras, researchers used machine learning software to analyze the images and flag wolves and disregard other species, with researchers fact-checking the computer program for accuracy. The count was then put into an “event-to-space” algorithm that estimates the population based on what the cameras detect.

At the same time, researchers continued to use snow tracks while the trail cameras were used. Both studies found a similar estimate for the wolf population, suggesting that the trail cameras have a similar accuracy.

The snow tracking method estimated 768 wolves, while the camera survey estimated 773 during the winter of 2024. In the fall months, the camera population estimate exceeds 1,000 wolves, with the highest being 1,198 in October 2024.

The fact that the trail camera survey didn’t lead to any surprises compared to traditional survey methods suggests that the tech is accurate. “There were no real surprises. The camera survey worked really well and aligned with what we know about wolf ecology,” Nelson said.

By using a series of trail cameras, researchers were able to monitor the fluctuation of the wolf population across an entire year, noting that the count was the lowest in the winter but surged again in the spring after the birth of new pups.

The cameras tend to detect the most wolves in the fall, as that’s the time of year when the younger pups are old enough to join the pack instead of staying behind in the den.

The Michigan DNR has a similar program for tracking the gray fox, but the trail camera system could eventually be used to track the population of more than those species.

Next, researchers are pulling SD cards from more than 1,000 cameras for the 2025 data.

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I hear a lot of people talking about autofocus as if it’s some kind of cheat code: it’s taken the challenge away from photography – you can’t miss. And while I certainly think that AF algorithms have advanced tenfold in the era of the mirrorless camera, changing the game forever, it worries me that beginner or intermediate photographers might feel like they’re doing something wrong when they miss focus.

Let me tell you, I’m a photography educator with years of experience and I still miss focus regularly. Granted, how much you’re likely to miss depends on what you’re shooting. But it also depends on your standards for critical focus. I’m somebody who likes to know that I’ve absolutely nailed my focus and it really bugs me when I haven’t.

Other photographers have different standards – and that’s not to say they’re wrong. Something I’ve had to work on in recent years is my tendency to overemphasize the importance of critical focus and be a bit more lenient with my images. But what I’m interested to know is where does this myth that you can’t miss actually come from?

The ‘you can’t miss’ myth

Autofocus is so much more than camera tech. The lens, aperture, light, and subject all affect your hitrate. It’s one thing for a camera reviewer to test a body with a ‘nifty fifty’ at f/8 in broad daylight, and a whole other ballgame for a wildlife photographer shooting in drab weather at f/2.8 with a 200mm lens, trying to focus on a red squirrel that won’t keep still! Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been that camera reviewer and the time you get with a new release and the lens that comes with it means that the latter scenario is rarely an option. But you get my drift.

As someone who enjoys photographing both sports and wildlife, I can tell you that no current autofocus system is capable of hitting a darting critter’s eye or the helmet of a superbike rider consistently. These situations usually require long lenses, which complicate things further. You’re usually shooting at a fast aperture in order to gather more light so you can increase your shutter speed and compensate for camera shake.

All of this results in a much smaller depth of field, allowing far less margin for error if you don’t quite hit your intended point of focus. And since long lenses amplify camera shake, the setup is moving around a lot more, causing the camera to refocus more than usual. Add low light into the mix, and even advanced hybrid-autofocus systems will find the situation more challenging. So, not matter how good your autofocus system is, you absolutely can miss. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

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Want more of my ramblings? Nikon never bothered to support the Nikon Zf and Zfc with retro-cool lenses, but thanks to Voigtlander it doesn’t need to. You can’t buy heritage: Why Nikon still rules as it celebrates its 109th birthday! Plus, “Overwhelming” demand forces Nikon to halt Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S orders (report).

Compact cameras have been rapidly rising in trends, but the latest list of trending cameras from Japan hints at another trend that may be prevailing over size: zoom. Some 40% of the best-selling compact cameras in Japan have at least 15x zoom, including the newly launched Sony RX10 V bridge camera.

The data comes from Japanese camera retailer Yodobashi’s list of best-selling compacts for the second half of July. While the list includes several repeat offenders – like the top-ranked Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS and the viral Fujifilm X100VI – one camera on the list is so new that sales were only open for a single day in July.

The RX10 V only became available on July 31, but the bridge camera came as a surprise announcement after Sony had previously discontinued the 1-inch sensor zoom series without a sign of a replacement.

The RX10 V is hardly a “compact” camera; it weighs about 2 lbs / 1,111g, thanks to a highly versatile 24-600mm equivalent lens. As a bridge camera, it looks more like a small DSLR than a point-and-shoot camera, but Yodobashi defines anything with a fixed, non-removable lens as a “compact camera,” so the superzoom made the list.

The Sony RX10 V sits squarely in the middle of the top ten at spot number five, but that’s quite an impressive ranking for a camera that, technically, only had one day of sales compared to the other cameras on the list that were available during that entire time period.

The RX10 V is one of four cameras on the list with a versatile zoom lens. The PowerShot SX740 HS (second place) has the longest of the bunch with a 40x lens, followed by the Panasonic Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 with a 30x zoom (eighth place), the RX10 V with 25x (fifth place) and the Panasonic Lumix ZS300/TZ300 with a 15x zoom lens (tenth place).

The list hints that zoom remains a key feature for compact cameras – even when that zoom makes the camera no longer pocketable, as is the case with the Sony RX10 V.

While the list is dominated by cameras with zoom, compacts with oversized sensors remain highly popular. The Fujifilm X100VI sits in third place, but is out of stock and likely could have ranked even higher had more been available.

The Ricoh GR IV – which, like the X100VI, has an APS-C sensor – is also so popular that it’s out of stock at the retailer, but still manages to earn a sixth-place spot in the rankings.

While much of the list leans towards cameras with zoom, the GR IV and X100VI use lenses without optical zoom, instead fitting a larger sensor and brighter aperture into a portable design.

The list also includes one popular vlogging camera, the Sony ZV-1 II, which has an 18-50mm equivalent lens.

The list also highlights the popularity of point-and-shoots that sit on the more affordable side, with two budget models on the list, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A (known as the Canon IXY 650m in Japan) and the Kodak PixPro C1.

The best-selling compact cameras at Yodobashi, second half of July 2026

1. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III
2. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS
3. Fujifilm X100VI
4. Sony ZV-1 II
5. Sony RX10 V
6. Ricoh GR IV
7. Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A
8. Panasonic Lumix TZ99
9. Kodak Pixpro C1
10. Panasonic Lumix ZS300/TZ300

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When you think of the world’s largest camera manufacturers, your mind probably jumps straight to Canon, Sony or Nikon. Leica? Probably not.

Leica is the luxury option; the beautifully engineered German camera brand that makes expensive rangefinders, exquisite M lenses and cameras assembled with an almost obsessive attention to detail. But I recently started counting Leica’s current cameras and something rather surprising happened: I got to 16!

Yes, Leica currently makes 16 distinct camera models. Look at the M-System alone and you have the Leica M11, M11-P, M11-D, M11 Monochrom and the new Leica M EV1 on the digital side. And it still manufactures the M6, MP and completely mechanical Leica M-A for film photographers.

That's eight cameras before we have even left the M-System.

Then there is the SL mirrorless system. Leica currently offers the SL3, SL3-S, and recently introduced Leica SL3-P, giving photographers and filmmakers three distinctly different full-frame professional bodies.

The SL3 concentrates on high-resolution 60MP photography, the SL3-S takes a faster 24MP hybrid approach, while the SL3-P sits between them with a 44MP sensor and some seriously impressive photo and video credentials. Suddenly we are at 11 cameras.

And we are nowhere near finished. The Q family now consists of the Leica Q3 with its 28mm Summilux, the Q3 43 with its more natural 43mm perspective, and the Q3 Monochrom, which takes the same fundamental idea and builds it around a dedicated 60MP black-and-white sensor.

Add the Leica D-Lux 8, a premium compact camera, and the Leica Sofort 2, a luxury hybrid instant camera, and there it is: 16 cameras currently sitting within Leica’s portfolio.

What makes that number even more remarkable to me is that 14 of those 16 cameras are arguably aimed squarely at serious photographers, advanced enthusiasts or working professionals.

I would probably exclude the Sofort 2 and, depending on how strict you want to be, the D-Lux 8 from that description. Everything else is a serious photographic tool.

Leica is not inflating its range with dozens of inexpensive beginner bodies separated by tiny specification changes; it has film rangefinders, digital rangefinders, an EVF-equipped M, dedicated monochrome cameras, professional mirrorless hybrids and some of the most capable fixed-lens full-frame cameras money can buy.

So, does that secretly make Leica the largest camera manufacturer of them all? Literally, no. I am not suggesting for one moment that Leica produces more cameras by volume than Canon, Sony or Nikon, nor that it has suddenly overtaken the Japanese giants in market share.

But judged by the sheer number of serious current camera bodies available from what we continue to think of as a small, specialist luxury manufacturer, Leica suddenly looks enormous. Sixteen cameras is not a boutique selection any more. That is a proper ecosystem.

I think our perception of Leica simply has not caught up with what the company has become. We still talk about Leica as though it essentially makes “the M”, with perhaps a Q sitting alongside it.

Yet today you can buy a completely mechanical film camera with no battery, a metered film rangefinder, a 60MP digital rangefinder, a screenless digital M, an M with an electronic viewfinder, a dedicated monochrome body, a 30fps full-frame mirrorless camera, an 8K-capable professional hybrid or a fixed-lens full-frame compact.

Few manufacturers cover such wildly different interpretations of photography while retaining such a clear identity across all of them.

There is also something rather refreshing about the way Leica has done it. Rather than trying to build one camera that supposedly suits everybody, Leica seems increasingly happy to make highly specific cameras for highly specific photographers.

Want color? There is an M for that. Want black-and-white? There is an M for that, too. Hate rear screens? Leica has you covered. Want an EVF but still want M lenses? That now exists. Want autofocus and interchangeable lenses? Buy an SL. Want the whole experience condensed into one body and one lens? Buy a Q. Want film? Leica will still sell you a brand-new mechanical camera in 2026.

That is why I think Leica might be the camera giant hiding in plain sight. Not the largest by sales, production numbers or market share, but perhaps one of the largest when it comes to the breadth of genuinely serious photographic choices coming from a single premium brand.

For a company whose reputation is built around exclusivity, simplicity and doing things the old-fashioned way, Leica has somehow ended up producing 16 distinct and diverse cameras at the same time. And the strangest thing is that almost nobody seems to have noticed.

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Japan's latest compact camera sales rankings are in – and the same three point-and-shoot cameras are dominating the top of the chart once again.

At number one is the Kodak Pixpro FZ55, which was crowned Japan's overall best-selling camera of 2025 – a ranking that included mirrorless cameras, not just compacts. But close behind sits the real retro everyday champion.

The Pixpro FZ55 was originally launched in 2023 and features a 16MP sensor with 5x zoom. Available for only $139.99 / £129, the little camera is a familiar face at the top spot. But also on the podium is a camera that we've seen several times: the Kodak Pixpro C1, taking the second and third spots in different color variations.

The Pixpro C1 is a camera you can throw in your bag for casual fun. Compared with the Pixpro FZ55, it features a 2.8-inch rear LCD screen that flips up 180°, making it useful for selfies and shooting from different angles. Priced at just $99.99 / £79, it's the cheapest compact in the list – and its retro look is a big part of its appeal.

BCN+R compact camera ranking (Jul 26)

1. Kodak Pixpro FZ55 | Black
2. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Black
3. Kodak Pixpro C1 | Brown
4. Canon IXY 650 M (aka Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A) | Silver
5. Instax Mini Evo | Brown
6. Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 | Black
7. Kodak Pixpro WPZ2
8. Kenko Tokina KC-AF11 BK | Black
9. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite | Black
10. Instax Mini Evo | Black

Sales data compiled by BCN+R, which aggregates nationwide sales figures from major electronic retailers and online platforms across Japan.

The Kodak Pixpro series is popular in Japan

In BCN's Top 10 compact cameras of July 2026, 40% of the models are from Kodak's Pixpro line – all relatively low-profile models compared with most mirrorless cameras.

These little point-and-shoots don't chase the latest AI autofocus or 8K video. They're built simply, are easy to carry and require very little photography knowledge to operate.

Those qualities may sound basic, but they are exactly what make these compacts so popular in Japan. For many, simplicity and affordability still beat a long specification sheet – and that's unlikely to change any time soon.

Older compact cameras rule the Japanese market

Japan's best-selling compact models are nearly three years old on average, even as we've seen a new wave of point-and-shoot camera launches.

While that may not seem particularly old for a camera, it's a striking figure in a market known for rapid product cycles.

The oldest model is the Kodak Pixpro WPZ2, released in October 2019, while the newest model is the Kodak Pixpro C1, released in April 2025.

For buyers in Japan, familiarity clearly matters. Established compact cameras have proven themselves over time and continue to sell steadily, even without major updates. And the trend isn't limited to one brand.

There is also a strong element of nostalgia and retro appeal, with compact cameras increasingly seen as fun, lifestyle-oriented devices rather than professional tools.

That's what we see in the success of the retro-styled Pixpro C1, which combines a low price with a design that feels very different from camera phones that most people carry every day.

Sometimes, it seems, people just want a little camera they can take everywhere. And in Japan, some of those cameras have been doing exactly that for years.

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