Things have been pretty quiet in the world of Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras and lenses, but that is all set to change with some big new players about to breathe new life into the format.

Chinese camera company Shenzhen Sonida Digital Technology – which makes compact cameras, kids cameras, webcams and other imaging devices under the Songdian brand – has officially joined the Micro Four Thirds System standard.

The system is now officially supported by 63 companies, which on paper includes everyone from Leica and DJI to Blackmagic and Sigma. But new MFT launches have slowed down in recent years, however, with the most recent release being an OM System OM-3 upcycled for astrophotography.

However, with a new camera manufacturer joining the fray, there is a distinct possibility that a new body could be on the way. "Songdian Camera is about to something big," announced the brand on its Weibo account, teasing "Body, optics, filters, design, software…"

Elsewhere, Chinese phone manufacturer Xiaomi looks set to launch its magnetic Micro Four Thirds lens system this year, according to a report by the Independent Photographers Association.

The Xiaomi Optical Modular System, which my colleague Gareth got hands-on with last year, will enable Xiaomi phones to make use of a 100MP Micro Four Thirds sensor – far exceeding the current resolution limit of MFT cameras, which has plateaued at 25.2MP with bodies like the Panasonic Lumix GH7 and G9 II.

While I'm sure that the Optical Modular System is proprietary Xiaomi tech, there is a world in which other members of the MFT consortium can participate in the magnetic mount – which would open new possibilities for the format.

Whatever the outcome, it's an exciting time to be a Micro Four Thirds user – and that's not something I get to say very often!

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Recent reports from Digital Chat Station suggest that Xiaomi is moving its Modular Optical System, first shown off at MWC 2025, into mass production.

Given its lack of compatibility across other phone brands and limited use even within Xiaomi's own device lineup, with only a prototype Xiaomi 15 supporting the lens, I don't think any of us saw this coming. However, since MWC, it appears that Xiaomi's confidence in the hardware concept has grown significantly to the point that the lab experiment might eventually find its way to a commercial release.

This isn't the first of its kind, with the Sony QX series and Alice Camera forging the way, albeit not terribly successfully. Xiaomi's solution attempts to overcome the 'bulk' of these by utilizing a high-speed LaserLink connection to offload all image processing to the smartphone's internal ISP. That keeps the unit at a lightweight 100g, but it does come with a significant downside.

This LaserLink connection requires specific hardware for the mounting, 10Gbps optical data transfer, and power delivery. This hardware is currently restricted to Xiaomi and even then likely to only be present in a select number of as yet unreleased phones, such as the rumored Xiaomi Mix 5. So, even though it might end up in mass production, how massive the uptake will be, only time will tell.

Impressive specs for a Micro Four Thirds sensor

The Micro Four Thirds 100MP sensor is the same size as used in the best Olympus (OM System) cameras and some top cameras from Panasonic's Lumix range. Impressively, it's even larger than the 1-inch sensor powering the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s main camera.

Beyond the sensor is a compact 35mm lens, with a max aperture of f/1.4 (min f/11), an all-6G aspherical lens assembly, and a close focus distance of around 20cm. The lens also has both autofocus and manual focus with support for face recognition.

The lens is powered via pogo pins and a magnetic ring mount (akin to Apple’s MagSafe). Our reviews editor, Gareth Bevan, had a very brief hands-on with the system and was able to confirm that the magnetic connection is impressively strong and feels really secure in use.

At MWC, the system was already very polished for a concept, so we can only imagine the refinement that has taken place in the meantime. The design is minimal, the build quality is premium, and the focus ring is nice and smooth.

Gareth says, "The lens is really simple to operate; after snapping it to the back of the phone, the lens is activated in the phone's Pro mode in the camera app menu – this then switches into a dedicated UI for the lens, which is already looking slick."

There's no doubting that Xiaomi has created an outstanding product. What's left to be seen is whether enough people are happy parting with their hard-earned money to own it.

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You’d be forgiven for thinking that Camera Intelligence’s Caira, with its human name and on-board AI, was a concept dreamt up for Joaquin Phoenix sci-fi flick, Her. But fortunately or unfortunately (depending on who you ask), it’s very real indeed.

In fact, it’s the first mirrorless camera with on-board AI and is available for pre-order via Kickstarter right now. However, I’ve just finished watching a very interesting video from YouTuber Emily Lowrey from Micro Four Nerds – who's very impressed by the hardware, but has mixed feelings about the AI capabilities of this latest device from the creator of the Alice Camera.

I recommend watching her video for yourself below, as it raises some interesting and also terrifying points:

ABOVE: Is the Caira the end of photography as we know it?

I personally think the hardware is pretty neat. The Caira is an interchangeable-lens camera, which Emily explains is rather impressively built around the same Micro Four Thirds sensor found in the Panasonic Lumix GH5S.

It connects to a compatible iPhone via MagSafe (Android isn't currently supported), which is used to provide the live view interface. But here’s the thing: it’s not designed for photographers. *Wait… what?*

This is where the camera’s AI features, powered by Nano Banana, come in. As you can see in the video, Emily is able to use voice prompts to literally change the subject that she’s framed with the camera, and the results are, as she puts it, “terrifyingly, terrifyingly accurate.”

At one point, she photographs a plush toy on a shelf in her studio and gets the AI to change it to what appears to be a scarily accurate representation of a different plushie. It’s very hard to tell which one is real. It’s at this point that she poses the question: “Is this photography any more?”

To find out Emily’s thoughts, her musings on where artificially enhanced photography will end up (a scary thought to say the least), and what she thinks about the Caira’s hardware, make sure you watch the full video above.

The photographer and content creator does make a point of saying that she is impressed by the tech and that: “There had to be a camera company that did this first (...) I’m under no illusions, within the next months, and years, all of these AI features are probably going to be in big-brand cameras.”

However frightening that thought may be to the photography faithful, I think Emily might be right.

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I don't shoot a lot of macro photography. Aside from being commissioned to create some macro content for a camera manufacturer a few years ago, I've never really done it professionally – so it's purely something I shoot for fun. And when I do it, there's one lens that I always reach for.

Not only is the Olympus M.Zuiko 30mm f/3.5 Macro one of the best macro lenses you can buy, it's also a cheat code for this kind of photography!

First and foremost, it's super affordable. Specialist lenses, macro included, can be very pricey – especially lenses made by the camera brands themselves, with full autofocus support (unlike manual-only third-party options). But especially right now, with this lens discounted to just $249 in the US and only £212 in the UK, you can get into macro without breaking the bank.

On paper, this is a 30mm lens with 1.25x magnification – that's a 1.25:1 reproduction ratio, which means that your subjects appear 1¼ times life-size on your sensor. In other words, with true macro being 1:1, this is natively a greater-than-macro lens.

However, you need to remember that this is a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens – and the image sensors on Micro Four Thirds cameras have a 2x crop factor. So, in equivalent full-frame terms, this lens becomes a 60mm lens with 2.5x magnification – a 2.5:1 reproduction ratio, meaning your subjects are over double life-size.

But the cheat code doesn't end there! Not only does an MFT sensor double the focal length of your lenses, it also doubles the depth of field. Which means, for example, that you can shoot at f/8 while getting an effective depth of field of f/16 – but without introducing diffraction.

All of a sudden, this innocent-looking lens becomes an absolute powerhouse for macro photography.

On top of all that, unlike most other macro lenses, it's absolutely tiny and weighs almost nothing – just 130g! – meaning you can absolutely shoot with this lens handheld. And if you use it with a body like the OM System OM-3, you get 6.5 stops of image stabilization – making camera shake almost a non-issue.

Furthermore, combine it with computational features like in-camera focus stacking and you can pretty much bypass post-processing. Then there are shooting assists like focus peaking, enabling you to take manual control for ultra-fine focus. And if you want to get even more detail in your shots, you can use the high res pixel shift shooting to capture a handheld 50MP image or an 80MP tripod shot.

Like I said, I'm not a macro pro. But on occasions where there's something really small that I'd like to photograph, I don't reach for my big bulky gear – this little lens is all I need. And it's small enough to live in my camera bag full time!

Get the lens

The Olympus M.Zuiko 30mm f/3.5 Macro is part of the Amazon Prime Day camera sale in the US and UK, so it's enjoying a nice discount on top of its already attractive retail price.

🇺🇸 US deal

🇬🇧 UK deal

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Google’s Gemini AI, better known by its codename Nano Banana, is coming to a mirrorless camera for the first time. Caira is an interchangeable lens camera that attaches to an iPhone with MagSafe and integrates Nano Banana for in-camera generative editing.

Camera Intelligence – the startup behind Alice Camera – teased the Caira, an unusual mirrorless camera that’s built around AI, an iPhone interface and a MagSafe connection. The Caira is slated to arrive on Kickstarter on October 30.

Caira is the first mirrorless camera to integrate Nanao Banana for in-camera generative editing. The company says that this enables users to use generative editing at the point of capture, right after taking the photo, by using text-based prompts.

Camera Intelligence says Nano Banana can handle anything from adding a necklace to a portrait to changing a daytime photo to night.

The Caira, however, doesn’t have a screen; instead, it uses MagSafe to connect to an iPhone. A dedicated iPhone app controls the camera’s settings and creates the user interface for using those generative AI edits.

If the idea of a Micro Four Thirds camera that uses an iPhone as the interface sounds familiar, that’s because the leadership team from Camera Intelligence is the same group that launched Alice Camera – a mirrorless camera that similarly used an iPhone screen as the interface.

"With Caira, we are not just launching a new camera; we are introducing a new, intelligent creative partner," Vishal Kumar, CEO of Camera Intelligence, said.

"Creators need more than just great image quality – they need speed, flexibility and tools that match the pace of their imagination. By integrating Nano Banana directly into Caira, we are collapsing traditional content creation workflows; we aim to fundamentally shift how creators capture, edit and share our world.”

The company has not shared full specifications for the Caira camera, but indicates that it has a Micro Four Thirds sensor and mount. The camera’s AI runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon and Google Edge TPU chips, has a 5,000mAh battery and, along with giving the iPhone a larger sensor, also includes a larger, more traditional hand grip.

The company says the camera will support voice control to make changes and take selfies. Caira will have six pre-loaded styles, along with the option to generate presets with AI.

The teaser for Caira answers some of the questions surrounding the startup's previously announced plans for a camera with AI editing and voice control. But, with the camera coming to crowdfunding later this month and full specifications yet to be shared, a number of questions remain.

Generative AI has divided the creative community between those excited to save some time at tedious tasks and those concerned over the future of creativity, the ethics of AI training and the impact on the job market.

Nanao Banana in particular, has earned viral fame for its ability to generate AI images that still look like a real person. However, Google trained Gemini on publicly available data from the internet, including photos on the web and video from YouTube, creating copyright and ethics concerns among many creators.

Camera Intelligence notes that the AI will have some protections, including preventing users from altering skin tone, ethnicity, and core facial features. Camera Intelligence says that the AI model name and the prompt used will be added to the image's metadata for clarity.

"Despite the skepticism surrounding generative AI, we believe photographers shouldn't fear it," Kumar said. “Thoughtful integration of this has the potential to be truly helpful.

"We chose Google’s Nano Banana because it's the best model we've seen for maintaining consistent character details and seamlessly blending new edits while preserving the original image's optical quality. Its one-shot editing capability is also exceptional, frequently delivering perfect results in a single attempt without unwanted hallucinations. It truly feels like magic.”

Caira, the company says, is designed for a shoot-and-share workflow without a laptop. The company touts the AI camera as a tool for both creators and businesses.

Camera Intelligence plans to launch Caira via crowdfunding, with the Kickstarter campaign set to go live on October 30.

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I’ve heard it a million times: larger sensors are better for photography. Look at a sheet of camera specifications and the biggest indicator of image quality is going to be the sensor size. I won’t deny that.

But while larger sensors tend to produce less noise and more bokeh, larger sensors aren’t always better for every genre. Case in point? There are two genres for which I prefer Micro Four Thirds cameras: wildlife and macro photography.

I’m a professional portrait and wedding photographer (using an APS-C sensor, by the way). I’m not a professional wildlife photographer by any means, but taking a hike with a camera surrounded by nature is my favorite method of de-stressing.

When I’m heading out to photograph birds and animals, I typically gravitate to Micro Four Thirds (MFT). I review cameras as part of my job, which means I have access to a wider range of different camera models (albeit temporarily) than the average camera enthusiast.

One of the things I never seem to have enough of when photographing wildlife is zoom, which is why I often reach for an MFT camera with a good zoom lens.

Micro Four Thirds has a 2x crop factor, which means a 300mm lens is actually a 600mm equivalent. That gives you twice as much reach as a typical full-frame lens.

Now, you can crop a full-frame image in half and get similar results – especially if you invest in a 50MP+ model. But even then, Micro Four Thirds lenses tend to be smaller and lighter than full-frame optics with similar reach. If I’m hiking with a lens hoping to see some wildlife, I’m going to hike farther with a lighter lens.

While MFT offers more telephoto reach, the downside is that smaller pixels tend to be susceptible to diffraction sooner. Diffraction is a softening that happens with narrow apertures. This tends to happen faster with smaller pixels, which tend to be found on smaller Micro Four Thirds sensors.

In effect, that means some lenses – particularly those with narrower maximum apertures – may be softer than some full-frame lenses.

The other challenge with using Micro Four Thirds for wildlife is that smaller sensors tend to be more susceptible to grain at high ISOs. Wildlife photography typically requires faster shutter speeds, which usually means shooting with higher ISOs, even during the day.

Diffraction and noise work together to create one of the biggest downsides to choosing Micro Four Thirds for wildlife – the images aren’t quite as sharp as some of the high-end full-frame lenses and optics that I’ve tried. But the trade-off is smaller, lighter gear and a much longer telephoto reach.

As a hobbyist wildlife photographer who partakes in wildlife photography for the simple joy of it, I prefer using lighter gear over the pixel-peeping-ready but heavier gear.

The second genre where I think Micro Four Thirds has an advantage is macro photography. Like with wildlife photography, MFT's crop factor means that you can get closer photos without getting physically closer.

An excellent example of this is the OM System M.Zuiko 90mm f/3.5 Macro lens. While it’s fairly easy to find a 1:1 macro on a full-frame camera, a 2:1 is rare. And while there are some macro lenses for larger sensors (Laowa immediately comes to mind) with more than a 1:1 magnification, a 2:1 with autofocus is rare. The OM System 90mm macro is a 2:1 macro, which is twice as close as a typical 1:1 macro lens.

The lens also works with teleconverters for a 4:1 equivalent that’s exceptional for tiny subjects like snowflakes and insects. But, like with telephoto lenses, diffraction may come into play, which is especially true when using a teleconverter.

I could phrase this another way: I don’t love Micro Four Thirds for the sensors, I like Micro Four Thirds for the lenses. The crop factor can be a key advantage with wildlife photography, particularly when planning to hike with a camera. Add in the availability of a 2:1 autofocus macro lens, and MFT is typically the first thing that comes to mind when considering a camera for wildlife or macro photography.

Yes, full-frame cameras have a large advantage when it comes to gathering more light, creating bokeh, working in low light and getting ultra-sharp, high-resolution shots. I’m not saying anything to the contrary. But full-frame sensors are not always better all the time for every photographer.

Depending on the genre, factors like telephoto reach, macro capabilities and a compact size may sit higher on the list of priorities – and for genres like wildlife and macro, the advantages of a smaller sensor are harder to ignore.

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Browse the best macro lenses, the best wildlife cameras, or the best Micro Four Thirds cameras.

The 'bigger is better' motto is rampant in the camera industry, particularly when it comes to image sensors. Not only is a higher megapixel count a favorite with marketing departments, a physically larger image sensor is also often considered desirable. But, just as many photographers will tell you that having more megapixels rarely makes a better photo, should we get so hung up on sensor size?

This is a topic discussed in a video by YouTuber snappiness. He has a sizable camera collection including a pair of digital medium format bodies, albeit older SLR designs: a Hasselblad H3D, and a Mamiya ZD. Using these cameras he illustrates what's often cited as a key advantage of a larger sensor: the ease at which it's possible to obtain shallow depth of field, for improved subject-background separation.

Shallow depth of field

A larger image sensor reduces depth of field compared to a smaller sensor, even when a lens is set to the same aperture and your subject is at a consistent distance from the camera. However, while blurry backgrounds (bokeh) are prized in macro and portrait photography, a wafter-thin focal plane isn't always a good thing, as it makes it very hard to get all of a subject in focus. 

Shooting a full-frame camera with a lens set to f/1.2 means you may get your portrait sitter's eyes in focus, but the tip of their nose may not be. What's more, as snappiness points out, while a medium format camera has natural ability to reduce depth of field, medium format lenses often cancel this out by having a narrower maximum aperture than an equivalent full-frame optic. This is done to keep the medium format lens down to an acceptable size, weight and price; larger apertures require bigger, heavier and more expensive lens elements.

But surely a larger sensor improves other aspects of image quality, right? This is true to an extent, but it's not quite such a clean-cut victory for the bigger sensor as you might imagine. At Digital Camera World we lab test every new interchangeable lens camera from a major manufacturer, so we're in a position to compare exactly how cameras with different-sized sensors perform in terms of image quality metrics like dynamic range, noise, and resolving power.

In the graphs below I've selected four cameras for comparison, each one representing a different sensor size. The smallest here is Micro Four Thirds, represented by the 20.4MP OM System OM-3. Next largest is the APS-C Fujifilm X-M5 (26.1MP), followed by the full-frame Panasonic S1R II (44.3MP). Medium format is the biggest commonly-available image sensor size, and we're using the 102MP Fujifilm GFX 100S II as a prime example.

Dynamic range (EV)

Dynamic range is a measure of a camera's ability to record extreme brightness, yet still retain detail in the darkest parts of the same scene. It's measured in EV (exposure values, or 'stops').

You could easily be forgiven for assuming a bigger sensor would give you better dynamic range, but in practice that's not the case. All four comparison cameras capture almost identical dynamic range at low sensitivities, and even as sensitivities increase there's no clear winner, with sensor size not correlating with improved dynamic range.

Signal to noise ratio (decibels)

This test compares the amount of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings as a proportion of the actual image information (the 'signal'). Higher values are better and we expect to see the signal to ratio fall as the ISO is increased.

When it comes to the amount of noise visible in images, you might expect a bigger sensor to be less susceptible to generating noise, but again that's not always true. Here the OM-3 with its relatively small Micro Four Thirds sensor does indeed trail the other cameras, but not by much. It's actually the camera with the second smallest sensor here - the APS-C Fujifilm X-M5 - that produces the cleanest images.

Resolution (line widths/picture height)

There's really only one area where a bigger sensor has a clear image quality advantage, and that's resolving fine detail. A physically larger sensor area creates more space for additional pixels, and these then enable the camera to capture small details in a subject which a lower megapixel sensor simply can't resolve. It's here where increasing sensor size makes sense: it gives you the ability to shoot larger, more detailed photos, while still retaining good dynamic range and low noise. If you crammed 102 megapixels onto a Micro Four Thirds sensor (which is technically feasible) each individual pixel would be considerably smaller and therefore much less sensitive to light. This in turn restricts the sensor's dynamic range and makes it more prone to generating image noise. With a larger sensor you can have it all, with no compromise to any aspect of image quality.

However, unless you consistently view your shots at 100% image size, or want to print them to fill a billboard, 100+MP photos are difficult to justify. For the vast majority of photographers, it makes more sense to go for an APS-C or full-frame camera, as you'll still get more than enough resolution, but in a cheaper, more portable package, and with a broader choice of lenses.

Really, as with so many things in life, it's not what you've got, it's how you use it that counts. A bad photographer with a $10,000 medium format camera will likely still shoot uninspiring photos, whereas a good photographer with a creative eye could capture compelling photos even with a budget compact camera.

At MWC 2025, Xiaomi is showing off its new concept idea for the Xiaomi Optical Modular System – a micro four-thirds camera and lens combo that magnetically attaches to the rear of a prototype Xiaomi 15.

The system contains a 100MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, which Xiaomi is dubbing the Light Fusion X, and is the same sensor size as used in top mirrorless cameras from Olympus (OM System) and Panasonic. The sensor is even larger than the impressive 1-inch sensor powering the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s main camera, with a Micro Four Thirds having a crop factor of 2x versus the 2.7x crop of 1-inch for even greater light gathering and depth of field.

Built around the sensor is a compact 35mm lens, with a max aperture of f/1.4 (min f/11), all-6G aspherical lens assembly, and a close focus distance of around 20cm. The lens also has both autofocus and manual focus – and supports face recognition.

The lens doesn't require an additional battery and is powered via pogo pins and a magnetic ring mount (akin to Apple’s MagSafe). I have had a very brief hands-on with the system at Xiaomi's booth at MWC, but I can confirm the magnetic connection is impressively strong and feels really secure in use.

Getting the data from the lens to the phone uses Xiaomi's Laserlink Communication, which transforms the data captured and beams it through a near-infrared laser to the phone. This lens transfers the full raw data which is processed using Xiaomi’s computational photography which should blend the look and feel of the images with the rest of the cameras on the prototype Xiaomi 15.

The system actually feels great in the hand and is already very polished for a concept – the design is very minimal, but build quality feels premium and the focus ring is nice and smooth. The lens actually has a bit of a Leica look to the design, but there is no word on whether Xiaomi’s usual lens partners had any input with this new device.

The lens is really simple to operate, after snapping it to the back of the phone, the lens is activated in the phone's Pro mode in the camera app menu – this then switches into a dedicated UI for the lens, which is already looking slick.

Xiaomi is keeping tight-lipped on if this concept will ever make its way to market, or how much it would cost if it did. It's also important to remember that Xiaomi is using a custom Xiaomi 15 for this and not the off-the-shelf model that was announced on March 2.

This isn't the first time a concept like this has been attempted. Sony previously launched a very similar idea with the Sony QX-10 and QX-100 for its Xperia phones – although to limited success. And there's also the Alice Camera, which attaches a Micro Four Thirds camera to an iPhone. However, Xiaomi’s concept looks like the most sophisticated attempt yet – and one I might actually consider buying at the right price.

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The OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II is a long overdue update to one of the classic Olympus lenses, and adds two very welcome new features – but it also takes away a signature feature that made the OG so great.

Launched back in 2012, the original Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 was a diamond of an optic – but it lacked weather sealing and you had to buy the lens hood separately. Thankfully the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II addresses both of these points, but does so at the expense of the manual focus clutch featured on the Olympus lens.

Since the optical construction is identical in both lenses, this poses an interesting question for prospective customers / upgraders: is the ability to shoot in inclement weather more important than the ability to zone focus, especially for a 35mm equivalent lens that's perfect for street photography?

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Price & availability

The OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II is available from February 27 with a $549.99 / £479.00 / AU$649.00 retail price.

To put that in perspective, the original Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 lens is currently available for $279 / £325 / AU$486. Bear in mind that the Olympus version is not weather sealed, and doesn't come with a lens hood, but it does possess a manual focus clutch and distance scale – which the newer OM version does not.

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Specifications

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Build & handling

This is where all the differences lie between the new OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II and the original Olympus version of the lens, given that the internal optics are the same in both.

To recap, the OM version now boasts weather sealing, with five internal seals to protect your system from dust and moisture. While it still boasts satisfyingly solid metal construction, the new lens is actually 8g lighter than the old one despite the addition of the sealing – but there's an important reason why.

As you can see from the side-by-side images below, the OM lens no longer has the manual focus clutch mechanism and distance scale featured on the Olympus lens – no doubt the reason for the weight reduction.

It may well be that this mechanism simply wasn't possible to seal without re-engineering it; there are other OM and Olympus lenses that have a weather-sealed clutch, such as the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II, but those optics were designed from the ground up to accommodate seals. Since the 17mm was never built with sealing in mind, I'm inclined to think that this may be a design restriction rather than a churlish choice to remove a useful feature.

Also worth noting is that, with the OM version being 2.1mm longer and featuring a new bayonet mount for the included lens hood, some lens caps that fitted the Olympus version will no longer fit this new one (including the metal LC-48 Olympus PEN lens cap).

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Performance

Since the optical construction in the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II is identical to that of the old Olympus lens, so is the optical performance. And while this isn't quite the superstar that the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II is, it's still an impressive little lens.

This is a lens that I love shooting with wide open; even at f/1.8, center sharpness really shines and there's only a whisper of fringing. This is especially important for Micro Four Thirds lenses, where subject separation and shooting in low light can be challenging, so the fact that it performs so well at its maximum aperture makes me very happy.

Indeed, it's my favorite 35mm equivalent lens to work with on any system – even though corner sharpness isn't quite as impressive, as you'll need to stop down to around f/4 to get top performance. For the kind of work I do, though – environmental portraits, reportage and street photography – I've got no complaints at all.

There's no doubt that losing the manual focus clutch feels like a loss. There is, of course, a fly-by-wire focus ring, and it works just fine. But not only did the old clutch have a distance scale for zone focusing – it also had hard stops at either end. Still, while it took a little getting used to, it was absolutely possible to shoot street photography with the standard focus ring (and if you've never used the old Oly lens, obviously you won't miss it).

If you're a video shooter, I'd recommend that you test this lens out before buying it to see how it behaves. Some copies of the original Olympus version made a grinding kind of noise while autofocusing during video – but it wasn't a universal problem.

My copy of the new OM version didn't make those noises while constantly focusing, so it's possible that the old focus clutch was the cause – but given that the internals are otherwise identical, I'd recommend testing the copy of the lens before you buy it.

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Sample photos

OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II: Verdict

In pure performance terms, the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II is still one of my favorite lenses. It's unbelievably small and light, super sharp wide open, quick to focus – in every respect, a great lens for everything from street and travel photography to environmental portraits and content creation.

You do, however, need to determine what's more important to you: having weather sealing or having a manual focus clutch. Street purists will scoff and stomp and insist on the latter, but I think the weather sealing – and the included lens hood – on the new OM System version will appeal to more people.

It took 17 years, but the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II has finally righted one of the great injustices of the Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem: its predecessor wasn't weather-sealed and didn't come with a lens hood.

The OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II rights both wrongs, and cements itself as the perfect "nifty fifty" for MFT cameras (this being a 50mm equivalent, in full frame terms). However, aside from adding the sealing and including a hood in the box, nothing else has changed from the original Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 launched in 2012.

The optical formula, and thus performance, is identical to its predecessor – though the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II is incrementally larger and heavier (but it really is imperceptible in the hand or on your camera).

This is one of my three truly essential lenses for the MFT system, which I use a lot both for my professional work and my personal shooting. I will certainly be upgrading my old Olympus 25mm, because I'd love to be able to shoot in inclement weather. However, if you already own the old lens and you don't care about the sealing, be aware that this is otherwise the same thing with the OM logo replacing the Oly one.

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Price & availability

The OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II goes on sale February 27, carrying a price tag of $499.99 / £399.00 / AU$599.00.

For comparison, the original Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 can currently be picked up new for $288 / £270 / AU$469. Again, the key difference is that the old lens is not weather sealed and does not come with a lens hood, but optically the lenses are identical.

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Specifications

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Build & handling

Obviously the big new headline feature is the fact that the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II is weather-sealed to the IPX1 standard, adding five individual seals within the lens body to protect it from water and dust.

In terms of build quality, this was the only trick that the original Olympus-branded 25mm lens was missing. While the new lens is ever so slightly bigger and heavier – I'm talking 1.4mm wider and 20g heftier – it offers the same premium metal build and finish as its predecessor, complete with ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating to control ghosting and flaring.

The manual focus is fly-by-wire, which isn't to everyone's taste, but the ring is smooth and offers plenty of granularity for fine focusing should you want to take control.

The other key difference is the inclusion of a lens hood in the box – something that make longtime Olympus users do a well-overdue jig. It's compact and lightweight and clips onto the lens backwards for easy storage – though I've spent a decade and a half shooting without one, so I left mine in the box most of the time.

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Performance

Optically the lens is identical to the Olympus 25mm f/1.8, and so is the performance. Which is to say, it's simply superb – and the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II, like its predecessor, has earned its place as a lens that never leaves my camera bag.

This lens is sharp. Really sharp. Like, sharp enough to cut glass. Across the whole frame, from coast to coast. The original was one of the best Olympus lenses ever, with optimum optical performance, and the OM version doesn't let its legacy down.

Its supremely small size makes this the perfect companion for cameras like the OM System OM-3 or OM-5, giving you a 50mm equivalent lens that's sensational for street shooting, travel photography, full- and half-length portraiture, and everyday snapping.

Autofocus is extremely reactive and snappy, particularly with OM's new AF algorithms. And while depth of field can be more challenging to achieve on Micro Four Thirds cameras, the fast f/1.8 aperture enables you to create a pleasing amount of subject separation – and also makes this a great performer when shooting in low light situations.

All of which makes the 25mm f/1.8 II a good option for video, too, so if you're looking for a standard prime to complement wide-angle glass for content creation then this is a great addition to your arsenal.

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Sample photos

OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II: Verdict

There's a reason that the original was the first truly essential mirrorless lens for Micro Four Thirds: it's bloody brilliant. And the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II offers two big improvements, adding weather sealing as well as a lens hood.

Super sharp images, super fast focusing, super fast aperture – all in lens that, at just 57.6 x 37.6mm, is also super small. If you own an OM, Olympus, Panasonic or any other MFT camera, this is an absolutely must-have optic… but the issue is, because it's so good, you might already own the original.

If you do, you need to determine how much you'll make use of that weather sealing – because optically, this is otherwise an identical lens. Likewise, if you don't already own it, consider whether you need the sealing and the lens hood. If you don't, you can find the Olympus-branded original much cheaper.

Personally, I'll be upgrading to the new one as soon as possible. Because for me, the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II is a lens that simply must be owned.

There's a lot I want to say about the OM System OM-3. But the two most pertinent things are that 1) this is the PEN-F successor that Olympus fans have been waiting nearly a decade for, and 2) this is the camera that out-Fujifilms Fujifilm.

The OM System OM-3 is truly a gestalt product. It has the flagship firepower of the OM System OM-1 Mark II, with its cutting-edge computational photography. It has the handcrafted creativity of the Olympus PEN-F, with the ahead-of-its-time Creative Dial. And it has the iconic shape and silhouette of its namesake, the Olympus OM-3, with its timeless design by Yoshihisa Maitani.

But again, in trying to sum up a camera that is more than the sum of its parts, it's the PEN-F sequel I've been waiting for since 2016, and a camera that gives Fujifilm's finest a run for their money. Film simulations, computational photography, superb algorithmic autofocus… the OM System OM-3 is a creative tool as potent as Salvador Dali dabbing like a lunatic.

Of course, naysayers will decry the Micro Four Thirds sensor and insist that it isn't capable enough. This isn't the place for that discussion (though I will say that I've had more published work and satisfied clients with my OM / Olympus kit than my full-frame Canon gear), but I invite you to consider this camera with an open mind – because, unless you own an OM-1 Mark II, it does a lot of things that no other camera is capable of.

OM System OM-3: Specifications

OM System OM-3: Build & handling

It won't have escaped your attention that the OM System OM-3 is beautiful. The brand's other cameras, like the OM System OM-5, have traditionally taken their design aesthetic from classic Olympus SLRs, but no camera has duplicated the lines and silhouette quite as faithfully as the OM-3.

Of course, adhering to the original Olympus OM-3 design means that there is no grip on the front (much like the PEN-F before it) though there is a thumbrest on the back. I know many folks chafe at this, feeling that no grip makes a camera uncomfortable or doesn't give enough purchase to hold it.

Personally, it doesn't bother me – I used the OM-3 for days on end without any discomfort, and I don't use a camera strap and it never once came close to slipping out of my hands. Honestly I'd rather keep the flat face of the camera to maintain the aesthetics – as was the case with the PEN-F, where there were no shortage of sexy-looking third-party grips if anyone wanted to add one.

Obviously, the timeless design has had some modern mirrorless embellishments. Crucially, the Creative Dial from the PEN-F has been resurrected – sitting proudly on the front of the camera, it offers fingertip access to a wealth of creative tools, from color and mono film profiles to Art Filters to the custom color creator.

The top of the camera sees a first for OM: the addition of a dedicated dial, on the top-left, to flick between photo, video and S&Q (Slow & Quick) modes. The OM-3 is arming you with creative potential and inviting you to unleash it, in whatever form takes your fancy at any given time.

Another first is a dedicated CP button on the rear of the camera, giving you quick access to the camera's Computational Photography modes. A quick stab unlock things like Live ND and Live GND (software-powered neutral density and grad filters), High Res Shot (50MP handheld and 80MP on a tripod), focus stacking and multiple exposure shooting.

Unlike recent generations of SLR-styled OM / Olympus bodies, the OM-3 boasts metal construction for a reassuringly solid, substantial feel that I've missed since the E-M5 Mark II. It's weather sealed, too, rated to IP53 certification – and having used this extensively in the rain (rather more extensively than I would have liked!) I still trust this brand more than any other in bad weather. My one quibble is that the doors covering the ports and connections can be knocked open a little too easily.

What might surprise some is the size of the OM-3, as it's notably bigger than both the E-M5 / OM-5 and PEN-F, being comparable in size to the SLRs after which it takes its shape. Still, OM / Olympus has always made some of the smallest camera bodies on the market – so this is by no means a big camera, just a bigger one than I expected.

As such it accepts the larger, higher-capacity, BLX-1 batteries of the OM-1 family – no doubt a requirement to power all the computational processing and the Quad Pixel autofocus system.

OM System OM-3: Photo performance

As you might expect, the core photographic performance is identical to the OM-1 Mark II (with which the OM-3 shares its technology). Everything transfers here and behaves exactly as it does on the flagship – although anecdotally I found the autofocus performance to be even better.

Perhaps the OM-3 is running more recent algorithms than the OM-1 Mark II, but particularly with birding the AF was much quicker and stickier at identifying and staying with subjects – even when I was using the rather old and clunky Olympus M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens. Either way, OM's Quad Pixel AF tech is coming on leaps and bounds. It's not quite at Canon and Sony levels but, I tell you what, it's catching up.

Elsewhere you'll find the blistering burst modes, offering up to 50fps with continuous autofocus and 120fps with fixed focus – along with Pro Capture, the pre-shooting mode that enables you to record the frames that took place before you even clicked the shutter. OM debuted this technology back in 2000, on the Olympus E100 RS, and for my money it still does it better than anyone else.

You also get things like the Live ND and Live GND modes – which are the coolest camera features I've ever seen – enabling you to shoot with software-powered neutral density and grad filters, and leave the bulky physical glass at home. Pixel shift-powered High Res Shot mode enables you to shoot 14-bit RAW files up to 80MP, with 2 stops of noise reduction for beautiful fidelity if you shoot static subjects.

Image stabilization is rated at 6.5 stops (or 7.5 with a Sync IS lens), which you might notice is a stop lower than the maximum 7.5 (8.5 with Sync IS) boasted by the OM-1 Mark II. I need to confirm this, but my understanding is that this is down to the new CIPA measurements (which is the same reason that the Nikon P1100 is listed as having a stop less compensation than the P1000, despite having identical technology).

Whatever the reason, it's as rock-solid as ever – even when photographing birds at 600mm handheld, or shooting a handheld 15-image focus stack. Almost every camera these days has good IS, but the smaller sensor in Micro Four Thirds cameras just makes them so much easier to stabilize – and shooting feels a lot more sturdy as a result.

Beyond all the clever flagship tech, though, the real fun – and the heart of the OM System OM-3's shooting experience – is the Creative Dial. I know I sound like a broken record, but sue me; it's brilliant. Back when the Dial debuted on the PEN-F, the industry was snide and cynical. Naysayers said that people who shot JPEG weren't real photographers, and mocked anyone for using filters. Funny how nobody says that any more, now that Fujifilm has cracked the mainstream.

Anyway, the Creative Dial unlocks an arsenal of customizable options. At the fore are the eight film profile presets, four each for color and black-and-white. For the former you've got Natural, Chrome Film Vivid, Chrome Film Rich Color (Velvia fans will be pleased) and Chrome Film Soft Tone. When it comes to monochrome there's Monotone, Classic Film B&W (very Tri-X like), Classic Film IR and Classic Film Low Contrast.

These can be fine-tuned for saturation, highlight and shadow, vignetting, sharpness, contrast, tone effect and even film grain. I know that everyone from Nikon to Panasonic has jumped on the custom recipes bandwagon, but it's great to see this mode back in an OM camera for the first time since 2016 – I've been using my fine-tuned presets on the PEN-F ever since, and I wouldn't be without them.

The dial is also your shortcut to the Color Creator, which enables you to amplify the existing hues in your scene or dial out any unwanted colors – the sort of color balancing you might usually do in Photoshop, only here you can do it in-camera, as you're as you take the image, empowering you to capture the scene the way you're really experiencing it.

A good example is a sunset, where you might want to punch up the pinks and golds. Or if you're shooting somewhere like Death Valley, which is a surprisingly desaturated place in person, but you can embellish the existing colors and make it look as punchy as it does in postcards – all in-camera.

And of course there are the trusty OM Art Filters, some of which are admittedly tacky, but others (namely the Vintage, Bleach Bypass and Instant Film options) are genuinely great pre-production tools. Don't take my word for it – Vintage I is the camera filter used by Taylor Swift.

Something worth mentioning is that I was testing the OM-3 side-by-side with the Leica SL3-S, a very capable full-frame camera. But two interesting things happened in that time; first of all, a byproduct of the OM-3's nimble size and tiny lenses was that I took way more in-the-moment, blink-and-you'll-miss it, "decisive moment"-type shots with this camera than the SL3-S.

Which is ironic, given that Leica built its reputation on being the ultimate street camera. But the SL3-S is a bulky full-frame thing, with bulky full-frame lenses; just wrestling it out of a bag is enough to make you miss "the shot". But the OM-3 is so small and agile that I could whip it out of a sling bag in seconds, and so discrete that I could snap street shots quickly and quietly.

The second thing is that I used both cameras to photograph clients – and despite the prevailing myths that "Micro Four Thirds cameras aren't proper cameras" and that "You need to shoot full frame", the clients both liked the Leica images but they loved the OM ones. Take that for what you will.

OM System OM-3: Sample photos

OM System OM-3: Video performance

As with the photographic capabilities, again, the OM System OM-3 shares the same tech as the OM-1 Mark II – so you can expect the exact same performance from this camera (with the observation that the autofocus feels ever so slightly improved, in my experience).

I feel I was a little harsh on the OM-1 Mark II's video specs when I reviewed it, largely because it was coming in the wake of the Panasonic Lumix G9 II – which is certainly a superior system for pure videography. However, I don't think the person looking at the OM-3 is weighing it up against the specs of the G9 II (or vice versa).

Still, the OM-3 offers a lot for the content creation crowd – including its two video modes that, like the Color Profiles, offer a degree of pre-production that makes it easier for storytellers to share their footage without having to master LUTs and grading. Both modes echo OM-Log400 for dynamic range, with OM Cinema 1 offering a more contrasty and golden starting point while OM Cinema 2 provides a softer look with a cyan bias.

The new shooting dial, with its fast access to Slow & Quick mode, really is an invitation to dive in and have fun with your video footage. Whether you want to snag an attention-getting hyperlapse at 1fps, or a stunning slow-mo at 240fps you can quickly snap into S&Q and shoot it – all with minimal fuss.

While I don't think anybody chooses OM cameras for their moviemaking chops, I do feel that the video capabilities of the OM-3 are more important than other models. I'm guessing that the crowd who will be attracted to this camera is the same crowd that's attracted to the X100VIs of this world – the style conscious shooter who's primarily interested in stills, but still wants a capable 4K camera with which to create content.

And the OM-3 definitely scores here. Nobody will accuse it of being the best camera for vlogging, but it's still a very capable one that will find an eager audience thanks to its cinema profiles, film presets and Art Filters that make it easy to crank out compelling content with minimal fuss.

OM System OM-3: Sample videos

Since the OM System OM-3 is largely identical to the OM-1 Mark II, I mainly messed around with the S&Q modes while shooting with a few different filters and presets in the first video.

To see what it's capable of in slightly more serious settings, the second video is me filming some wildlife with the OM-1 Mark II (which, again, has the same specs and tech inside, so the performance is virtually identical).

OM System OM-3: Lab results

For our lab data comparison, we pitted the OM-3 against three rival retro-styled mirrorless camera rivals: the Fujifilm X-T5, Nikon Z f and Nikon Z fc.

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

Despite having roughly the same 20MP megapixel count as the APS-C Nikon Z fc, yet packed onto a smaller MFT sensor, the OM-3's images are so sharp that it manages to resolve more fine detail at higher ISOs. Obviously the 40.2MP X-T5 was always going to win this test though.

Dynamic range (EV):

Dynamic range is a measure of a camera's ability to record extreme brightness ranges and still retain detail in the brightest and darkest parts of the scene. It's measured in EV (exposure values, or 'stops').

OM-System cameras (and their Olympus predecessors) tend to do well for capturing dynamic range at lower ISOs, and the OM-3 follows suit, managing to give the APS-C cameras a run for their money. The full-frame Zf is in a league of its own, however.

Signal to noise ratio (decibels):

This test compares the amount of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings as a proportion of the actual image information (the 'signal'). Higher values are better and we expect to see the signal to ratio fall as the ISO is increased.

The OM-3 starts off well at low sensitivities, but as ISOs rise and noise inevitably becomes more visible, its smaller sensor starts to struggle in comparison to the APS-C Fujifilm and Nikon cameras. The full-frame Zf is unsurprisingly the camera to beat here, with its larger individual pixels being less susceptible to generating noise.

OM System OM-3: Verdict

The OM System OM-3 rekindles the kind of magic not seen since the Olympus glory days. This is a camera that celebrates the brand's heritage in terms of both looks and spirit, proving that style is substance, with a body that doesn't just look great but actually inspires you to pick it up and shoot with it.

And when you do, you discover a playful, charming, charismatic camera that's imbued with creativity. It literally puts its signature features at your fingertips – the Creative Dial, Computational Photography button, S&Q dial – and challenges you to go out and play with them to see what you can do.

I've waxed lyrical about the PEN-F for the past nine years because it's simply the most magical imaging machine I've ever used. It was almost the perfect camera for me, but it lacked modern trimmings like phase detect AF, 4K video, mic and headphone jacks, and the all-important weather sealing.

But the OM-3 has all those things and more, taking the tech from OM System's flagship camera and adding cherries on top like computational photography, algorithmic subject detection, 80MP 14-bit shooting… not to mention a body that, while I won't say is sexier than the PEN-F, is certainly just as sexy.

Which means that, all in all, I think the OM System OM-3 is the perfect camera for me. Whether it's the perfect camera for you will depend largely on your prejudice against Micro Four Thirds sensors. Because aside from depth of field being slightly more challenging to achieve, and the fact that there's only one memory card slot, there's is simply nothing not to love about this camera. And I am going to buy one.

If you're a longtime Olympus and OM shooter, today is a day to celebrate; 17 years after the launch of the 25mm f/1.8, and 13 years after the release of the 17mm f/1.8, both pocket-sized prime lenses are now weather-sealed. On top of that, the 100-400mm zoom just got next-level sealing and sync stabilization abilities.

Just announced are the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II – a classic "nifty fifty" with an equivalent 50mm focal length in full frame terms – and the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II – a 35mm equivalent street and reportage lens.

These much-loved portable primes have been long overdue an update, but there are no optical performance boosts. Both lenses have simply received weather-sealing, and now come with lens hoods – something long requested by the community. Other than that, they have the same optical formula and output as the Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 and Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 that they replace.

There are a couple of caveats, one of them being that the new 17mm II actually loses a feature: the manual focus clutch and scale of the original version. In addition, both lenses are currently only available in black with no silver option – though in fairness, black lenses on silver cameras like the new OM System OM-3 look pretty badass.

Physically, both lenses feel almost indistinguishable from their predecessors – but there are slight differences. The new 17mm II is 8g lighter at 112g (no doubt due to losing the focus clutch), is 2.1mm longer at 37.6mm long, and features a new bayonet for the lens hood – which means that if you own the classic metal LC-48 Olympus PEN lens cap, it no longer fits.

The 25mm II, meanwhile, clocks in 20g heavier than the old version at 156g (likely to do with the added weather seals), and is 1.4mm wider at 59.4mm in diameter. I'll say again, though, the two lenses feel virtually identical (aside from the 17mm's focus clutch) in the hand, and on my camera.

When it comes to the new OM System M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS II, some significant gains have been made over its predecessor. For starters, it now boasts a fluorine coating and IPX1-rated weather sealing.

Where the original M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS only offered 3 stops of lens-only image stabilization, the mark II version packs 4.5 stops of lens correction. On top of that, though, it also features Sync IS capability that enables the lens stabilization to work with the in-body stabilization of select cameras – offering a maximum 7 stops of compensation at the wide end and 5.5 stops at the long, which even works with the teleconverters.

On top of that, the new lens is 25g lighter at only 1,300g (and is 0.1mm shorter, at 205.6mm) and you can now remove the tripod collar while the lens is attached to the camera for enhanced versatility.

I've tested the new primes extensively, and you can read my full thoughts in my OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II review along with my OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II review. Our coverage of the new 100-400mm will hopefully be ready next week.

All three lenses go on sale February 27. The M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II will be priced $499.99 / £399.00 / AU$599.00, the M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II will cost $549.99 / £479.00 / AU$649.00, and the M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS II will carry a price tag of $1,499.99 / £1,299.00 AU$2,199.

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The new f/1.8 primes are perfect for OM's latest camera, so read my full OM System OM-3 review. Check out the best OM System / Olympus lenses to see what other optics the brand makes, and remember that all MFT cameras can use any of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses.

OM System (formerly Olympus) has unveiled its latest camera, the OM System OM-3 – a creative powerhouse that combines the specs and computational muscle of the company's flagship model, the creative toolset of the legendary Olympus PEN-F, and the luscious looks of the classic Olympus OM-3 film camera.

The OM-3 takes all the core technology of the celebrated OM System OM-1 Mark II – namely the stacked, back-side illuminated 20.4MP image sensor with Quad Pixel autofocus, along with 14-bit 50MP and 80MP High Res Shot mode, 120fps burst shooting with pre-capture (50fps with continuous AF), 4K 60p / FullHD 120p / Slow & Quick 240fps video, and IP53 weather sealing.

It also possesses the OM-1 Mark II's market-leading computational photography features, including Live ND and Live GND filters (software-powered neutral density and grad filters, which remove the need for physical lens filters), now accessible at the touch of the dedicated CP button.

More than being a technological marvel, though, the OM System OM-3 calls back to a pair of beloved camera bodies from the storied Olympus era.

Firstly, and most obviously, the Olympus OM-3 film camera from 1983 – a gorgeous and highly soughtafter SLR that's much rarer than other OM bodies. The physical design and handling of the camera is sublime, even by the standards of OM / Olympus – which has made some of the best retro cameras for 13 years.

However, the most fundamental callback is to the cult classic Olympus PEN-F from 2016. The OM-3 resurrects the PEN-F's Creative Dial, which affords immediate fingertip access to four film simulations (including Tri-X and Velvia-like presets), 18 Art Filters (including Bleach Bypass and Instant Film) and a Color Creator mode – all of which can be fully customized.

Video shooting hasn't been overlooked, thanks to the OM Cinema profiles that combine the flexibility of OM-Log400 with aesthetic profiles to minimize the need for post-production. The new shooting dial also brings S&Q mode to an OM camera for the first time, enabling you to easily capture 1fps hyperlapses or 240fps super slow-motion footage. Or there's good old 4K 60p / FullHD 120p video.

The OM-3 inherits the company's flagship autofocus capabilities, too, with its Quad Pixel system featuring 1,053 cross-type hybrid points and algorithmic subject recognition AF for human, bird, and dog and cat (all with face and eye detection) along with planes, trains and automobiles.

You can read my full thoughts in my OM System OM-3 review, but in short I love this camera.

"The OM-3 rekindles the kind of magic not seen since the Olympus glory days," I wrote. "This is a camera that celebrates the brand's heritage in terms of both looks and spirit, proving that style is substance, with a body that doesn't just look great but actually inspires you to pick it up and shoot with it.

"It can't be disputed that the OM-3 (next to the OM-1 Mark II) offers the most advanced computational photography on the market, with the most versatile creative options and the most beautiful body this side of a Fujifilm camera. Like the PEN-F, this is another future classic."

The OM System OM-3 goes on sale February 27 with a price of $1,999 / £1,699 / AU$3,199 body only, or in a kit with the M.Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 Pro lens for $2,299/ £1,999 / AU$3,799.

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Take a look at the best OM System / Olympus cameras, along with the best OM System / Olympus lenses to pair them with. And remember that MFT is an open standard, so you can use any of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses as well.

The best affordable mirrorless cameras offer an excellent entry point into an exciting camera system without breaking the bank. We've selected these models because they offer true value for money, providing years of use and satisfaction. With well-sized sensors and impressive megapixel counts, these aren’t just good budget cameras—they're great cameras overall.

Many of them are also fantastic options for vlogging. As video content creation becomes increasingly accessible, all of these cameras are capable of shooting video, with many offering 4K resolution. If you're looking to dive into YouTube, filmmaking, or content creation on a budget, cheap mirrorless cameras are the perfect starting point.

Prices can fluctuate, especially for older models, but all the cameras on this list are consistently available at prices much lower than the average for mirrorless cameras.

One last tip: when shopping for affordable mirrorless cameras, be sure to check if the camera is "body only" or comes bundled with a lens. We’ll share our recommendations for the best lenses below.

The Quick List

The best cheap mirrorless cameras 

Best for vloggers

The Panasonic Lumix G100D is a fantastic starter camera for vloggers and has clearly been designed with that exact audience in mind. Unlike most consumer mirrorless cameras, it's got a fairly sophisticated built-in mic setup, meaning that while you can plug in an external mic with the 3.5mm jack, you don't have to, and that's hugely handy for casual vlogging.

Its approachable button layout makes it easy for pretty much anyone to pick up the Lumix G100D and start shooting high-quality 4K video. The tactile ergonomics make it a pleasure to use, and even though it's a relatively new model, the price has already come down a little.

We appreciated a lot of features of the Lumix G100D when it came into our hands for a full review – with a bright electronic viewfinder and high-quality LCD screen, it's just an all-around pleasant shooting experience for stills and video.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix G100D review

Best budget

The Lumix G7 was launched back in 2015, so it’s a few years old now, and that shows in its styling and specs. It’s the ideal choice for mirrorless camera buyers who prefer the heft and gripability of a DSLR-style body, and it comes with a viewfinder, which is terrific in a mirrorless camera at this price. Bad points?

The G7 was launched before Panasonic started including in-body stabilization in its cameras, so you’re reliant on any optical stabilization in the lenses themselves. It also has a relatively old 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, which knocks back the image quality ever so slightly compared to current APS-C sensor offerings. Prices vary a lot, so keep your eyes peeled, we have seen some crazy twin-lens deals on this camera.

Read our full Panasonic G7 review

Best for travel

The A6100 is the budget option in Sony's best-selling A6000-series of cameras - and although it was launched back in 2019 is still a great camera for those wanting a small system camera with a great selection of lenses.

The fundamentals on the A6100 are incredibly solid, for photographers at least. With 11fps burst shooting, 24MP of resolution, and a highly capable autofocus system, it's got pretty much everything most photographers are going to need. It's far more powerful than many similarly priced beginner camera, and its slimline body makes it perfect for travel.

This camera replaced the legendary A6000 - and one of the biggest improvements was to its video shooting capabilities. The A6100 can shoot in 4K - and has a microphone socket – making it a decent choice for vlogging, which is made easy thanks to its flip-up rotating LCD screen.

Read our full Sony A6100 review

best retro styling

We love the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. Its predecessor, the Mark III, was (and is) a perennial favorite around the DCW office, and we're full of admiration for how sensibly Olympus went about updating this beloved camera.

The addition of the 20.3MP sensor from the PEN-F was a great shout, and we were immensely glad to see improved Continuous Autofocus further expanding Mark IV's burst shooting capabilities. After all, it's not much good being able to shoot at 15fps if you can't focus worth a damn!

The extra-tiltable screen impresses too, and the fact that it flips down 180° makes the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV a tempting proposition for YouTubers and vloggers. For the money, the Mark IV is absolutely stuffed with features, and the fact that it's so portable makes it a great choice for travel.

Read our full Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review

Best for content creators

The EOS RP was Canon's second full-frame mirrorless camera, and it's smaller, lighter, and a lot cheaper than all of the others. It's designed to be a compact, affordable and easy-to-use entry point into Canon's full-frame mirrorless system, and it succeeds brilliantly.

Its small dimensions mean it can sometimes feel overbalanced by larger lenses, though, and the 4K video mode comes with some caveats – the image frame is cropped by a factor of 1.6 and you can't use Canon's speedy Dual Pixel CMOS AF system unless you drop the resolution to full HD.

On the upside, the pictures are clear and sharp, the vari-angle touchscreen display is a real advantage for both stills and video, and the inclusion of an EF lens adaptor means you can use existing Canon DSLR lenses alongside the new but growing RF lens system.

At under $1,000/£1,000 you wouldn't say it was 'cheap' in the general run of things, but for a full-frame camera, its price is practically miraculous.

Read our full Canon EOS RP review

Best for sports

This is one of the best-selling full-frame cameras of recent years - and particularly popular with enthusiast photographers. It packs a lot of tech into a small body - offering 696-point AF system, eye autofocus, and 5-axis image stabilization. A 10fps motordrive combined with a detailed 2.5 million eyelevel viewfinder make it a great choice for those who want to shoot sports. With the launch of the newer A7 IV model, this version has started to become a bit of a bargain - so now qualifies as one of our cheap mirrorless picks.

The resolution is a modest, yet mangeable, 24 megapixels - which is fine for most types of photography. And thanks to there being a wide range of lenses from Sony and third-party manufacturers, you can get a kit to shoot almost any subject without needing to spend a fortune.

Read our full Sony A7 III review

How we test

We test cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range. We use both real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides.

Choosing the right focal length is a crucial part of the creative decision making process for a photographer. You can have the best camera for beginners, but if you don't truly understand focal length, you'll struggle to pick the right lens for the right situation.

Focal length is used to determine your lens's angle of view, which is what you see when you look through your camera's viewfinder. The angle of view is measured from the point where rays of light converge within a lens (the point of convergence) to the camera's sensor (or film) and is calculated while the focus is set to infinity. 

You will also come across the terms field of view and angular field of view. Technically, angle of view, field of view, and angular field of view are different. But the differences are minimal – not to mention disputed – so I'm going to simplify things by referring to angle of view, exclusively.

Lenses with fixed focal lengths are known as prime lenses and lenses with varying focal lengths are zoom lenses. Understanding the angle of view is crucial when identifying, say, the best lenses for bird photography and is something that seasoned photographers do instinctively. 

In short, the smaller the focal length, the wider the angle of view and the more 'wide-angle' the lens. The larger the focal length, the narrower the field of view and the more 'telephoto' the lens. Focal lengths are often split into six categories. Below, you'll find a breakdown of each category and the genres of photography they’re often associated with. 

It's worth noting that these parameters can shift slightly, depending on where you look or who you ask. We'd suggest viewing them as guidelines that will help you get used to choosing the right focal length for the job. Ultimately, the best focal length will always be the one that helps convey your creative vision. 

Understanding crop factor

I will be referring to focal lengths in 35mm (or full-frame) terms. If you're using an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds camera, you will have to work out the 35mm-equivalent focal length of your desired lens to find the category that it occupies.

Because APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors are smaller than full-frame sensors, they have a crop factor, which you can use to find out the 35mm-equivalent focal length. To find this out, multiply your lens's focal length by 1.5 if you're using an APS-C Nikon, Fujifilm or Sony camera, 1.6 if it's an APS-C Canon camera, and 2.0 if it's a Micro Four Thirds camera.  

So, a 50mm lens on a Nikon DX body has a comparable angle of view to a 75mm lens on an FX body, because 50 x 1.5 = 75. 

• Photography cheat sheet: Focal lengths explained

1. Ultra wide angle  

Focal lengths below 24mm are referred to as ultra-wide-angle. Such focal lengths provide extremely wide angles of view and are often used to cram huge pieces of architecture or sprawling landscapes into the frame. Fisheye lenses use ultra-wide-angle focal lengths too, but feature even wider angles of view due to their specialist construction. 

The best lenses for astrophotography are often ultra-wide angle, due to astrophotographers requiring a wide enough field of view to capture the panoramic night sky. 

2. Wide angle 

Wide-angle focal lengths offer wide angles of view that aren't as extreme as their ultra-wide counterparts. The wide-angle ballpark sits between 24 and 35mm, and is used to capture landscapes and architecture. Wide-angle lenses suffer from barrel distortion and are therefore not used for conventional portraits. 

The best lenses for landscapes are typically wide angle, allowing landscape photographers to capture sprawling vistas with more manageable barrel distortion than ultra-wide-angle lenses, which can diminish subjects by making them appear smaller within the scene. 

3. Standard 

Standard focal lengths range from 35 to 70mm and are generally considered the most versatile focal lengths. The 'nifty fifty' (or 50mm prime) is a perfect example of a standard focal length that's used to shoot a wide range of subjects, as it's close to human vision, making it popular for casual, street and documentary photography.

The best lenses for street photography tend to be standard lenses, providing an authentic angle of view, which complements the subject matter. 

4. Short telephoto 

Focal lengths of 70 to 300mm are sometimes referred to as telephoto, but that doesn't tell the whole story. It's worth recognizing the short (or medium) telephoto category, which generally goes up to 135mm, as it's particularly suitable for portraits and close-up photography. 

The best macro lenses are usually short telephoto focal lengths – particularly useful when working with skittish subjects who might spook if you get too close.

5. Telephoto

With short telephoto lenses ranging from 70 to 135mm, anything beyond this (up to 300mm) is simply telephoto. Such focal lengths provide increasingly narrow angles of view and a decent amount of reach. They're therefore commonly used by sports and wildlife photographers. 

The best lens for sports photography will almost always be a telephoto or super-telephoto optic (the latter is up next).  

6. Super telephoto 

Go beyond 300mm and you're into super-telephoto territory. These focal lengths feature the narrowest angles of view and furthest reach. Super-faraway subjects are the order of the day, making them ideal for wildlife, aviation events and picking out individual sportspersons from the sidelines. 

The best telephoto lenses are often super-telephoto examples. Perfect for getting you close to the action, from a faraway vantage point. 

You may also be interested in the best Nikon lenses, the best Canon lenses and the best Sony lenses.

Last month, it was rumored that DJI is planning to launch a mirrorless camera. Now those rumors have evolved to include Huawei, with speculation that the two Chinese giants could team up to release a new interchangeable lens camera [ILC]. 

While I'll start by saying that this would be absolutely massive, and could utterly transform the industry, before I get too carried away I need to put a couple of asterisks next to things.

Firstly, as with all camera rumors, this automatically needs to be taken with a dollop of salt. And when it comes to the addition of Huawei to the mix, this information comes from a Weibo post that was written way back in March – two points that require two further servings of sodium. 

Disclaimers out of the way, though, there are plenty of reasons why this might be true – and why it really could work, creating a new power in the camera industry. 

The rumor

As noted, this is a post from Chinese social media network Weibo back in March that was unearthed by the website Fast Technology: 

"Huawei may join hands with DJI to enter the SLR camera market. As we all know, DJI has strong technical strength in the field of drones and will apply its unique advanced anti-shake technology and intelligent flight shooting mode to SLR cameras. Huawei has rich experience and technology in the field of mobile phone photography, which can bring better image quality and more convenient operation experience. 

"It is believed that once the two powerful Chinese technology companies join forces, they will have a strong impact on traditional SLR camera brands such as Nikon, Canon, Sony and other companies. It is even very likely that they will be 'far ahead' in the field of SLR cameras."

The reality

Let's start with the practicalities: DJI is already a member of both the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) group and the L-Mount Alliance, and it already makes devices using MFT sensors (in its Zenmuse X5R aerial camera) as well as full-frame sensors (in the DJI Ronin).  

So there's no learning curve here. This isn't like when fellow Chinese brand Yongnuo decided to launch a mirrorless camera (the Yongnuo YN450) and had to learn from scratch. DJI isn't just an overambitious drone manufacturer; it has been working with mirrorless sensors for years – and clearly knows what it is doing with them. 

It's not just sensor tech that DJI has mastered, either. Just look at the success story that is the Osmo Pocket range: a fantastic line of cameras that are technically and functionally fantastic, and have created an entirely new product category (which is so good that even Canon wants to follow suit). 

And of course, there's the small matter of Hasselblad – which is owned by DJI, giving it direct insight and expertise in mirrorless cameras. Up until now the two brands have been kept very separate, which I don't see changing – and I would be absolutely astonished if this new camera is medium format. But behind the scenes at least, I've no doubt that DJI will be taking cues from Hasselblad in terms of things like image engines, color science and so on.

Where does Huawei fit in? Well, until the unfortunate trade dispute with the US (more on that in a minute), Huawei phones were widely regarded as the best camera phones you could buy, with cutting-edge computational features that used software to squeeze the best images out of sensors – an area that traditional camera companies still haven't caught up on.

Rumors from elsewhere on the web are suggesting that DJI would launch a full-frame L-Mount camera, rather than a Micro Four Thirds affair. Given the decline in popularity of MFT bodies, this would certainly make sense – though at the same time, given how much of DJI's stabilization wizardry and imaging tech is based around working with smaller sensors, I wouldn't count anything out.

Either way, what we're potentially looking at is a new camera system that's going to have hundreds of lenses at launch, a super-friendly user interface, brilliant stabilization, a smartphone app that actually works, and bleeding-edge computational photography features that could give us the kind of "better pictures on my phone" results than current cameras are capable of (think taking photos of sunsets or cloudy skies with your phone versus a camera). 

Even respected YouTuber and photographer Tony Northrup thinks this could be huge. "This should be alarming to all the Japanese manufacturers," he commented when Mirrorless Rumors reported on the story. 

"If you consider the DJI Pocket 3, its tech makes traditional cameras seem 20 years old. Wireless mics connect automatically with no receiver. The app works with no frustration, and files transfer over WiFi at least 10X faster than Canon, Sony, or Nikon apps. The controls work just as well for vertical video. Most importantly, you don't have to read the manual to get the most out of the camera, which is absolutely not true of other modern cameras. Oh, and it's $500.

"If DJI brings that simplicity to ILCs, it's not going to change the minds of most readers of blogs like this, but it will sway influencers and first-time camera buyers, for sure."

So, what's the catch? Well, again, right now this is all just rumor and speculation. Until DJI says something (and we've checked – it is being extremely tightlipped) it's all just something else that someone said on the internet. 

We also can't forget the whole US trade dispute thing. Because not only was Huawei blacklisted by the US in 2018, but Congress is currently trying to ban DJI drones again. Can two companies who've already had headaches selling products in the USA really make a go of it by making a new product together? 

It's going to be very, very interesting to see if there's any fire to this smoke…

You might be interested in the best mirrorless cameras currently on the market, along with the best DJI drones you can buy right now.

The first specifications for the Nikon Z50 II have popped up online, with reports that the camera will be launched before the end of the year and feature a refreshed body – but familiar hardware on the inside.

The original Nikon Z50 was a capable camera that I felt got unfairly overlooked. Launched in 2019 it was the company's first APS-C camera in the Z series, offered super-compactness and performance aimed at intermediate shooters. 

However, perhaps in an attempt to get its mirrorless ducks in a row in the early days, Nikon bequeathed it with some divisive specs – namely its 20.9MP image sensor. With every other APS-C camera on the market having at least a 24MP sensor, it left the Z50 feeling a bit conservative in the resolution stakes… and it looks like the same will be true of its successor.

According to a report by Nikon Rumors, the Nikon Z50 II will be pretty technologically similar – right down to the "same 20.9MP DX-format CMOS sensor" seen in the OG model.

"Hopefully my info is wrong, and they will introduce a new sensor," reads the report, noting that the resolution landscape has shifted dramatically. "Fuji for example, is already using a 40MP sensor in their latest X100VI camera".

I thoroughly believe that 21MP is enough for most needs; my daily drivers are the 20.3MP Olympus PEN E-P7 and the 20.4MP OM System OM-5. However, those are both Micro Four Thirds cameras – and unfortunately, the market expects more of cameras with larger sensors. 

Canon, for example, was quick to replace the original EOS R6 with its 20.1MP sensor. And when Fujifilm's latest bodies all pack 40MP sensors, and with even the entry-level $300 Canon EOS R100 having a 24.1MP sensor, I wonder how wise it is to stick with 20.9MP as we move into 2025. 

Still, there are reportedly some welcome changes coming to the Nikon Z50 II. The same report notes that it will feature the newer Expeed 7 image processor (which may provide superior imaging and AF performance) along with the switch to a USB-C port. The camera will also possess a fully articulating screen, as part of its "updated body design". 

If these early specs are accurate – and, as with all camera rumors, they need to be taken with a big spoonful of salt – the Nikon Z50 II looks to be more of a light refresh than a wholesale update. 

That said, a fresh coat of paint certainly did wonders for the Nikon Z fc, which is itself a Z50 with an "updated body design", so I will be very interested to see how the mark II is received. 

You might be interested in the best Nikon cameras, along with the best Nikon lenses in general and the best Nikon Z lenses for mirrorless cameras in specific.

Earlier this year we reported that OM System had plans to issue a significant firmware update to the OM System OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II, and OM users will be pleased to know that it is finally here.

Firmware for mirrorless cameras comes in all shapes and sizes, from small bug fixes to adding new features that improve the camera performance. 

Thankfully, the flagship OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II bodies have received what many regard as the holy grail of firmware updates: improved AF and stability, including better image stabilization for the pixel-shift Handheld Hi Res Shot mode.

The official firmware notes from OM System are as follows:

OM System OM-1 Mark II (Version 1.2)

• Enhanced Handheld High-Res Shot: Improved composition algorithm for handheld high-res shot.

• Operational Stability: Improved stability of some functions.

OM System OM-1 (Version 1.7)

• Enhanced All-Target Mode Autofocus: Improvement in AF performance with All-Target Mode in S-AF and C-AF. Optimized tuning of the focus position when the AF area is set to all targets.

• Improved Menu Operation: The erase/trash button can now be used as a menu access shortcut, allowing for easier operation with the right hand.

• Enhanced Handheld High-Res Shot: Improved composition algorithm for handheld high-res shot.

• Operational Stability: Improved stability of some functions.

Both cameras are benefiting from great updates, improving their performance. This can often feel like getting a new camera, with the potential to capture things you couldn't previously – and this is especially true for the original OM System OM-1.

While it can't achieve parity with the Mark II, given the new body's increased memory to power the more advanced autofocus features, many OM users were keen to see the AF system shored up – and following a more cursory update earlier this year, that's exactly what's happened.

The update shows that OM System continues to consider existing and older customers alike. While the OM-1 II still has AF features that aren't available on the older model – such as AI Detection AF for humans – this is a very welcome tune-up for the original OM-1.

Step-by-step video instructions on updating your OM System camera firmware can be found on the OM System firmware download page.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best OM System (Olympus) cameras, which are some of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market.

Looking for bokeh camera settings, on a film or digital camera? Getting a delicious, bokehlicious, blurry background requires the same set of parameters whether your camera is analog, DSLR or mirrorless.

If you're asking what is bokeh, in technicaly terms, it doesn't actually mean the blurry background itself; rather, it's the quality of that blur, and the out of focus areas in the fore and background of an image. Though some people still use "bokeh" and "blur" interchangeably. 

Regardless, these bokeh camera settings on film or digital will produce images with shallow depth of field – which means only a narrow plane of your photo will be in focus, with the background reduced to a buttery blur. This is how to achieve it…

Film bokeh camera settings

There's a notion that film cameras produce more blur than digital cameras, and this is kindasorta true. Most film cameras take 35mm film, which is equivalent to a "full frame" image sensor on a digital camera and produces a natively shallow depth of field (all things being equal, which I'll come onto in a minute). 

You also have medium format and large format film cameras, which take even larger sheets of film and have an even shallower depth of field. 

Digital cameras and camera phones, on the other hand, have image sensors of all different sizes, including things like 1/1.9-inch sensors in an iPhone, Micro Four Thirds sensors on OM System cameras, and APS-C sensors on Fujifilm X cameras… all of which are smaller than 35mm / full frame sensors, and cannot produce as shallow a depth of field. 

TLDR: there are many digital cameras and phones that cannot, all things being equal, render the same amount of background blur as a film camera. But bokeh camera settings are about much more than the size of your film or sensor!

All about the aperture…

At the end of the day, regardless of what camera you've got, you're going to need the right lens to unlock that beautiful blur! 

Look for a lens with a fast aperture, which is a low f-number such as f/1.8. In crude terms, the faster the aperture / lower the f-number the more background blur you can render.

This is where the bokeh camera settings come in: essentially, you'll need to "open" your aperture to its widest possible setting – which means setting the aperture all the way to the lowest f-number, whether that's f/1.8, f/1.4, f/1.2 or even f/0.95. 

This will mean that the maximum amount of light hits your film or image sensor, so you'll need to balance the exposure triangle to get the image you want!

… Well, and the lens

In addition to a lens with the fastest aperture, you also need a lens with a long focal length – like a 50mm, an 85mm or a 135mm. The longer your lens, the more defocus can be created behind your subject to create more background blur. 

When you see a portrait with that "cinematic" bokeh, it's as much to do with having the right focal length as it is about shooting with a wide open aperture. Shooting with telephoto lenses when photographing wildlife, for example, tends to produce inherently more blur. 

Distance matters, too

You will never blur out your background, no matter what settings you use, if your subject is leaning directly against it! 

The easiest way to blur the background is to move the subject as far away from it as possible; the greater the distance between subject and backdrop, the greater the degree of defocus that can be achieved. 

Conversely, you can also increase the amount of background blur by moving your lens closer to your subject. This can work to great effect for macro photography, as bringing the camera closer will start to reduce light sources to beautiful "bokeh balls".

Bokeh camera settings… the cheat code!

While I said that bokeh camera settings are about much more than the size of your film or sensor, I wasn't lying… but having the biggest sensor or film format really is a cheat code to getting deliciously defocused background blur.

Using a medium format camera, for instance, will simply melt the backdrop into a puddle of blur. Pair it with a long lens and a fast aperture and you can achieve some supernaturally shallow depth of field.

But you don't have to break the bank with medium format – check out the best lenses for bokeh regardless of what camera you're using, and if you use these settings and techniques you'll get that creamy, dreamy look in no time.

Wondering where to start? Take a look at the best cameras for portraits and the best lenses for portraits.

Perhaps unsurprisingly when my day job is writing about cameras and my hobbies are taking pictures with cameras – my discover page on Instagram is quite camera-centric. This means that I am fed a constant stream of which cameras the influencers of the world are pushing this week (yes, it changes a lot). And this week I have noticed Canon’s little EOS M cameras popping up much more frequently. Although, shed a tear, the EOS M series is no more – however, with tiny but capable cameras making a serious comeback, did Canon kill off the series too soon?

Well yes – if you are asking me. As a self-confessed Canon fanboy throughout the 2010s, I bought quite a few EOS M cameras. These included the awesome metal-bodied original EOS M, through to the EOS M3, and finally an EOS M5. I am not going to claim Canon’s EOS M series got a flawless report card, but even a Canon camera with a few faults is still a damn good camera. For its pocket-friendly size, the Canon EOS M6 Mark II was a monster with a 32.5MP sensor, 4K video, Dual Pixel AF, and a 30fps RAW burst mode.

It's hard to predict camera trends – the first wave of mirrorless cameras kicked off with tiny Micro Four Thirds models, and it was not long before Canon jumped in with its first EOS M camera, as did Nikon with its similar Nikon 1 series. But design soon gave way to a full-frame frenzy with Sony’s A7 cameras capturing headlines and hearts – those small MTF cameras became much bigger MTF cameras, and even tiny camera pioneer Panasonic shifted gears towards full-frame. All of which led to the Canon launching the EOS R series we have today. 

With perhaps the exception of Fujifilm who has doggedly stuck to the smaller APS-C format and is now reaping the rewards, I don’t think many people saw compact and small cameras being quite so resurgent in the last year or so. Whether it is a backlash against the amount of AI in today's phone cameras, or just an excuse to slow down and think more carefully about the photos you want to take I can’t tell you, but everyone wants a point-and-shoot camera in their pocket again. 

Canon officially discontinued the EOS M series in October 2023 – four years after the release of the EOS M200, which unwittingly would become its last EOS M camera. Canon has since followed up with its RF-S mount cameras, which are the closest spiritual successor the the M series, but to put it kindly, are underwhelming in design compared to the EOS M series, and don’t come close to their compactness.

I’d argue the world’s largest camera brand is now left without a series of cameras to perfectly fill this growing niche. Canon’s last surviving pro compact, the Canon G7 X Mark III, is an option, but compared to the M series, it doesn’t have the interchangeable lens flexibility and is limited by its 1-inch sensor for low light and equivalent aperture. 

I don’t know what Canon has up its sleeve for the future, but less than a year after officially discontinuing the line, I can’t see Canon bringing back its EOS M cameras. Yet that doesn’t mean I am not still going to miss them, and I will join the EOS M fans of Instagram and agree that Canon killed off the series just a bit too soon.

See our guide to the best Canon EF-M lenses

Several rumor sites are swirling with excitement over the idea that DJI is preparing to announce a new mirrorless system camera in September – that's next month – with the goal of competing directly with Canon, Nikon and Sony.

The source of this rumor seems to be an enthusiastic YouTube post by Andrea Pizzini – with some AI-generated images of a DJI mirrorless camera. While it is probably important to note he offers no concrete evidence, and Pizzini to be attempting to launch a DJI rumor site on the back of this video, there is still something to be said for the idea.

In response to the rumor, a DJI spokesperson said: "The interest in DJI is appreciated, however, we don’t comment on new product rumors. Please keep an eye on our official channels for information relating to the release of any new products."

As I said, Pizzini hasn't got much of a track record when it comes to this kind of information, and it is likely from other DJI rumors about drones that DJI will have a launch in September in any case, DJI would actually be very well-placed to produce a mirrorless camera, so – for fun – let's delve a little further.

For one thing, DJI knows camera tech inside out, admittedly – arguably – with a video bias. Even if we set aside drones, DJI already produced a number of cameras without mirrors – including the best action camera and other interesting products like the Osmo Pocket 3.

At the higher end, where it is more logical to think of competing, DJI have its Ronin 4D cameras which have caught the attention of many cineamatographers. Shooting in 8K and with a built-in gimbal, it's a sophisticated device – and much pricier than a typical mirrorless camera – but it shows the company has all the technical competence. The design also shows an approach to design with none of the baggage that established brands bring.

If you're asking "What about lenses?" then it's worth remembering that DJI is a member of the Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) alliance, and already has a number of lenses which fit that system. It has used them for the Inspire 3 and other drones in that series, as well as other higher-end drones.

DJI also makes its own, albeit limited, range of full-frame lenses with its own DL-mount for use with the Ronin 4K and the Zenmuse X9 drone camera. Some choose to see the Ronin Cinema Cameras as versions of the Inspire that don't fly, but however you see it it is capable not only of accepting DL-mount lenses but M-Mount, E-Mount and L-Mount (DJI have a compatibility guide) suggesting a good amount of homework has already been done.

In terms of customer base, Pizzini makes a very good point in his video about the blurring of the high-end consumer market, which DJI would be well-placed to address. The company is also very experienced at using apps and remote connectivity thanks to its numerous drones, and both of these technologies could be revolutionary for anyone looking for a video-focused or streaming-friendly device.

None of the established brands have been especially quick to embrace apps in the way that DJI's drones do as a matter of course. If there is any truth in this rumor (and, again, we've got nothing concrete) then it has to be said that camera lines like Sony's vlogger-focused ZV-E10 might be the kind of territory it would make sense for DJI to go for.

Built-in support for DJI's wireless microphones (like the DJI Mic 2) would also be a great selling point – personally I see these in a lot of YouTube videos these days.

There are of course a lot of reasons why this might not be true – not least the political issues DJI faces in the USA. It's also worth pointing out the huge difference in price point betwen the vlogger cameras and even mainstream mirrorless market and DJI's Ronin cinema cameras.

Nonetheless, the company has quickly expanded into new markets and price points, especially since moving to its Sky City HQ. These include power stations and video transmission tech. Why not the best mirrorless camera, next?

UPDATE: We have spoken to Canon UK and the EISA Awards who have indicated that due to unfortunate timing, the Canon EOS R1 and Canon EOS R5 II missed the cutoff time for EISA awards 2024-2025. 

The deadline for the EISA awards this year was May 20, however, the new Canon cameras were not officially released until July 17. 

I did find it strange that the new Canon flagship cameras were not included as they boast some exceptional new features and are among the best mirrorless cameras on the market at the moment – this explains why!

ORIGINAL STORY (Aug 15 2024): The EISA Awards has announced the winners for the best cameras and lenses for 2024-2025, with Nikon and Sony scooping a total of 10 awards between them.

Every year EISA (the Expert Imaging and Sound Association) deliberates over the best cameras and lenses released over the past year. Its photography category honors different formats of cameras and various styles of lenses – and this year, 20 awards were given to the best of the best.

Six cameras were announced as winners, with the Sony A9 III scooping the biggest honor of Camera of the Year. It is no surprise by now that the A9 III has taken the photography industry by storm, winning multiple awards since its release and setting a new benchmark for pro sports cameras.

The camera introduces the first global shutter sensor on a photography camera, enabling lightning-quick flash sync speeds, minimal distortion, and the ability to capture your scene at 120fps in full 24MP RAW.

The A9 III was not the only Sony camera to win an award, however, as the much loved Sony A6700, won for best APS-C Camera.

Nikon continued a great award-winning year by picking up two camera awards, the Nikon Zf winning best Full-frame Camera and the Nikon Z6 III taking home Advanced Full-frame Camera.

The Zf has delivered on being a great hybrid option between retro and modern, offering users the looks and style of a film camera with the conveniences of modern technology. This EISA Award will sit on the camera's mantlepiece along with its Red Dot and TIPA Awards.

The other cameras picking up trophies include the Panasonic Lumix G9 II for Micro Four Thirds Camera and the Fujifilm X100VI for Compact Camera.

There does seem to be an obvious exclusion from the list of camera winners; considering it has released two brand new bodies in 2024, Canon is conspicuous by its absence. That being said, it is likely that the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II were released after the judging period. However, as the award is for 2024-2025, it does raise questions.

Cameras weren't the only photography product to win awards, with no less than 14 lens category winners.

The categories covered everything from telephoto to super-wide angle and everything in-between. Among the top picks was the Lens of the Year, awarded to the Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art. A major win for Sigma and a great representation of how third-party lens manufacturers are producing some exceptional glass.

And the EISAs weren't a total write-off for Canon, as it picked up awards for two of its best RF lenses: Photo/Video Zoom Lens and Ultra-wide Angle Zoom Lens for the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS Z and Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM respectively.

The final award was that of Creator Smartphone, which was awarded to the Sony Xperia 1 VI. Smartphones are becoming a more and more viable option for photography, and the Zeiss optics and triple camera setup of the Xperia saw it take the gong.

The full list of winners can be found on the EISA website, and it makes for some interesting reading.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best mirrorless cameras, the best lenses, and the best smartphone for photography.

For many people, when they think of Panasonic cameras, the GH line might well be the first model that pops into their heads. The GH lineup of hybrid cameras has long been renowned for its video pedigree, with the Lumix GH6 especially being a fan-favorite for independent filmmakers.

However, despite the GH6's brilliance, there was one glaring omission – phase detect autofocus. The GH6 was released just a few months prior to the Lumix S5 II, which debuted Panasonic's modern autofocus system and finally brought Lumix AF into competition with the likes of Sony and Canon. But this left many observers (me), and potential buyers, wondering why Panasonic didn't delay the GH6 release to include this feature.

Panasonic is finally on course to correct this misstep with the GH7, which features a brand new sensor, processing engine – and yes, phase-detect autofocus. With the GH6 basically getting everything else right though, then surely this is an open goal for Panasonic? Let's find out.

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Specifications

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Price

The Panasonic Lumix GH7 costs $2,199 / £1,999 / AU$3,899 for body-only at launch. However, there is also the option to bundle in a Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens for $2,799 / £2,499 / AU$4,899.

Launching for the same price as the GH6 there isn't too much to be surprised by here. I expected perhaps the price rise due to global inflation, but Panasonic has historically been quite aggressive in pricing its cameras.

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Design & Handling

If you don’t spot the insignia, you might not even notice this is a new model. The Panasonic Lumix GH7 recycles the previous model's design, although there is nothing wrong with that, as the GH6 made some strides with robust and ergonomic design.

I’ll be honest, Panasonic’s GH cameras are not my favorite for their style, I find them unexciting to look at, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the camera's ergonomics are really well-thought-out. The layout of buttons and dials is intuitive, there is a button for practically every setting I could think of changing, which meant I didn’t have to go diving into the menu every few minutes. Although thankfully when you do, Panasonic's user interface is one of the most user-friendly and accessible to both novices and experienced photographers.

Despite its MFT sensor, the GH7 is not a small camera, it feels much more like a DSLR than a mirrorless camera, but with an internal fan enabling some incredible internal recording options, as well as a rotating screen and an EVF, there is a lot to squeeze in. Saying that, the camera is easy enough to carry around, and I found the grip very comfortable to use in my prolonged shooting sessions as I marched around London shooting content.

The GH7 is also not too heavy, although it does weigh a few more grams than the full-frame Lumix S5 II. The camera's body is constructed from durable magnesium alloy, and weather sealing ensures it can withstand use in various environments where dust and moisture can creep in, which is reassuring as I stare into the big vents for the rear fan.

Whilst the GH7 might be marketed towards video makers, the electronic viewfinder (EVF) is another highlight of the GH7 versus similar video-centric cameras you might be considering (like the Sony FX series). If you are just as serious about video as you are about your photography, then this is one of the best hybrid cameras you can get, and I would say this is a better choice over the Lumix G9 II.

The EVF has a resolution of 3.68 million dots with a quick refresh rate and provides a sharp and clear view of the scene. It's not the best EVF I have used, but I found it perfectly pleasant to shoot through. Also as mentioned, the GH7's design includes a 3.2-inch articulating touchscreen which is pretty much essential for shooting video without an on-camera monitor. This display is bright and sharp and is easy to compose on, and the touchscreen also supports touch-to-focus and touch shutter.

Connectivity options in the GH7 are comprehensive, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow for easy sharing of images and remote control through the Panasonic Lumix Lab app, where you can also load LUTs onto the camera (more of that later). There are also ports for USB-C accessories, a full-size HDMI port for connecting to monitors, and a headphones and microphone jack.

The GH7 also features dual card slots, with one SDXC slot and one CFExpress Type-B card slot. You can delve into the menus for a range of options for recording to each card simultaneously, in sequence, or use one as a backup. The GH7 also can record directly to an external SSD if that is your preferred setup.

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Performance

At the heart of the GH7 is a new 25.2-megapixel Live MOS sensor and an enhanced Venus Engine processor. Compared to its predecessor, this processor boosts overall performance, enabling faster processing speeds and improved noise reduction, but the big talking point here is the GH7 finally getting upgraded to Panasonic’s latest phase detect autofocus (PDAF).

The autofocus system in the GH7 is now a hybrid AF, which employs a combination of phase detection, contrast-detection (CDAF), and depth-from-defocus (DFD) technology – which are a lot of buzzwords to say that is much faster and more precise than ever before. The autofocus still is quite a way from knocking Canon or Sony off the podium in the autofocus race (seriously, Canon’s latest AF is mindblowing), but it's a huge leap forward for Panasonic cameras.

The improved face and eye detection is particularly useful for filming human subjects with the tracking being much more accurate and sticky ensuring that subjects are always in sharp focus. The AF system also does so much better at reliably tracking subjects in complex scenes with multiple moving elements. There is also now support for the tracking of animals, cars, motorcycles, trains, and airplanes.

The GH7 also features in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which provides up to 6.5 stops of stabilization when used with Panasonic’s combination Dual I.S. which combines optical stabilization in the lens and sensor-based stabilization.

I have consistently rated Panasonic’s stabilization as the best in the industry, and it is still true here. The camera also has a few additional options for video IBIS, with modes especially suited to panning, static, or shots with heavy unpredictable movement. I found the panning and static modes to be a huge help, although heavy movement did still produce some jello-like effects on the footage, despite the heavy crop, although it is the most gimbal-like IBIS I have used to date.

Battery life is not a weak point, but it's just not as fantastic as the rest of the camera, offering respectable but middling performance. Your results will very much depend on how you use the camera, as high-intensity video modes using the screen and other connected devices will drain the tank much faster than just shooting stills using the EVF. But I have squeezed more battery out of many similar-sized cameras. But if you are going to need a lot of battery power, an optional battery grip is available which doubles the battery life.

Video performance

The GH7 is first and foremost a video machine, so unsurprisingly, video performance is where the GH7 truly shines. The GH7 has a frankly ridiculous amount of video options. At the top end, ​​the camera can record in ProRes RAW HQ at 5.7K 30p or 4K 60p, there is also open-gate 10-bit 4:2:0 recording in 5.8K 30p or 5.7K 60p, C4K 120p 10-bit 4:2:0, C4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2, and 240p in full HD. If it's a format and frame rate that is possible, then it is probably on the GH7.

Even more impressive is that GH7 can record for an unlimited time, (or at least until your CFExpress/SSD is full). This is all made possible by the inclusion of the fan in the rear of the GH7 that works tirelessly to expel the heat created. At no point in my testing did the camera get too hot and have to stop recording, and the fan noise is not troublesome whatsoever for those concerned about their audio.

The 4K footage produced straight out of the camera is crisp and detailed, with rich colors and excellent dynamic range. Although the GH7 benefits from internal LUTs which can be added to the camera via the Lumix Lab app, and makes it easier than ever to get color-graded footage ready for social media instantly. I love shooting but detest editing, so anything to take some of the work out I really appreciate and I can see every manufacturer following Panasonic’s lead on this.

If you still prefer to get full creative control in the editing suite, then ProRes RAW or 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording offers significant advantages in post-production, and the inclusion of V-Log further enhances the dynamic range which is outstanding for this camera. The GH7 has an additional mode for HDR recording and supports Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) for wider compatibility. There is also an anamorphic mode that supports cinematic anamorphic desqueezing in a range of magnifications.

As well as the built-in stereo microphone, 3.5mm microphone input, and headphone jack, the GH7 also has new audio capabilities with an optional XLR microphone adapter allowing recording of 32-bit floating audio tracks (I did not have this mic for testing with the GH7). The GH7 does allow for quick and easy audio monitoring, with a dedicated button for quickly jumping into audio settings.

Photo performance

When it comes to photos, the Panasonic Lumix GH7 excels. I discussed earlier how much I think this camera should not be pigeonholed as just for filmmakers, and it offers a hybrid camera experience that is every bit as good as the Lumix G9 II. With the same sensor and lens options, the GH7 can shoot the same 14 fps with the mechanical shutter and up to 75 fps with the electronic shutter. There isn’t much to separate the two when it comes to stills except price.

The camera produces images with excellent detail and vibrant colors, but the dynamic range is especially impressive given the supposed limits of the smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor size.

Low light performance is good, the camera has a native ISO range of 100-25600, and I didn’t find noise bothersome until around the 8000+ ISO range.

A hallmark of Panasonic cameras, the GH7 also supports high-resolution photo mode, which allows you to shoot and combine multiple exposures into a megapixel-packed ultra-high-resolution image. The camera's stabilization system ensures that the exposures are precisely aligned. Yes, lots of cameras do a pixel shift mode, but Panasonic is the only manufacturer that can do it directly in camera. This mode works wonderfully and is ideal for landscape and architectural photography, where capturing fine details is essential.

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Lab Results

For our lab data comparison we compared the Panasonic Lumix GH7 to other video-focussed cameras: the APS-C Fujifilm X-S20 and Sony ZV-E1, as well as Panasonic's own Lumix S5 IIX, which despite being a full-frame camera, currently costs less than the GH7.

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

Proof that size doesn't always matter: despite having the smallest sensor of the group, the 25MP GH7 actually manages to resolve slightly more fine detail than the  26MP X-S20, and it out-performs the full-frame S5 IIx. Naturally, with only 12.2MP on tap, the ZV-E1 was never going to come out on top in this test.

Dynamic range (EV):

Dynamic range is a measure of a camera's ability to record extreme brightness ranges and still retain detail in the brightest and darkest parts of the scene. It's measured in EV (exposure values, or 'stops').

The GH7 puts in an excellent performance at lower sensitivities. However at ISO 1600 its combination of small sensor and relatively high megapixel count work against it, and at higher ISOs its dynamic range is noticeably more restricted than that from the S5 IIx, and especially the ZV-E1.

Signal to noise ratio (decibels):

This test compares the amount of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings as a proportion of the actual image information (the 'signal'). Higher values are better and we expect to see the signal to ratio fall as the ISO is increased.

As with dynamic range, the GH7's small sensor and fairly high megapixel count has its downsides. It results in very small individual sensor photosites (pixels), which reduces their light sensitivity and makes them more susceptible to generating image noise. Consequently, the GH7's images are noisier than those from all three rival cameras, with the gap opening even more at higher ISOs.

Panasonic Lumix GH7: Verdict

The Panasonic Lumix GH7 offers significant improvements over its predecessor, but one tops the billing – with the GH7 finally getting the latest phase detect autofocus improvements to keep up with the ever-increasing competition in video.

Its improved sensor and processor combine to offer some of the most advanced video capabilities in any camera of this nature. While some users might be put off by the micro four-thirds sensor size, it doesn’t hold the GH7 back, with outstanding image quality, and incredible dynamic range, especially when you take full advantage of advanced modes like VLog and ProRes RAW. With class-leading image stabilization, sticky and reliable autofocus, and unlimited recording make this a formidable powerhouse when it comes to filmmaking.

But it isn't all about video. The GH7 fits the bill as one of the best hybrid cameras on the market, and in my opinion, supplants the Lumix G9 II as Panasonic’s best hybrid MFT model, and would suit anyone who cares equally about capturing photos and videos. Although it does come at a $300 premium and a bit more bulk.

Overall, the Panasonic Lumix GH7 is a well-rounded camera that delivers on its promises of fixing any complaints about the previous model. It is a worthy successor to the GH series and continues the GH brand of offering a blend of high-quality performance, advanced features, and user-friendly design. If you are an independent filmmaker then I don’t think you can do any better than this.

Alternatives

What do creators actually want? I’m guessing Panasonic has a lot more research data on this than I have, so if it thinks the Lumix S9 is it, I’m sure there are some very good reasons for its design decisions. 

Although there may be practical manufacturing constraints playing a part here, or an understandable wish to maximise the benefit from existing R&D, or a strong marketing case for introducing a ‘creator’ camera much like everyone else’s at much the same price point in order to meet market segmentation penetration targets.

Could the Lumix S9 be one of the best Panasonic cameras to date, or one of the best cameras for vlogging? On paper, maybe, but cameras also have to be effective as a physical product.

I can’t really add anything to Gareth Bevan’s comments in his hands on Lumix S9 review, or James Artaius’s remarks about the Lumix camera he actually wanted. I will say that if I see one more box-shaped EVF-less ‘creator’ camera for ‘storytellers’ that depends completely on slow and flaky wi-fi connected phone apps that are NEVER as slick as they say, I might just scream.

And it does seem to me that Panasonic (and not only Panasonic) is creating most of the problems it’s trying to solve simply by jumping on the full-frame bandwagon. Sadly, enough experts over the years have been insisting on the technical superiority of full-frame sensors for so long that everyone’s started to believe it.

What’s the problem with full frame?

OK, first, the lenses are bigger. The cameras may not be, but the lenses are. You can get small full frame lenses, but only if you compromise on zoom and aperture range. A full frame camera combo is either more limited than a smaller format camera, or bigger.

Second, the AF has to be better. The larger sensor means longer focal length lenses to get the same angle of view, and longer lenses mean shallower depth of field, which is fine if you like the ‘cinematic’ look but means AF systems and your own technique need to go up a notch.

Third, stabilization is more challenging. IBIS units have to shift a bigger mass further. Full frame camera makers often claim similar IBIS compensation to smaller cameras, but remember these are best-case figures with carefully chosen camera-lens combinations. I’ve never got the same stabilization from full frame cameras that I get from MFT, for example.

I know how it sounds, but I actually have nothing against the Lumix S9 as a concept, I just think Panasonic picked the wrong sensor. By going full frame it’s created a whole bunch of compromises and limitations it didn’t need to have. 

Do creators actually NEED full frame?

So maybe this is the thing that’s bothering me most of all. I can see the advantages of a full frame sensor for higher-end cinematography and commercial filmmaking, but not for solo shooter storytelling or social sharing of the kind I’m more likely to do. I would MUCH rather have smaller lenses, more depth of field and rock-solid IBIS (though the S9 might have this for all I know).

The compact storytelling camera I might actually buy would not be based on the full frame Lumix S5 II, as the Lumix S9 is, but on the Lumix GH7. Now a compact rangefinder style ‘creator’ version of this camera really WOULD get me excited. 

Check out our guide to the best L-mount lenses for Panasonic full-frame cameras

Yongnuo looks set to launch a new lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The YN17mm F1.7M joins Yongnuo's existing 25mm F1.8 and 42.5mm F1.7 MFT offerings, giving Panasonic, Olympus, and OM System shooters greater choice of accessibly-priced lenses.

Unlike some budget third-party lenses which can offer good optical performance but lack niceties like AF, the YN17mm F1.7M features stepping motor autofocussing, as well as a full compliment of electrical contacts to communicate EXIF data with the host camera.

Read more:
The best Micro Four Thirds lenses
The best Micro Four Thirds cameras

The optical stack consists of 10 elements arranged in 9 groups, comprising two aspherical elements and two low dispersion elements to reduce aberrations. The F1.7-F22 aperture range is controlled by a 7-blade aperture - not the most well-rounded diaphragm, but then this isn't a portrait lens designed for the smoothest possible bokeh.

In-keeping with the Micro Four Thirds ethos, the lens is light and compact, weighing just 180g and measuring 77.8mm long, with its 65.8mm diameter requiring small 52mm filters. The lens mount is also weather sealed, though the rest of the barrel is not, so the lens shouldn't be used in heavy downpours.

Despite the comprehensive specifications, the YN17mm F1.7M will supposedly retail for 988 Chinese Yuan - roughly $129/£101. Even factoring additional local taxes in different regions, it should still be a very competitively-priced lens.

Story credit: asobinet.com

The eagerly anticipated Panasonic Lumix S1R II will, as expected, be based on the Leica SL3, but has been delayed until early 2025. 

That's the latest rumor circulating about the successor to the Panasonic Lumix S1R, which launched in 2019 as the resolution model (hence the "R") of the Lumix S series with its 47.3MP full-frame sensor. 

Camera rumors have been circulating for some time that, while the flow of technology usually goes in the opposite direction (with the original S1R being the technological basis for 2021's Leica SL2), the S1R II will receive the same core hardware as this year's SL3. 

This means we can expect the same base 60.3MP sensor, likely with the same triple-resolution stills technology (also offering 36.4MP and 18.5MP imaging) and 8K 30p video capture. 

Panasonic will implement its own technology and refinements, of course, including its Phase Hybrid AF (which should be a big improvement on Leica's slightly sluggish phase detect autofocus).

However, while the Lumix S1 R II was expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2024, the big development is that it now seems to have been pushed back to 2025.

"A trusted source told me that the Lumix S1R successor launch got delayed," reports L-Rumors.

"We now can expect this camera to be on market by early 2025 only. The same source confirmed this camera will be based on the same Leica SL3 tech, featuring the same 60MP sensor made by Sony."

The S1R II will mark a return to a core-oriented, specs-focused full-frame camera for Panasonic, following the release of the highly polarizing Lumix S9 – a stripped-down, creativity-focused camera aimed squarely at creators and influencers.

The launch of a new S1R would also leave the Lumix S1H, the designated video body of the S series, as the only member of the original full-frame Lumix family without a successor. 

You might be interested in the best Panasonic cameras, which features some of the best full-frame mirrorless cameras along with the best Micro Four Thirds cameras. 

I had to get it shipped by a friend in the US, pay some stiff UK import duty and endure the Kafka-esque communications and radio silences of an international shipping company I won't name... but it was all worth it.

So what is the best retro camera on the market today? The Fujifilm X100 VI? The Leica Q3? The Nikon Zf? They’re all very worthy contenders, but there used to be another camera that oozed style, build quality, engineering finesse and some brilliant lenses. Yes, the Olympus PEN-F.

If you look at the specs you’ll probably wonder what the fuss is about. It’s only when you handle the PEN-F and use it that you realize what Olympus did. When it’s in your hands it does genuinely feel like a premium-quality, precision-made, metal-built camera from the days of film cameras. If it was still being made today it would undoubtedly be one of the best OM System cameras of all.

Now I know a lot of photographers are completely unimpressed by retro styling and these nods to photographic history. I get that completely. There’s a part of me that is still deeply suspicious of the whole retro ‘revival’. But there’s another part of me that loves the way the best cameras feel in your hand, the precision and arrangement of the controls, how the dials turn, and even how the shutter sounds. That’s where the PEN-F wins for me.

Why now? Why didn’t I buy one new?

A good used Olympus PEN-F is hard to find. They do come up now and again on MPB, but very often they are in ‘good’ condition rather than ‘excellent’, sport plenty of scuffs and dings and still cost nigh-on £1000 / $1,000 – which is around what they cost brand new in 2016.

So why didn’t I buy one in 2016? A combination of caution and idiocy, I think. They looked expensive at the time and there were cheaper and more practical MFT cameras in the range. Everyone was suspicious of a ‘luxury’ MFT camera. Oh boy.

But fast-forward to 2024, and we’ve got a camera market obsessed with retro cameras, whether they are new ‘retro’ cameras like the Fujifilm X100 VI or actually old digital cameras. I also have the original Fujifilm X-T1 alongside an X-T5, and I’m impressed by how well the older camera still works and handles.

Very often, we don’t realize how good a camera was until we see it in context some years later. 

But it’s only Micro Four Thirds

Well, I’ve always been a Micro Four Thirds fan. I also shoot APS-C, full frame and from time to time medium format, so I’m no MFT zealot. I know these cameras’ weaknesses and I also know what they’re good for.

Most people would rather have a bigger sensor, but then the MFT format has spawned some terrific little primes and constant-aperture zooms with a level of edge to edge sharpness that is hard to find in larger formats. Consistent, affordable and practical lenses like these can go a long way towards offsetting the smaller format. I wish I could get lenses of the same quality and consistency for Fujifilm X-mount.

Are MFT sensors worse at high ISOs? Yes, somewhat, but against that the PEN-F does have Olympus’s legendary IBIS (it’s much easier to stabilize a small sensor than a big one) and you can always fall back on AI noise reduction tools if you do have to shoot a lot at ISO 6400 or higher. If high ISOs are your thing, though, then this isn’t really the camera for you, and full frame might be better.

Let’s not pretend the PEN-F has quite the same image quality potential as APS-C. Oh, there’s no 4K video, so don’t get this camera for vlogging, even though it has a flip-out vari-angle screen. But then let’s not ignore its many qualities either, including the handling, the lenses and the IBIS

Besides, we are perhaps living in a post-resolution age, when all our images are viewed on-screen and rarely printed, and 20MP is maybe more than enough, when back in 2016 we weren’t quite so sure it would be.

Do camera makers give up too soon?

So why this swooning poem of praise for the Olympus PEN-F? Because for all the new cameras that are released on to the market, we’re also losing older cameras that didn’t just capture digital images perfectly well but were wonderful physical objects in themselves.

I think Olympus was a victim of timing with the PEN-F and indeed the whole PEN range. It anticipated a demand that didn’t actually arrive until several years later, by which time the company had given up and walked away.

So here’s my advice. If there’s a camera you once loved, or once desired – and it doesn’t have to be the PEN-F – then don’t delay. Find a good one and get it, before it’s too late.

Check out the best Micro Four Thirds lenses

In today's landscape, the demand for video content is at an all-time high, and more and more professionals are bulking out their kits with specialist video equipment. Cine lenses are a staple but often have a larger-than-desired price tag attached – enter 7Artisans.  

The new 7Artisans Hope Prime T2.1 S35 Cine lenses offer competition to the best cine lenses on the market, costing just a fraction of the price of some options.

Available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF-S, and MFT mounts, the Hope Cine prime lens range is comprised of 6 lenses covering wide-angle to medium telephoto and available in black and titanium colorways. A 10mm, 16mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm offer the user versatility to capture video in a wide range of shooting scenarios.

There has been no information regarding future mount options, however, although L mount users will certainly be keen for a release. 

Despite the low price point, the lenses offer an extensive list of features for enhanced performance and ease of use, starting with the generous T2.1 aperture. 

A maximum aperture of T2.1 enables bright capture of the scene, even in low lighting conditions. It also aids in producing a shallower depth of field with a wider perspective, especially when used at the minimum focus distance of just 0.2m.

7Artisans highlights the form factor of the lenses as a key feature to be utilized by creators. Despite covering a wide focal range and being made up of 15 elements in 12 groups, the lenses are lightweight and compact, weighing just 600-800g. This is ideal for those who operate as individuals and provides easy switching of accessories such as gimbals and stabilizers.

Consistency across any cine lens line is key, as it allows the user to seamlessly swap different focal length lenses without changing the shooting rig, and the Hope lenses are no different.

A unified design specification means that the focus ring and the aperture ring are in the same position on all lenses. The focusing rings also provide a focus stroke of 260°, enabling precise focusing control and maximizing accuracy.

Other notable features include multi-layer nano-coating, compatibility with AF accessories, suppressed focus breathing, and a moisture-proof carry box.

The best part about these lenses is the price point. The 7Artisans Hope Prime T2.1 S35 Cine lenses are available individually or as part of a set. 

Pricing of the individual lenses is as follows: 10mm – $489 / £378, 16mm – $399 / £308, 25mm – $369 / £285, 35mm – $369 / £285, 50mm – $369, / £285 85mm – $369 / £285. (Australian pricing to be confirmed).

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cinema lenses, the best cinema camera, and the best camera for filmmaking. 

A couple of years ago, I wasn't sure if we'd see a Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7 showdown. However, the market for compact cameras has absolutely exploded – and Leica is one of the few manufacturers supporting this specialist segment. 

Its latest compact, the Leica D-Lux 8, has officially launched – replacing the Leica D-Lux 7 that was released back in 2018. 

While the latter is now very hard to find new, it remains widely available on the used market. And with the two cameras sharing a lot of DNA – but with some very key differences – I wanted to take break things down with a Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7 comparison.

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Specs comparison

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Sensor

Both cameras feature the same 21.77MP image multi-aspect Micro Four Thirds image sensor – though Leica lists the D-Lux 7's as an MOS while the D-Lux 8's is given to be a CMOS sensor. 

"Multi-aspect" merits some explaining, and means that the camera can natively shoot in multiple aspect ratios, by capturing different areas of the sensor. In effect, the sensor is oversized so that all the different ratios can fit into it – this not only maximizes their individual resolutions, but also maintains the same angle of view. 

So, while the entire sensor has 21.77 million pixels, changing the aspect ratio changes the shape and area that is recorded. Thus, the cameras shoot 4:3 images at 16.8MP, 3:2 at 16.2MP, 16:9 at 15MP and 1:1 at 12.6MP. 

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Photography

Though their sensors are the same, there are some differences and in performance between the two cameras. 

The key one is RAW shooting; while the D-Lux 7 uses Leica's proprietary RWL files (which famously caused headaches for image processing, early in the camera's life), the D-Lux 8 supports the standard (and arguably superior) DNG format. 

Sensitivity is also slightly. The D-Lux 7 had a native range of ISO200-25,600, expandable to ISO100. The D-Lux 8 lowers the base sensitivity but slightly lowers the ceiling, with a native range of ISO100-25,000. 

Burst rates also differ between the bodies. Both cameras are capable of a top continuous shooting speed of 11fps, but the D-Lux 7 can rattle off up to 6fps with autofocus while the D-Lux 8 can only manage 2fps – though, in the new camera's favor, it does capture files in 12-bit, with faster performance in 10-bit. Buffer depth is different, too, which I cover in the Body, build, interface section below. 

Personally, I think this is a win for the D-Lux 8 – though it's certainly a trade-off. For me, the lower base ISO is more useful than a tiny bit more room at the top – and I do not use this kind of camera for burst shooting with autofocus. However, if you're someone who isn't fussy about ISO and likes to shoot AF bursts to make sure you get the decisive moment, it might be a win for the D-Lux 7. 

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Video

The key video specs are the same; both cameras can shoot up to 4K 30p, FullHD (1080p) 60p and HD (720p) 30p. 

The difference is the recording duration. The D-Lux 7 can continuously record 29 minutes of FullHD but is limited to just 15 minutes of 4K, while the D-Lux 8 can capture up to 29 minutes of FullHD and 4K. 

A clear win for the D-Lux 8, but it's disappointing that this limit still exists at all. The 29m59s limit that we've seen in so many cameras over the years was put in place simply to avoid extra taxation, as legislation ruled that any camera capable of recording 30 minutes of video would be subject to classification and tax as a video camera. 

This legislation was phased out in in 2019 so, while it's fair that the 2018 D-Lux 7 sees this limit, there's no reason that the D-Lux 8 is still hamstrung by it.

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Body, build, interface

Like the core tech, the integrated lens is the same for both models: the Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34mm f/1.7-2.8 Asph, which provides an equivalent 35mm focal range of 24-75mm. 

The differences begin with the body: the D-Lux 8 is ever so slightly larger, but slimmer and lighter. This is because it has been modeled after the Leica Q3, leading to being nicknamed the "baby Q" online. This, it features a sleeker silhouette and softer lines than its predecessor, with a textured finish calling back to the Q3. 

The resemblance isn't just skin deep, either, as the D-Lux 8 also integrates the menu system and interface of the Q3 – and believe it or not, this is quite a transformative change. Having used Leica's latest mirrorless cameras, the best way I can describe it is if Leica and Apple designed an interface – it's an absolute joy to use, and the tactility makes you feel more "at one" with the camera. 

The D-Lux 8's new interface it also supports the Leica Fotos app, which is arguably the best and fastest of any manufacturer – and may be essential, if you want to beam your images to social ASAP and take advantage of the Leica Looks presets. Take a look at its crazy fast transfer speeds, even with huge 61MP files from the Leica SL3: 

There are changes in the displays, too. The electronic viewfinder on the D-Lux 7 is slightly higher resolution, slightly lower magnification and older technology, being a 2.76 million-dots, 0.70x magnification LCD affair. The D-Lux 8 features a clearer OLED finder with 2.36 million dots and 0.74x magnification. 

Both cameras have a 3-inch fixed TFT touchscreen, though the D-Lux 8 has more resolution at 1.84 million dots compared to the D-Lux 7's 1.24 million. 

As you might expect, the D-Lux 8 has been upgraded to a USB-C port where the D-Lux 7 still had a micro USB, and the newer camera also supports SD cards up to the faster UHS-II standard, over the UHS-I of its predecessor.

Curiously, this does not result in superior buffer depth; the D-Lux 7 promises 32 serially recorded files with RAW, and over 100 with JPG, while the D-Lux 8 has a buffer of 14 DNG and over 100 JPG. I can only assume the disparity is due to the newer model capturing chunkier 12-bit DNGs.

Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7: Conclusion

Some observers have dismissed the Leica D-Lux 8 as being little more than the D-Lux 7 in new clothing (and I would be remiss not to mention that the D-Lux 7 was, quite literally, a Panasonic Lumix LX100 II with a Leica body and badge). 

However, these two cameras have some very key differences.

In short, the D-Lux 8 has better RAW files, a lower base ISO for stills, a slower burst speed if you want continuous AF, can shoot 4K video for twice as long, offers USB-C and UHS-II support, features a better viewfinder and rear screen, and has a body and menu system styled after the Leica Q3 with support for the Leica Fotos app.

The D-Lux 7 has a slightly higher native ISO ceiling, can rattle off three times as many frames with AF when burst shooting, higher resolution in the viewfinder, is slightly smaller in size and features more a aggressive silhouette. 

For my money, the D-Lux 8 is the better camera – though it's also newer and more expensive. They are so technologically similar, however, that you would be almost as well served in pure performance by the D-Lux 7. 

While this would mean a second-hand purchase, it also enables you to have a more unique camera; the D-Lux 8 is only available in black, while the D-Lux 7 is also available in silver, as well as an endless number of special edition finishes – including an iconic James Bond version with gun holster and a cool camo Bathing Ape collab.

You might be interested in the best Leica cameras, along with the best Micro Four Thirds cameras – both of which include some compelling alternatives, if you're considering the D-Lux range. 

For solo filmmakers seeking a balance between quality and convenience, Irix lenses offer a well-integrated solution. Designed to work seamlessly together, these lenses feature consistent focus and iris gear positions, allowing for easy swaps without needing to adjust your equipment setup. 

This uniformity and matching weights and sizes will enable users to switch lenses quickly on a tripod, Steadicam or gimbal without rebalancing, streamlining your workflow on set. 

The Explorers set is an all-in-one kit that includes four versatile lenses: the 21mm, 30mm, 45mm, and Cine 65mm. Each lens is tailored to different shooting needs, from wide, distortion-free shots to tight, cinematic portraits.

ABOVE: Trailer for the Irix Explorers Cine lens set

The 21mm lens captures expansive scenes, making it ideal for establishing shots and events, while the 30mm lens is perfect for medium shots and interviews, doubling as a great portrait lens on crop sensor cameras. The 45mm lens, a favorite among users, excels in low light with a T1.5 aperture, and the 65mm lens is ideal for achieving a cinematic look that's perfect for narrative filmmaking.

Irix lenses provide consistent image quality across the board, ensuring uniform contrast, color and sharpness in every shot. This consistency is particularly advantageous in post-production, where maintaining a cohesive look is crucial. 

Most lenses come equipped with an 86mm filter thread and a 95mm front diameter, accommodating a range of filters that can enhance your creative options.

Included in the set are three essential filters: a UV filter for lens protection, a CPL filter for reducing reflections and an ND8 filter for maintaining wide apertures in bright conditions. These filters attach quickly via a magnetic mount system and are stored securely in a scratch-resistant case. This setup is ideal for solo filmmakers who need to adapt swiftly to changing shooting conditions.

Durability and versatility are key features of Irix lenses. They are weather-sealed to protect against dust, sand, and water, allowing you to shoot in various environments without worry. The set also includes a sturdy Nanuk case, known for its durability, to keep your gear safe during transport. Weighing around 8kg, the complete set is both portable and rugged, making it an excellent choice for filmmakers on the go.

The Irix Explorers set is available now, in both metric and imperial configurations, for Canon EF and RF, Sony E, L-Mount, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Arri PL and Micro Four Thirds. It is priced $5,330 / £4,702, or $5,430 / £4,790 for the PL kit (Australian pricing to be confirmed). 

You might be interested in the best cine lenses, along with the best cinema cameras on the market right now. 

Ever wished that your phone could take better pictures? Maybe by using real camera lenses? Then you may be interested in SwitchLens – a new crowdfunding campaign that promises to "turn any smartphone into a professional camera".

The way it does this is by enabling you to use Micro Four Thirds lenses when shooting with your phone. However, the lenses don't mount directly to your phone; they mount to an external camera unit, which contains its own image sensor (either Micro Four Thirds or 1-inch), and connects to your handset to give you the power of a larger sensor and proper optical lenses. 

If this sounds familiar, it's because this idea has been done before. In 2015, Olympus (now OM System) launched the Olympus Air A01 – an external phone camera unit that contained an MFT sensor, which enabled users to mount MFT lenses. 

Prior to that, in 2014, Sony launched the Sony QX1 – an external phone camera unit that contained a 1/2.3" sensor, which enabled users to mount E-mount lenses.

In fact, there's also a crowdfunding campaign that launched in 2021 and is finally being released now called Alice Camera – another external camera unit for your phone, once again containing an MFT sensor and enabling the use of MFT lenses. 

All of which isn't to do SwitchLens down, but to ask how it will succeed where both Olympus and Sony failed – and to ponder how it fits in the same marketplace with Alice Camera. 

ABOVE: Watch the SwitchLens announcement video

Where Alice Camera has doubled down on AI features and content creation friendliness since its announcement, SwitchLens is planting its flag based on "real light photography, capturing images untouched by AI enhancements."

It's available with one of two sensors – Sony Type 1 or Micro Four Thirds – but both sit within the same MFT mount used by Olympus / OM System cameras, Panasonic G cameras, as well as a number of Blackmagic cameras. 

Both sensors offer about 21MP resolution (eclipsing the 12MP of the Alice Camera, the 16MP of the Olympus Air and the 20MP of the Sony QX1) along with 4K 60p video, and can shoot in JPEG and RAW. 

SwitchLens communicates with your phone via WiFi, and either physically connects to your handset (using MagSafe / Qi2) for direct shooting or can work up to 32.8 feet / 10 meters away for remote shooting.

The device is listed as weighing 6oz / 170g or 6.3oz / 180g (which is either a typo or is for the different sensor configurations), including its 14500mAh rechargeable AA battery. 

Features such as focus peaking are included, and autofocus is advertised – although, if Alice Camera is anything to go by, the latter might be a question mark (check out Micro Four Nerds' video for more on that). Here are the full specs, as they stand:

The SwitchLens has already smashed its $10,000 (approximately £6,800 / AU$15,000) target, standing at $180,000 / £142,000 / AU$270,100 at the time of writing, and the campaign still has over a month to run, ending on July 26.

Pricing starts at $199 (£157 / AU$299) body only, with an additional $346 (£272 / AU$519) 3-lens kit and $649 (£512 / AU$974) 6-lens kit. Find out more at the SwitchLens Kickstarter page. 

Editor's note: As with all crowdfunding projects, there is no guarantee that the final product will match the early depictions in the campaign – or that the final product will be completed or delivered at all. DCW does not endorse this or any other crowdfunding campaign. 

Take a look at the best Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market right now, along with the best Micro Four Thirds lenses to use with them – including some of the best Olympus / OM System lenses.

A pair of Panasonic executives have made some provocative statements, suggesting that it takes a higher degree of knowledge and camera literacy to understand Micro Four Thirds compared to full-frame sensors. 

Toshiyuki Tsumura, general manager of Panasonic's Imaging Solutions Division, and Shiomi Noriaki, section manager of the Product Marketing Division, were talking about some of the decisions made regarding the Panasonic Lumix S9. 

Japanese website BCN Retail highlighted a number of idiosyncracies with the S9, such as the fact that it has a full-frame image sensor but possesses a cold shoe (which lacks electronic contacts, so can only be used by "dumb" accessories), and that it champions small size and weight when the company makes smaller, lighter Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras.

"It is people who are knowledgeable about cameras who will be able to understand the advantages of Micro Four Thirds," said Tsumura.

"Obviously, full-size sensor cameras are easier to understand because they are easier to blur and have less noise. I would like you to first experience a full-size sensor that you can't get with a smartphone."

Tsumara's inference is that, for those who aren't educated about cameras, the old 'blurry background' factor of a full-frame sensor is much easier to understand than the intricacies of MFT. 

"For people with low camera literacy, Micro Four Thirds is difficult to use," concurred Noriaki. "If it's a full-size sensor that blurs and has less noise, even those people can get on board."

I completely understand what Tsumura and Noriaki are getting at. When someone's ceiling of understanding is limited to what their smartphone can do, they probably won't be savvy enough to appreciate the nuances of MFT.

However, show them something obvious like a picture with a blurry background, and they can immediately see what a full-frame camera can do – even if it doesn't have something as basic as a hot shoe. 

I've certainly seen this "low camera literacy" regarding sensor sizes demonstrated by some photographers' attitudes over the years. I've heard people insist that Micro Four Thirds is crap "because it's too small" or "because it's not full frame", as if that has any meaning – or as if 35mm can even claim to be full frame in the first place. 

Because when it comes to film, full frame is actually 4x5, it's 8x10, it's large format. We may call 35mm "full frame" today but, in years past, large and medium format photographers similarly decried 35mm as crap "because it's too small". 

Anyway, it's all just food for thought. As someone who shoots both MFT and 35mm, I'm glad that Panasonic gave voice to the fact that you need to know about cameras to understand MFT's benefits (and, inversely, if you don't understand MFT's benefits then you need to know more about cameras).

(Sidenote: Shout out to all the Devin Townsend fans out there!)

Are you upgrading from a camera phone to a mirrorless camera? Make sure to check out the best full frame cameras and the best Micro Four Thirds cameras. 

Venus Optics has just announced a new super-fast cine lens series that takes its inspiration from the existing Laowa Argus photography range and is available across three sensor size formats. 

On top of producing some of the photography market's best macro lenses, Laowa has also been making some incredible cine lenses offering anamorphic and cine zooms at a great price with superb optical quality. 

Laowa continues to expand its cine lens range further by introducing the Laowa Argus T1 Cine Series available for full-frame, Super35 (APS-C), and MFT. Releasing a range that has the capabilities to cover most cameras is an inspired idea, and will no doubt appeal to a wider range of users.

With these three formats, the Argus cine lenses are available for Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z for Full-Frame, Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, Fuji X mount for Super35 (APS-C), and M4/3 for MFT format. 

The focal lengths on offer upon launch do vary between sensor sizes with 28mm, 35mm, and 45mm available for full frame, 18mm, 25mm, and 33mm available for Super35 (APS-C), and 18mm and 35mm for MFT. 

One of the things that distinguishes the best cine lenses is consistency across the range, and all of the Argus Cine lenses have a maximum aperture of T1. This is extremely fast and offers users a remarkably shallow depth of field with smooth bokeh in the out-of-focus areas. 

Shooting wide open with large apertures such as T1 can also provide its own challenges such as chromatic aberration, however, Laowa assures users "the Argus T1 Cine series is meticulously designed to deliver exceptional optical performance. These lenses minimize chromatic aberration, ensuring maintained contrast and sharpness even when shooting wide open at T1 aperture."

The consistency continues with the build design as each lens has professional cine housing incorporating a 0.8 mod gear, an 80mm outer diameter with 77mm filter thread to accommodate most matte boxes, internal focusing, and a lens supporting thread. This is extremely important when swapping lenses as the similarities will mean minimal equipment adjustments and settings changes. 

Laowa also ensures consistent optical performance including color tone and contrast throughout the range. Laowa states, "Every focal length within the Argus T1 Cine Series is meticulously crafted to deliver consistent color rendition and lens performance. This minimizes the requirement for extensive editing in the post-production process after utilizing different focal lengths, ensuring seamless visual consistency across your projects".

Other notable features include low-focus breathing, a short minimum shooting distance (varies across focal lengths), and an average 270-degree focus rotation. 

The Laowa Argus T1 Cine Series is available now. The full-frame lenses are priced at $1499 | £1499 individually or $3999 | £3999 for the 3-lens set. The Super35 (APS-C) lenses are priced at $899 | £899 individually or $2499 | £2499 for the 3-lens set. The MFT $699 | £699 individually or $1259 | £1259 for the 2-lens set. (Australian prices to be confirmed). 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cine lenses, the best cinema cameras, and the best hybrid cameras.

When Panasonic launched the Lumix GH6 just over two years ago, the reception was pretty overwhelmingly positive, with it quickly racking up accolades as one of the best video cameras for independent filmmakers. In our review, we gave the camera the full five stars, saying “the GH6 holds its own with cameras almost twice its price in terms of functionality and image quality and excels beyond the competition”. 

The only major complaint of the camera was its outdated contrast-detect autofocus system, but since then Panasonic has answered its critics with its much-improved phase detect auto-focus (PDAF) in the Lumix S5 II and Lumix G9 II – now PDAF is coming to the GH series with the launch of the new Panasonic Lumix GH7.

On the surface you’d be forgiven for thinking not much has changed with the Lumix GH7, as the camera shares the same body as the previous GH6 model, and as the old adage goes, if it aint broke don't fix it. The GH7 offers the same chunky grip, in-built cooling fan, array of tactile buttons, and articulating LCD that favors filmmakers. Anyone familiar with using any of the latest Lumix cameras will instantly feel at home as the camera follows a nearly identical layout to the recent Lumix S5II, S5IIX, or G9 II. 

Inside, the GH7 still features a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) sensor, while this sensor has been newly developed for the GH7 it has the same pixel density as the previous model with 25.2 megapixels, but now on a BSI CMOS sensor which enables up to 13+ stops of dynamic range. The sensor is backed up with advanced image stabilization including distortion correction in videos and a High I.S. mode for even steadier digital stabilization in tough situations.

As mentioned already, the sensor also features the biggest upgrade from the latest generation of Lumix cameras, with PDAF autofocus, enabling faster and more accurate focus and tracking for human faces and eyes, as well as animals, birds, cars, and motorcycles – and two new additions with airplanes and trains.

A video camera first and foremost, the GH7 builds on the already incredible specs of the GH6, with internal recording of 5.7K 30p ProRes 422 HQ and ProRes RAW HQ for advanced color work, as well as 5.7K60p, 4K120p or Full HD 240p video. The GH7 is also capable of unlimited video recording through its integrated heat dissipation and cooling fan.

You can also record in Open Gate which records using the entire sensor making it easier to crop videos later for different aspect ratios – perfect for social media. The camera also supports proxy recording and Adobe Frame.io for camera-to-cloud backup, allowing teams to edit small proxy files quickly which can then be seamlessly swapped out for the full-quality video. The GH7 is also capable of recording using the Real Time LUT feature that was recently used to great fanfare on the Lumix S9, enabling user-programmed color grading baked directly into footage.

Also bringing new audio tricks, the Lumix GH7 features the world’s first 32-bit float recording in an interchangeable lens camera when used with the new XLR microphone adapter – the Lumix DMW-XLR2. This allows a much wider range of noises to be recorded without having to worry about fiddling with levels during recording to make sure you aren’t clipping the highs and lows.

The Panasonic Lumix GH7 will be available at the end of July and will cost $2,199 / £1,999/ AU$3,899 . 

The DMW-XLR2 will also be available at the end of July for $499 / £499 / AU$899.

For more check out our guides to the the best camera for filmmaking or the best hybrid cameras.

Panasonic is teasing an announcement taking place at the Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles, California today.

The company put out a teaser video on social media and, to my mind, it gives a pretty strong indication that this will be a new camera. 

As you can see below, the video features the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens mount with the tagline "New phase" – all of which is pretty much identical to last year's teaser for the Panasonic Lumix G9 II, the company's first MFT camera to feature phase detect autofocus. 

You'll notice that the countdown also begins with "7" rather than a more obvious number like 10 or 5. All this, in conjunction with the fact that the announcement is taking place at a cinema-focused show, leads me to the conclusion that the new product is probably a camera, and that camera is probably the Panasonic Lumix GH7 – which would obviously feature the new phase detect system. 

If this is the case, it's incredibly curious that Panasonic's traditional flagship imaging product is almost being stealth-launched – but there may be good reason for this. 

Firstly, the company is hot off the high-profile launch of the Panasonic Lumix S9 – its creator-oriented compact full-frame camera. It put an incredible amount of marketing muscle behind that announcement, particularly as the S9 is a completely new kind of product for Panasonic, so it is understandable that this one is a bit more low-key. 

It's also worth noting that the S9 launch was inundated with leaks, not only on the usual rumor sites but even on Amazon (thanks to an early listing for the Sirui handgrip). So Panasonic might be playing its cards closer to its chest for this one, to ensure that there's no time for any info to spill out. 

The Panasonic Lumix GH6 is still a relatively young product, having only launched in February 2022. However, from day one its lack of phase detect AF was lamented – and after the G9 II was announced, it felt like only a matter of time until a GH7 materialized.

Were it not for the contrast-based autofocus, the GH6 would be almost perfect. If tomorrow does indeed bring us a GH7 with modern AF, we're pretty much guaranteed one of the best cameras for video. Roll on, Cine Gear…

You might be interested in the best Panasonic cameras, which includes G series Micro Four Thirds cameras and S series full frame mirrorless cameras. 

The camera world is currently buzzing about the launch of the Panasonic Lumix S9 – a full-frame camera that's gunning for the Fujifilm X100VI.

It's a strange notion. While the S9 is a compact full-frame camera, crucially it is not a full-frame compact camera. (A compact camera features an integrated, fixed focal length lens; the S9 has a mount for interchangeable lenses). This is in stark contrast to the X100VI, which very is much a compact camera – albeit an APS-C one.

Why the semantics? Because what Panasonic has done is challenge the APS-C X100VI with a full-frame body that is about the same size… until you start putting meaningful lenses on it. 

And here's the problem. The S9 truly is tiny for a full-frame camera. But no matter how small you make a full-frame camera, it still needs full-frame lenses – and there's a limit to how small you can make those. 

Case in point, the new Panasonic Lumix S 26mm f/8. This is a super slim pancake lens, made as tiny as possible to create an outfit that rivals the X100VI in size. However, to make it that small, we're faced with two big compromises: a fixed f/8 aperture and a 100% manual focus system. At a certain point, you just can't make lenses any smaller. 

But do you know how you can make lenses smaller? Panasonic already knows the answer: by using a smaller sensor. Which is exactly what Panasonic did, 11 years ago, when it released the even tinier Lumix GM1. How small was it? See for yourself:

Yes, the cameras are to scale. And not only can see how much smaller the actual camera is, but how much smaller the lens is as well. That's because Lumix GM1 was a Micro Four Thirds camera with a Four Thirds image sensor – which is about 75% smaller than a full-frame sensor, and almost 40% smaller than standard APS-C. Which means, in turn, that it can use far more compact lenses.

And this is what I wanted – in fact, judging by the reaction on social media, it's what a whole lot of people wanted – an update of the GM1. A truly pocket-sized camera with truly pocket-sized lenses. Not a tiny for a full-frame camera whose compactness is rendered completely pointless by having to mount comedically oversized lenses. 

The GM1 was, and in many ways remains, a brilliant camera that is such a better solution to the problem Panasonic trying to solve with the S9. It's hilarious to me that the company has an entire product line that exists for the sole purpose of being as compact as possible, yet its most camera (the Lumix G9II) is the size of a full frame body – and yet, Panasonic is trying to make its line of inherently bigger bodies as small as humanly possible. It's as if somebody forgot which product line was which.

All the criticisms of the S9 – the lack of hot shoe, the lack of viewfinder, the lack of mechanical shutter and so on – are because Panasonic has had to drop key features due to the unavoidable bigness of a full frame sensor. Yet every one of these features could have been included on a GM1 II and the camera would still be magnitudes smaller than the S9 turned out to be.

I'm not trying to bag on the latest Lumix, because the S9 looks like a very cool camera. But in terms of what it's trying to do? A full-frame interchangeable lens camera competing with an APS-C compact is apples-and-oranges – and the S9 is an apple that is never going to be an orange.  

An updated GM1 would never be an orange, either, but it could be a clementine. And I really hope it gets that chance. Because, contrary to popular belief, full frame really isn't the answer to everything. 

Take a look at the best Panasonic cameras, along with the best Micro Four Thirds lenses for the smaller G series bodies. 

Photography enthusiasts will have heard the sad, yet potentially not overdue, news recently about the discontinuation of the Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG, also affectionately known as 'The Bigma’.

Launched back in 2008, the gigantic lens weighs in at 15.7kg / 34.6lb, with a 200mm+ diameter for the majority of the barrel. With its dark green paint job, it looks more like a piece of military equipment than a camera accessory. 

At a whopping $26,000 (£20,450), only a limited few have ever seen this lens in action, so imagine our surprise when photographer Tom Calton decided to attach 'The Bigma’ to the tiny Panasonic Lumix GM1. 

The Sigma lens was sold in Canon EF, Nikon F, and Sigma SA mounts. The Lumix is a Micro Four Thirds camera, so using a Metabones speed booster to connect the camera to the lens allowed the camera to maintain full autofocus functionality, and we spoke to him about the process and, more importantly, the results. 

“I’ve made videos about 'The Bigma’ in the past and they’ve always drawn an audience, mainly because it’s absolutely ginormous, but also because it’s a pretty rare lens,” Calton told Digital Camera World, “I had a feeling this might be something people would be curious to see.”

As well as its unique size, the Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG was the first telephoto zoom lens to provide an aperture of F2.8 at the 500mm focal length.

The lens is so large it even needs its own battery-powered motor to control the zoom and autofocus, which sounds like a small plane taking off when in use.

What started off as a fun experiment actually produced some pretty nice results.

“Shooting at 500mm with an aperture of f/2.8 gives a pretty unique look to your images and it's certainly something I like,” said Calton, “However, trying to focus was an absolute nightmare as all of the tech involved is pretty old now and also not really designed to be used in combination, so I came away with way more out of focus shots than I did sharp ones. But that's all part of the challenge I guess!”

Check out our guide to the best portrait lenses on the market that you can actually pick up. 

If your looking for the best micro four thirds cameras, or the best compact cameras, we've also got you covered. 

Laowa is renowned for manufacturing fantastic and affordable photography lens options, and it also produces a well-regarded lineup of cine lenses – and has just added two new cine zooms to its OOOM lineup. 

The OOOM Cine Zoom Series 14-60mm T2.9 MFT Cine and OOOM Cine Zoom Series 20-85mm T4 S35 Cine lenses, are available in Micro Four Thirds and Arri PL mount respectively (where they offer equivalent 28-120mm and 30-127.5mm focal ranges, again respectively). 

These lenses offer an affordable cine zoom option, perfect for aspiring Four Thirds and Super35 filmmakers, and the image quality punches far above its weight. 

The OOOM Cine Zoom series has been left a little sparse over the past four years, with its only lens being 2020's Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine – a great lens, but odd considering the range was promised to feature "Out Of Our Minds" (OOOM) cine lens options. 

Can the two new lenses deliver on the OOOM promise? At first glance, yes. They offer an impressive zoom range of over 4.2x, offering versatility and reducing the frequency of the need to change lenses. The lenses employ a parfocal design that enables the user to keep the subject in focus while changing the focal length. 

Although the lenses offer a substantial zoom range, they are relatively compact compared with other cine zooms on the market, measuring just 80mm x 172mm. This extends their versatility as lenses that can be packed and carried in a filmmaking kit bag without taking up much of the precious real estate. 

Optical performance has always been present in Laowa lenses, and continues even in the more affordable ranges. "The new cine zooms offer exceptional color rendition and contrast, thanks to its meticulous optical design," says Laowa. 

"With its ability to produce natural-colored images, colorists will save valuable time on color grading during post-production. This is particularly advantageous for interview/documentary projects where a quick turnaround is essential."

Other notable features include low focus breathing, a 56cm minimum focus distance, and compatibility with cine housing. 

Above: A video of the new Laowa cine zoom lenses and sample footage

The lenses are available now from Laowa for the very competitive price of $1,999 / £1,999 each (Australian pricing to be confirmed).

It must be said that we haven't had these lenses in for testing, and can't attest to the statements firsthand. However, looking at the example footage in the video above, the lenses look exceptional and can provide a great affordable cine zoom option for new and established filmmakers.  

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cine lenses, the best cinema cameras, and the best cameras for filmmaking. 

Panasonic has been making pocket-sized interchangeable lens cameras for well over a decade, since it pioneered mirrorless camera technology (alongside Olympus) with the Micro Four Thirds standard. Now it hasannounced the latest in that long legacy of cameras with the brand new Panasonic Lumix S9.

In a departure from previous Lumix cameras like the Lumix GM5 or Lumix GX90, this is the first of its kind to feature a full-frame sensor. This continues to build on the success of the Lumix S5II and S5IIX, which Panasonic has said are enjoying record sales growth.

Given that it's the first with a full-frame sensor, the Lumix S9 is unsurprisingly the smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless camera in Panasonic's lineup, weighing just 403g (14.2oz) and measuring 126 x 73.9 x 46.7mm (4.96 x 2.9 x 1.83 in). 

The Lumix S9 also comes in a choice of jazzy color options for the front leather strip including Crimson Red, Dark Olive and Night Blue, as well as the standard Jet Black. This color also extends to the thumb grip on the rear of the S9.

The S9 features a 24.2MP full-frame CMOS image sensor, which is the same size and density as the sensor used to great acclaim in the Lumix S5II (which we gave five stars). 

The sensor is also paired with Panasonic’s phase detection autofocus, which has been a huge improvement in the company's most recent models, offering faster focusing as well as subject recognition for human faces and eyes, as well as animals, birds, cars and motorbikes. 

It is also supported by Panasonic’s 5.0 stops of 5-axis in-body image stabilization, or the 6.5-stop Dual IS 2 when used with compatible lenses, significantly reducing blurring from camera shake even when shooting handheld.

The S9 is not the first Lumix camera to feature Real Time LUTs in-camera, but Panasonic is pushing this feature further than ever before, featuring a dedicated LUT button on the camera body for the first time. LUT stands for "look up table", which is a term for a predetermined set of parameters that affect the overall look of a photo or video by affecting the balance of color. 

LUTs enable share-ready photos and video to be captured in-camera and uploaded directly to social platforms with minimal editing required. You can even apply two LUTs at the same time. 

The Lumix S9 enables you to load LUTs onto the camera via the new Lumix Lab app (available now for Android and iOS), which can then be applied to both photo and video footage with the effects visible in real time. The Lumix Lab app also enables you to create your own bespoke LUTs from scratch, or to load one of the custom LUTs from other creators.

To make offloading video even laster, the Lumix S9 is introducing a new video format called MP4 Lite. This creates a smaller file size for faster transfer, but still enables creators to record in Open Gate in 4:2:0 10 bit in 30p/25p for high-quality footage that can be easily cropped to different ratios for different platforms.

The Lumix S9 will be available at the end of June 2024, and will cost $1,499 /£1,499.99 / AU$2,699 body only. The Lumix S9 will also be sold in a kit alongside the Lumix S 20-60mm lens for $1,799 / £1,799 / AU$3,299 or the Lumix S 28-200mm lens for £2,249 (no word on US and Australian availability for this kit).

Looking for a small but mighty camera? Check out our guides to the best compact camera or best travel camera for more.

It's a sad day for me, and anyone who loves quirky Micro Four Thirds lenses that used to be calling card of the format: the Olympus Fisheye Body Cap 9mm f/8 Lens has been discontinued. 

This little $89 hunk of plastic has been arguably my favorite lens from the moment I bought it. Cheap and cheerful? You betcha. Punches well above its weight? Damned straight it does. 

At first glance, it's just a nasty little toy lens. Plastic element, fixed f/8 aperture, nothing more than the glorified body cap that its name suggests. But man, it is so much more. For starters, just look at how tiny this thing is, on an already tiny Olympus camera: 

It weighs absolutely nothing and is so small that it can always come in my camera bag for when I want an ultra-wide perspective of something. And how often does that happen? Actually, a lot. 

Lanscapes. Selfies. Group shots. Vlogging. Heck, the first time I travelled to India I ended up using this lens almost the entire time – including to photograph a magazine assignment. 

I don't have any better quality versions to hand, but here are a handful of shots I've taken using the lens that I've grabbed straight from my Instagram (@jamesartaius if you want to check out some of my other stuff). Even in crunchy low res, hopefully these illustrate just how versatile the 9mm Fisheye Body Cap is:

So the news that it has been discontinued, reported by Asobinet in Japan, brings me great sadness. The sister 15mm body cap, which unlike the 9mm has truly terrible image quality, was also discontinued recently. It's possible that it will be produced in future, with the OM System branding, but I don't think it's exactly going to be a top priority for the manufacturer.

There is a "proper" Olympus fisheye, of course, the M.Zuiko 8mm f/1.8 Pro lens, but that comes in at a shade under a thousand bucks rather than a shade under a hundred. And it's also huge, so not exactly something I can slip in my lapel pocket like I can with the 9mm Body Cap.

Anyway, I'll be snapping up a spare copy as a backup (you can see how well used mine is!). And if you've made it this far, check out a video I shot with it at a funfair in Mapusa, India, of a car and a motorcycle driving around the wall of death:

You might be interested in the best Olympus / OM System cameras, along with the best Olympus / OM System lenses like this one.

Panasonic is teasing the launch of its new camera – previously reported to be a "totally unexpected" kind of product – for May 23.

A surreal invitation image has been sent out in China, featuring the Lumix logo and the text "capture true color" (the text in the middle of the picture says "Sincerely invites" and the name of a Chinese person, presumably a journalist).

The tagline is an interesting one. In 2023, Panasonic made numerous statements about wanting to make color one of the pillars of Lumix (as you can see in this video interview). 

Lumix cameras have never been particularly renowned for their color rendition, unlike the famously celebrated "Canon color science" for example, so it will be interesting to see what this means. 

So what do we know about the camera? Previously described as "a completely new kind of [camera] model", it is widely believed that Panasonic is entering the fixed lens compact camera space that is currently doing gangbusters business for the Fujifilm X100VI, Ricoh GR III and Leica Q3. 

Unlike Fujifilm and Ricoh, though, it's thought that the new Lumix will feature a full frame sensor – much like the Leica compact, as well as Sony's abandoned RX1-R II. 

The question is, what market will Panasonic target. Fujifilm has clearly found great success going after content creators with the X100VI, while Ricoh has found an audience with hardcore street photographers, and Leica occupies its usual space among high end photographers.

If I'm Panasonic, I don't know which fight I'd pick. I don't think it's going to dethrone the X100VI, and in fact I wonder if there would be a TikTok backlash against a camera attempting to usurp the king. 

Still, with the announcement coming in just over a week, I'm excited to find out more – and excited about the renaissance of compacts! 

Take a look at the best Panasonic cameras, which includes some of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras and best full frame cameras.

It has recently been reported that OM System will announce a new camera in the second half of this year, with no suggestion of what it might be.

As an OM / Olympus user for the past decade, I know the product lineup pretty well – and I think, by playing a fun game of bingo, we can whittle down the options and work out what the camera will be.

So, here are the cameras that OM / Olympus has made in the mirrorless era along with whether or not we are likely to see a successor, starting at the top of the tree and working our way down…

OM System OM-1

The company's flagship camera, we've just seen the launch of the OM System OM-1 Mark II – which obviously replaced the OM System OM-1 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III before it. 

With the latest model literally releasing this year, we definitely won't be seeing another one any time soon. 

Olympus OM-D E-M1X

An E-M1X Mark II is definitely a potential candidate, but in my opinion an extremely unlikely one. The Olympus OM-D E-M1X was a bold experiment; while the whole concept of Micro Four Thirds cameras was to provide powerful bodies that are as compact as possible, Olympus knew that a large portion of its customer base were wildlife photographers who worked in the field using big unwieldy lenses. 

Thus, it developed the E-M1X: a pro DSLR-sized camera with a huge body, huge battery capacity, and an extra processor powering algorithmic AI autofocus to provide an option for rugged outdoor shooting.

A member of the E-M1 family, it was positioned as the co-flagship – but the camera was never really embraced by the community. So, while I'd love to see a souped-up OM-1, I feel that this is a long shot at best.

OM System OM-5 

Another viable option, but it would be a curious one. The OM System OM-5 was launched in late 2022, so obviously the release window would marry up, and bringing out an OM-5 Mark II this year would match the two-year cycle established by the OM-1 Mark II.

Here, however, it just wouldn't make sense to me. The new OM-1 was criticized (somewhat unfairly, I argued in my review) for offering little in the way of new features over its predecessor. However, there is also a suspicion among the community that a large reason for refreshing the OM-1 series was because the original still bore the Olympus branding – and it was believed that the license to use that branding only lasted 24 months, hence the release of a replacement with the OM System logo.

That isn't the case with the OM-5, which had the OM branding from day one. Given that the OM-1 Mark II didn't really provide a generational specs leap, and since the OM-5 sits below it in the lineup, it's not like OM can realistically add something like a new 30MP sensor without cannibalizing its flagship. Unless, of course, the company restructures its family more in line with other manufacturers – where the flagship camera offers speed, and the next camera down offers resolution. 

Could the OM-5 Mark II be this year's camera? Yes it could. But as we've seen with the backlash to the OM-1 Mark II, unless it ups the ante in some way (namely with new hardware, like a higher resolution sensor, rather than computationally) I don't think the public will be happy.

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus and OM have teased this one for years – namely because it's become a cult classic camera (and my personal favorite Olympus camera ever). However, when it launched in 2016, the Olympus PEN-F was a prestige camera that never generated the sales required to be considered a business success. 

Ask any Olympus or Micro Four Thirds user and they will almost certainly say they'd love to see a successor. And even as recently as this year, OM teased (or at least, appeased) journalists with allusions to a PEN-F Mark II being under consideration.

Will we actually see it, though? I think it makes a lot of sense. In a world where pretty prestige compact cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI and Leica Q3 are literally the hottest models in the industry, this seems like such an obvious launch to me. However, with OM System being a fledgling company looking to release the most bankable products possible (not the ones proven to have a historically poor ROI) this doesn't seem likely to me.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

A perennially popular camera, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV has a terrible name – but it's one of the best beginner cameras available, and is perfect for street and travel photography, so an OM System OM-10 it makes all the sense in the world. 

The E-M10 Mark IV was launched in 2020, so is theoretically well overdue a replacement – however, the old Olympus product hierarchy had already lost all meaning by 2020, let alone 2024. 

You see, the E-M1 (now OM-1) was the flagship, the E-M5 (now OM-5) was for enthusiasts, and the E-M10 was for beginners. But by 2020, they all had largely indistinguishable 20MP sensors, in-body image stabilization and other core features. Yes, there were distinguishing features (the E-M10 lacked phase detect AF, dual card slots and a fully articulating screen) but not really enough to make three cameras feel sufficiently distinct. 

Certainly, an OM-10 today would just be a downgraded OM-5 – and I really don't think the market is looking for an even less powerful 20MP beginner camera. In terms of realising the brand's original product lineup, though, an OM-10 would make by far the most sense.

Olympus PEN E-P7

My current daily driver, I love this camera with all my heart and soul. Portable, powerful, pretty – it's everything I could ask for in a camera that travels everywhere with me. So I definitely want an PEN E-P8!

In some ways, it makes sense. The Olympus PEN E-P7 was the first camera released under the new OM ownership in 2021, though it was clearly a product developed by the previous administration. In a lot of ways it was an E-M10 Mark IV combined with the PEN series, making it an attractive beginner- and blogger-friendly camera. 

However, PEN cameras – specifically the smaller E-P and E-PL series – never sold well in the US, even though they were always gigantic sellers in Asia (indeed, the E-P7 continues to top Japanese sales charts to this day). Thus, this camera was never released in America. 

An OM executive recently made some noncommital remarks about the PEN line, in the context of OM's rebranding as an outdoor landscape and wildlife photography company. If the PEN line is indeed to be resurrected, as OM insisted it would be from the day it bought the company, then the E-P8 would be the perfect camera to start with – but I just can't see OM making another product that it doesn't sell in the US.

Olympus PEN E-PL10

While I love the E-PL cameras (I still use an IR-modified E-PL8), I think this line is toast – I just can't see there being a PEN E-PL 11. 

The E-PL series was Olympus' most basic category of camera. While the E-M10 was aimed at beginners, the E-PL was aimed at non-core camera users – a stylish camera for the fashion-conscious. Fashion bloggers, for example, were a key audience… and of course, also an audience that in 2024 is perfectly happy using a camera phone. 

Launched in 2019, the 16MP E-PL10 was essentially the same as 2018's E-PL9 which was essentially the same as 2016's E-PL8… all based off the same core technology in the E-M10, just with fewer features. 

Like a potential OM-10, it's really hard for me to see a place in the market for a basic camera stripped down to this degree. A 16MP sensor isn't going to fly in 2024, so the only option is to put in a 20MP sensor – but then this camera can't do anything but be compared, likely unfavorably, with the OM-5 and OM-1. 

OM System Tough TG-7

Since the OM System Tough TG-7 was only released last year, again, it's too soon to see a replacement. 

Certainly the line could do with some new tricks, given how similar the new model is to the Olympus Tough TG-6, but we're going to have to wait a little while longer to see a Tough TG-8. 

Bingo?

So, the only cameras left after our game of bingo – meaning the cameras that could possibly see a successor at the end of the year – are as follows:

Olympus OM-D E-M1X
OM System OM-5
Olympus PEN-F
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV
Olympus PEN E-P7

Where would I put my money? An E-M1X Mark II or PEN-F Mark II would astonish me. And an OM-10 or PEN E-P8 would make sense logically, but not business-wise. I would be disappointed if it's an OM-5 Mark II, but not altogether surprised – it's the one that makes the most sense, given OM System's track record. 

The best prediction I can give is that it's going to be a silver camera. I hope it's a silver PEN, but I suspect it'll be a silver OM. Let's see if I'm right, come the end of the year…

Take a look at the best Olympus / OM System cameras, along with the best Olympus / OM System lenses to pair with them. And don't forget that you can use the best Micro Four Thirds lenses from other manufacturers, too!

Small cameras are making a big comeback. Spikes in sales across brands show that photographers are clamoring again for reasonably sized cameras. Are we finally shrugging off the old mantra that bigger is better? I for one, certainly hope so.

No, this isn’t another story about the indomitable Fujifilm X100VI, although as the latest poster child for the compact revolution, it has done a lot to promote smaller bodies, and it may unconsciously be playing a major role across the market as creatives look to other cameras rather than wait out the months-long backlog of orders. 

According to insights provided to DCW by UK camera retailer Wex Photo Video, several other smaller mid-range cameras have seen noteworthy rises in popularity over the past month, suggesting there is a growing trend for more pocket-friendly options.

Cameras that are seeing sizable bumps in popularity include the X100VI’s cousin, the Fujifilm X-S10, an older but still incredibly capable camera, that offers the same Fuji film simulations that have made the X100 series stratospherically popular. Similar-sized Sony cameras have also become extremely popular including the Sony a6700, Sony ZV-E10, and others in Sony's ZV series.

There isn’t any obvious turning point for the success of small cameras. After the pesky mirror box stopped holding back camera design, Olympus and Panasonic released some wonderfully tiny Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras. Although successful, these cameras never quite effected lasting changes in camera design, and the latest MTF cameras are no longer that small. In fact, if you look at the Panasonic, the MTF Lumix G9 II is exactly the same size as the full-frame Lumix S5II. 

So why the small camera resurgence? It could be the use case for cameras has changed dramatically – many cameras now service transient social media pages and websites, where size, speed, and ease of use are the essential factors – as well as creatives being seen with the right camera.

Small cameras are also better than ever. With cameras squeezing bigger sensors, incredible autofocus, in-body image stabilization, and ever-increasing megapixel counts into smaller bodies, why go to the effort of carrying more equipment than necessary for diminishing returns? 

Larger cameras are certainly not going anywhere, the Nikon Z8 and Canon EOS R5 continue to be top performers, and for professional photographers, a camera with a chunky grip that pairs well with huge lenses is integral to the job. But for consumer cameras, we may see a lot more pocket-friendly options in the near future.

Check out more of the latest small cameras in our guide to the best compact cameras, or if you want something truly tiny, check out the best point-and-shoot camera.

The OM System OM-1 Mark II has a lot to live up to. The original OM-1 was universally considered a home run – a rare example of the industry giving love not only to a Micro Four Thirds camera, but to OM Digital Solutions as a company in its first true post-Olympus product. 

While I can't deny that the OM System OM-1 Mark II is similar in a lot of ways to its predecessor, it also can't be denied that it has some significant improvements – and that there is no other camera that can do what it does.

For instance, its signature feature – the Live GND filter, which is a brilliant software-powered graduated ND filter – is single-handedly enough to transform the way that you shoot landscapes. 

Throw in improved autofocus, more than double the buffer depth (with a top speed of 120fps) and an industry-best 8.5 stops of in-body image stabilization, and it's time to let go of the lazy narrative that this camera is "just an OM-1 with a firmware upgrade". If you're a photographer who works outdoors, this may be the best camera you'll ever use.

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Specifications

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Price & availability

The OM-1 Mark II is priced $2,399 / £2,199 / AU$3,799 – a very reasonable price for such a powerful camera, but many people have a prejudice against this kind of price for a Micro Four Thirds camera. 

In terms of how this compares to its predecessor, in the US you're only looking at a price difference of about $400. However, the original OM-1 is currently very aggressively priced in the UK and Australia – available for as little as £1,378 and AU$2,102 at the time of writing. It's worth noting that its closest rival, the Panasonic G9 II, is considerably cheaper at $1,897 / £1,689 (though it's about the same price in Australia).

If you only equate value to sensor size then you might feel that the OM-1 Mark II is overpriced. But if you actually look at the features on offer, this is a very appropriately priced camera.

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Build & handling

Externally the OM System OM-1 Mark II looks, feels and is virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor. I love that it keeps the silhouette and handling from the old Olympus OM-D E-M1 series, so you get a nice chunky grip, instinctive control layout, and a responsive joystick.

The only noticeable changes on the outside are the newly rubberized control dials (replacing the plastic ones that many felt didn't offer enough grip) and the OM System logo replacing the old Olympus one (which may have been the main reason to release a Mark II, if you subscribe to the theory that OM System was only allowed to use the Olympus branding for two years following the sale).  

Despite being lightweight, the build quality is super robust. The body is IP53-certified, making it one of the most weather-sealed cameras you can buy (when paired with an appropriate weather-sealed lens!) – perfect for challenging conditions such as rain, dust and snow.

Something that doesn't get talked about enough is OM's Super Sonic Wave Filter, which is a crucial complement to weather sealing. I can't tell you the number of times I've used Sony cameras and ended up with dust on the sensor, simply from changing lenses; the Filter on the OM vibrates the sensor 30,000 times per second when you power on the camera, shaking loose any particulates. 

The fully articulated rear screen is perfectly serviceable, with 1.62 million dots of resolution, but the 5.76 million-dot electronic viewfinder really shines. It offers all the detail you need during shooting, and also enables you to really punch into your images to check them out and examine fine detail and focus. 

This isn't something that bothers me, but I know that some "reaction shooters" prefer the power switch to be on the right-hand side of the body (for quicker, one-handed activation when the action starts unexpectedly). Here the switch is on the top-left, so that's potentially something to be aware of.

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Performance

Everything I asked of this camera, it knocked out of the park. Let's start with what's new here, namely the headline feature: Live GND, which is the coolest camera feature I've ever used. 

It's the next evolution of Olympus / OM System's Live ND filter: a software-driven feature that gives you an in-camera neutral density filter (up to a 7-stop on the OM-1 Mark II) without the need for a physical filter on your lens. 

Live GND, as you might have guessed, is a software-powered ND grad filter – and again, it gives you an in-camera grad without needing one on your lens. Here's a quick look at how it works:

Powering Live GND is increased onboard RAM in the OM-1 Mark II, which also provides the muscle for any number of new features – which is why this camera is much more than "just an OM-1 with a firmware update".  

The in-body image stabilization, for example, now delivers an industry-best 8.5 stops of compensation – all thanks to the increased algorithmic power made available by the increased memory. 

And while it's admittedly hard to discern the half-stop difference between the 8 stops offered by the OM-1 (using Sync-IS lenses), I shot extensively at 1200mm with the new M.Zuiko 150-600mm lens – and it was absolutely rock-solid for stills and video alike.

The autofocus is improved, too. Not only is subject tracking significantly better, enabling me to keep up with birds in flight at a much-improved rate, but AI Detection AF for humans has also been introduced (and added to the main subject detection submenu, rather than being separate) – again, a result of the increased RAM. 

Birding is one of the trickiest challenges for any AF system, and one that Olympus / OM has occasionally struggled with. I was amazed when photographing birds – and humans, too – that subject detection is stickier than ever, even when foreground objects threaten to trick the autofocus.

What else has been improved on the OM-1 Mark II that can't be achieved via firmware? The buffer depth has more than doubled, topping out at 213 RAW files when shooting blackout-free 120fps bursts (it should be noted that 120fps is only offered with locked focus, but full AF is offered at up to 50fps shooting). 

While 120fps is amazing, a feature I'm personally grateful for is the addition of slower burst rates. The OM-1 Mark II can now shoot at 12.5 or 16fps – which is ideal for situations where 25, 50 or 120fps are just overkill. 

The Hi-Res Shot has been improved, too, now offering 14-bit depth when shooting 50MP handheld or 80MP tripod shots. I don't use this mode super often, but since I treat it as "ultimate image quality mode" I really appreciate that it now delivers RAW files with even better detail. 

And of course, there's all the "standard" features like Live Composite (for easy light painting, lightning shots and star trails), IP53-certified weather sealing, and in-camera focus stacking – which I learned from my buddy Chris Nicholls is a feature exclusive to OM System, because it owns the patent (so other cameras can bracket photos, but only OM can stack them in-camera). 

So what are the OM-1 Mark II's weak spots? Unsurprisingly, it's video. Which isn't to say that the video is bad, because it's not; it's just not a patch on a more video-conscious body like the Panasonic G9 II. 

The FullHD and 4K footage I shot looks great. The 8.5 stops of stabilization makes it not only possible but practical to shoot handheld at 1200mm. And the AF is brilliant at picking up and staying with subjects. But 8-bit video is ho-hum, and 10-bit still has the baffling issue of hiding the histogram so you can't monitor your exposure. 

The video modes here are perfectly fine, and OM has always been a photography-oriented brand, but if you're a video-first or hybrid shooter then something like the G9 would be a better bet.

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Sample photos

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Sample video

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Lab data

For our lab data comparison, we chose three competing high-end cameras priced in line with the OM-1 Mark II: the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Nikon Z 7II, and the Sony A7 IV. Let's see whether this MFT camera can match the image quality of rivals with considerably larger full-frame sensors.

We test resolution using Imatest charts and software, and dynamic range and signal to noise ratio with DxO Analyzer.

Resolution:

Inevitably with only 20.4 megapixels on tap, the OM-1 Mark II was never going to beat a camera like the Nikon Z 7II for outright resolving power. Even so, it's impressive that it gets so close to the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, despite the OM-1's considerably smaller sensor.

Dynamic range:

Not only does the OM-1 Mark II match its full-frame rivals for dynamic range, it actually comes out on top - a stellar performance.

Signal to noise ratio:

This test compares the amount of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings as a proportion of the actual image information (the 'signal'). Higher values are better and we expect to see the signal to ratio fall as the ISO is increased.

More proof that a smaller sensor doesn't need to compromise image quality: while the OM-1 Mark II can't quite produce the cleanest images of the group, it does at least equal the Z 7II and A7 IV throughout the tested ISO range.

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Verdict

If this review has done one thing, I hope that it's dispel the myth that the OM-1 Mark II is just a glorified firmware update. Could a Mark II camera do even more? It certainly could. However, this camera does things that the original OM-1 can't do – and things that no other camera on the market can dream of.

OM System has repositioned itself as an outdoor and adventure camera specialist. And indeed, if you're an outdoor photographer who shoots landscapes in particular, I can't think of a better camera to take out in your pack with you. 

But it's such a shame to pigeonhole this as just "a landscape camera" or "a wildlife camera". Yes, those are its specialties, but this is a supremely confident and capable camera that is fantastic for so many more genres. 

I personally love it for shooting portraits, particularly paired with the M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 or an old manual lens. It's also phenomenal for macro, where the broader depth of field and in-camera focus stacking and bracketing make the process so much simpler. 

The OM System OM-1 Mark II is the cleverest camera on the market – and its computational photography is nothing short of wizardry. Get this, and you'll get shots that no other camera can. 

And please ignore the anti-Micro Four Thirds rhetoric! Just look at our lab data and you can see that this sensor more than holds its own against (and in some cases outperforms) full-frame rivals. 

OM System OM-1 Mark II: Alternatives

You may be interested in the best Micro Four Thirds lenses – which features many of the best Olympus / OM System lenses.

I have a soft spot for macro lenses, not that there’s anything ‘soft’ about this Fujifilm GF 120mm. There are lots of positives. I find the ‘effective’ focal length of 95mm ideal for extreme close-ups of anything and everything from bugs and insects to wristwatches and other the other little paraphernalia in life. 

The minimum focus distance for achieving maximum magnification is 0.45m (as measured from the image sensor in the host camera) and enables a comfortable working distance. And with fast autofocus and effective 5-stop optical image stabilization, the lens works well for portraiture and any other shooting scenarios that require a short telephoto focal length. 

All in all, it’s a very versatile lens, rather than being a one-trick pony just for macro shots. It’s one of the best Fujifilm GF lenses in the line-up, and a must-have lens for macro photography with the best Fujifilm cameras.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Specifications

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Price & Availability

The Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR landed on retailers' shelves back in 2017, being one of the first ‘GF’ lenses for the company’s GFX medium format system. It’s currently priced at $2,699 / £2,499 / AU$4,199, which makes it pricey for a macro lens but not unduly expensive for a top-quality medium format prime. 

It’ll certainly set you back less than the Fujifilm GF 110mm F5.6 T/S Macro, which adds tilt & shift functions to the equation but costs $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$5,499. Both lenses deliver a maximum magnification of 0.5x at their closest focus distance.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Design & Handling

I have to confess that my initial reaction to this lens was one of disappointment. Dedicated macro lenses that I’ve used on full-frame and crop-sensor cameras usually deliver a full 1.0x maximum magnification, sometimes even more. As such, they reproduce small objects at full life size on the camera’s image sensor. When you can fill the whole image frame with something little more than the size of a postage stamp, the potential for enlargement on screen or in print is incredible. 

The GF 120mm only delivers a maximum of 0.5x magnification but bear in mind that a medium format image sensor is significantly larger than that of a full-frame camera, so the ‘effective’ magnification is even less. 

By contrast, use a 1.0x macro lens on a Micro Four Thirds camera with a 2x crop factor, and you get 2x ‘effective’ magnification. A medium format upside is that the 51-megapixel image sensor of the Fujifilm GFX 50S II gives plenty of potential for creative cropping, even more so with the mighty 102 megapixels of the Fujifilm GFX 100 II.

A plus point of topping off at 0.5x magnification is that the working distance between the front of the lens and the object I’m shooting is quite respectful. I’m therefore less likely to scare bugs away before I’ve had a chance to photograph them, or cast a shadow over the subject when the light’s behind me. On top of that, sticking to 0.5x rather than 1.0x magnification, I get more than a wafer-thin depth of field. That makes it easier to shoot macro images of 3-dimensional objects without resorting to focus-stacking and merging multiple images into a composite at the editing stage.

While the GF 120mm’s party trick is macro photography, it’s well suited to much else besides. The ‘effective’ focal length of 95mm in full-frame terms works very well for portraiture and, given the ‘actual’ focal length of 120mm, I can get a tight depth of field at the widest aperture of f/4. More good news comes in the fact that the lens has very fast autofocus, especially for a macro optic, with two groups of optical elements being driven by a pair of separate linear stepping motors. That makes the lens similarly suitable for the likes of action, sports and wildlife photography.

The lens features a 3-way autofocus range limiter. That’s a good feature, as it enables me to lock out either the short or long end of the range as well as using the whole autofocus range. It saves the autofocus system hunting through the entire range when I’m shooting extreme close-ups or more distant objects. For macro shooting, manual focusing is often preferred and the lens’s electronically coupled focus ring offers very smooth, precise adjustments.

To help keep me sharp in handheld shooting, I like that the lens has a highly effective 5-stop optical image stabilizer. That said, it’s rather less effective at very short focus distances for macro photography, but that’s only to be expected. For macro shots, there’s no real substitute for using a tripod or other support. Speaking of which, I’d have liked the option of having a tripod mounting collar for a better balance when using a tripod, especially when shooting in portrait orientation. Fujifilm added this to the GF 100-200mm zoom lens, which is only 30g (1oz) heavier but omitted it for the macro lens.

The lens has quite a complex optical path based on 14 elements in 9 groups. There are no aspherical elements but the lens features 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. Typical of GF lenses, there’s an aperture ring which operates in one-third f/stop click steps, all the way down to f/32. As usual, the aperture ring features lockable A (Auto) and C (Camera control) positions but doesn’t have a de-click option for shooting video.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Photo Performance

I tested the Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR with a Fujifilm GFX 100 II camera body and the 102-megapixel image sensor which places great demands on the resolving power of lenses. As I’ve come to expect from Fujifilm GF medium format lenses, levels of sharpness are excellent, even at the widest available aperture, in this case of f/4. Narrow apertures are to be preferred for macro shooting, as they deliver more than a tiny depth of field, and the sharpness of this lens holds up well at small apertures, where diffraction tends to be a problem. Designed to be a ‘flat field’ lens with minimal curvature, sharpness remains very good out to the extreme edges and corners of the image frame, when shooting flat objects head-on.

For more general shooting, I found that the fast and consistently accurate autofocus system and 5-stop image stabilizer made consistently sharp handheld shooting a breeze. And given the lens’s suitability for portraiture and still life, there’s a winning combination of sharpness and smooth bokeh for focused and defocused areas of images.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Sample Images

The example images in the following gallery combine cropped close-ups to demonstrate the resolution of fine detail in macro photography, along with more regular shots taken in sunny conditions at Bristol Docks in the UK. I used a Fujifilm GFX 100 II camera body throughout the testing process.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Lab Results

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

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

Sharpness:

The GF 120mm Macro is super-sharp across the whole image frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/5.6. More importantly for a macro lens, sharpness is retained very well at narrow apertures, commonly used to gain a little extra depth of field when shooting extreme close-ups.

Fringing:

Color fringing is entirely negligible throughout the entire aperture range and virtually impossible to spot in images.

Distortion: 0.32

There’s only the slightest touch of pincushion distortion which will generally be unnoticeable.

Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR: Verdict

When I’m spending the sort of money on a lens that the Fujifilm GF 120mm F4 Macro R LM OIS WR commands, I like it to be sufficiently versatile to add value. I’m pleased that the GF 120mm works really well not only for macro photography in extreme close-up situations but also as a portrait lens and for general shooting. I feel that the maximum magnification of 0.5x comes up a bit short and would prefer to see the availability of a tripod mounting ring, but I like the additions of 5-stop optical image stabilization and a fast autofocus system. And ultimately, image quality is superb.

Alternatives

Crop-sensor cameras with APS-C format or smaller Micro Four Thirds image sensors can make it a struggle to get a tight depth of field. That’s especially true if you stick to kit zoom lenses, often sold with these cameras, which tend to have a fairly narrow aperture rating. 

Designed for Fujifilm X and Nikon Z APS-C format cameras (and more recently the Sony E mount), the Viltrox AF 56mm gives an ‘effective’ 84mm focal length in full-frame equivalence, which is nigh on perfect for portraiture. It couples that with a fairly fast f/1.7 aperture rating, the combination enabling quite a tight depth of field, so you can effectively isolate your subject by blurring fussy backgrounds. 

As such, the lens aims to take a place as one of the best Fujifilm X lenses, or the best lenses for the Nikon Z 30. It’s also one of the most affordable lenses of its type on the market, by quite a margin.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: What's changed?
I own a rather nice collection of all three of the compact yet fast, metal-bodied Viltrox AF 23mm F1.4 Z, Viltrox AF 33mm F1.4 Z, and Viltrox AF 56mm F1.4 Z primes, plus the slightly larger Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 Z and the faster Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro, both of which are also metal-bodied. They’re all APS-C format lenses which I use on my Nikon Z fc. 

This newer AF 56mm f/1.7 lens ditches the aperture ring, which I’d only use for shooting video, has a plastic rather than metal body (but still a metal mounting plate) and has an aperture rating that’s half an f/stop slower than the f/1.4 lenses. But all this has a major upside when it comes to purchase price, as I’ll come to in a moment.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Specifications

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Price & Availability

The preceding trilogy of Viltrox AF 23mm, 33mm and 56mm F1.4 lenses cost around $299 / £249 / AU$599 each. The new AF 56mm F1.7 lens launched in 2024 only costs about half as much to buy, at around $169/ £135 / AU$239. It’s available from Viltrox’s international online store, and from various photographic retailers around the world.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Design & Handling

It’s only natural to compare the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 with the company’s previously released AF 56mm F1.4 lens. The newer F1.7 lens that I’m reviewing here is available in Fujifilm X and Nikon Z (DX) mount editions, whereas the F1.4 lens adds further Canon EF-M and Sony E mount options to the list. The slower aperture rating of the F1.7 lens enables a smaller, more lightweight build. It’s barely more than a couple of inches long and weighs just 187g, compared with 320g for the F1.4 lens. And that’s despite featuring an additional optical element. Both lenses have a 52mm filter attachment thread and come complete with a hood and carrying pouch.

Although priced very competitively, the AF 56mm F1.7 doesn’t hold back on glass. There are 11 elements in the optical path altogether, including four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and three HRI (High Refractive Index) elements. Multi-layer coatings are also applied, to minimize ghosting and flare.

As I’ve mentioned, the barrel of this lens is plastic rather than being metal-bodied like the F1.4 lenses. That’s not an issue for me, as the plastic is of good quality and isn’t so cold to the touch in chilly weather. The mounting plate is made from lightweight aluminum, which I prefer to the plastic mounting plates of various budget-friendly own-brand Nikon Z-mount lenses that I’ve used (including the entire range of own-brand Nikon Z DX lenses to date). Another plus point is that the mounting plate includes a USB-C port, for applying firmware updates if and when needed.

Like most lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, this one has a lead-screw type stepping motor which enables fast performance for stills, along with smooth and virtually silent focus transitions when shooting video. Whereas the F1.4 Viltrox lenses have a de-clicked aperture control ring, that’s absent in this lens. It’s only to be expected, considering the very inexpensive price. Unless you’re shooting video, the omission can actually be a plus point, as there’s no danger of nudging the aperture ring to a different value accidentally while you’re shooting.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Photo Performance

I tested the Nikon Z-mount edition of the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 lens using both a Nikon Z fc and a Nikon Z 8, the latter switching to DX crop mode automatically when I fitted the lens. The megapixel count is fairly similar in both cases, at 21MP and 19MP respectively. Outright sharpness isn’t the main focus (so to speak) of this type of lens. For creative photography and portraiture, the quality of bokeh is arguably more important. I was pleased to find that the lens delivered smooth bokeh at wide apertures, with a natural roll-off between focused and defocused areas.

Sharpness drops off a bit when shooting wide-open at f/1.7, which I’d fully expect. Stopping down to just f/2 gives excellent sharpness in the central region of the image frame, while edge/corner sharpness gets into its stride at f/2.8. Any lateral chromatic aberration was easily taken care of by the automatic in-camera correction of the Nikon cameras I used for testing, making it a non-issue. The same goes for distortion. All in all, the lens is a very good performer making it standout value at the price.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Sample Images

The example images in the following gallery were taken in sunny conditions at Bristol Docks in the UK. They include shots taken at wide apertures for a tight depth of field, which you’d typically use in portraiture, along with more general images taken with medium aperture settings.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Lab Results

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

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

Sharpness:

Levels of sharpness are very impressive from f/2 through to f/11. Center sharpness drops off a bit wide-open at f/1.7, which is only to be expected. There’s also a slight blip in corner-sharpness at f/4 but, overall, this Viltrox is certainly a sharp lens.

Fringing:

Both axial and lateral chromatic aberrations are well controlled, the latter being fully taken care of by automatic in-camera correction in the Nikon cameras used for our testing.

Distortion: 0.64

There’s only very mild pincushion distortion which will generally go unnoticed in real-world shooting, even with automatic in-camera correction switched off.

Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7: Verdict

Full-frame cameras are often seen as preferable for portraiture. These much pricier cameras and very much more expensive own-brand fast prime lenses are hard to beat, but you need deep pockets. I like the relatively compact, lightweight build of the Viltrox AF 56mm F/1.7 lens, and that it’s so amazingly inexpensive to buy. It makes high-quality portraiture easy to achieve with Fujifilm X, Sony E and Nikon Z DX mirrorless cameras, and is a real steal at the price.

Alternatives

Is Panasonic about to go head-to-head with Fujifilm and Leica? If the latest reports are correct, the next Lumix camera will throw down the gauntlet in a big way when it launches this month.

Last month I wrote a story about how the next Lumix camera is rumored to be "something totally unexpected" and "a completely new kind of [camera] model" that Panasonic doesn't currently make. And, to quote myself:

"Personally, I think the most obvious thing would be a fixed-lens compact camera to rival the Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR III – or maybe a full-frame compact that would go against the Leica Q3."

Well, it looks like the latter is exactly what we're getting: a full frame fixed lens camera, which will go toe-to-toe with the Q3, outclass the X100VI, and make Sony feel even more bummed that it never followed up the Sony RX1R II.

While more precise details about the mystery camera are scarce, according to a source quoted by L-Rumors: "It's right to compare it to a Leica. What I know so far, is it's full frame, fixed lens, and will be available in multiple different colors. The price point is attractive, at least when compared to the little competition in this niche."

I would think the last point is a given, considering that the Leica Q3 costs upwards of six grand – which would be suicide for Panasonic's product. I believe this new Lumix camera should be priced more in line with the X100VI, to give frustrated Fujifilm buyers an affordable alternative – one with even better specs.

L-Rumors believes that the camera will use the same 24.2MP sensor as the Panasonic Lumix S5 II. This would offer less resolution than the 40.2MP X100VI, but obviously feature a superior full-frame sensor (though this would, in turn, be outclassed by the 60MP sensor on the Leica Q3). 

I've been saying for months that there's an obvious open goal in the premium compact market, given that Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica can't make enough cameras to meet demand. I didn't expect that Panasonic would be first to fire a ball at it, but I'm glad that someone out there has called the audible – and I'm super excited to see what this new Lumix looks like.

You might be interested in the best Panasonic cameras, along with the best Micro Four Thirds lenses for the G system and the best L-Mount lenses for full-frame S series cameras.

The original Panasonic Lumix G100 was launched back in 2020 as a kind of baby-faced entry point to the Lumix mirrorless camera range, and with a special emphasis on vlogging features, notably a vari-angle screen and an advanced mic array with different pickup patterns for different shooting styles and situations.

The Lumix G100D is a newer variant that is more of a maintenance release than a new camera. The fundamental features and design haven’t changed at all. There are really just two differences; the EVF has dropped slightly in resolution from 3.68 million dots to 2.36 million, but has also swapped from TFT technology to OLED – so the resolution is lower but the screen is better.

The second change is the provision of a USB-C port (though this still runs at USB 2 speeds). This was probably in response to changing camera legislation and does at least allow easy USB charging from power banks.

The rest is the same. You get a 20-megapixel MFT Live MOS sensor in a baby-SLR design with an electronic viewfinder housing on the top and a good quality flip-out vari-angle screen on the back. The Micro Four Thirds format has a serious track record for filmmakers and vloggers, offering light weight and affordability but also professional capabilities. 

The Lumix G100D brings this to the beginner market too, though it’s a shadow of cameras like the Lumix GH5 II and GH6. The lack of in-built image stabilization is perhaps its most serious limitation, and while it does have an OZO Audio system by Nokia that offers different pickup patterns for different situations, the reality is that for proper audio you really do need an external microphone and of the right type.

But let’s be fair. The Lumix G100D is also a pretty good stills camera. The 20MP sensor captures lots of detail, the EVF is rather good and the vari-angle screen adds even more shooting flexibility. Don’t think of it just as a vlogging camera that can shoot stills – it’s also a rather good hybrid travel/fashion camera that can shoot both. It might not be the best hybrid camera out there or even the best camera for vlogging, but it still deserves to be considered amongst the best cameras for beginners.

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Specifications

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Price

The Panasonic Lumix G100D currently sells for around $748 in the US with the 12-32mm retracting kit lens, and around £619 in the UK. That makes it one of the cheapest mirrorless cameras on the market right now. It’s significantly cheaper than its nearest OM System rival, the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, but both are heavily undercut by the Canon EOS R100 with kit lens, at around $499 / £599.

It’s not quite the cheapest new mirrorless camera you can buy, then, but it’s still very affordable and its video features are pretty good for the money – an important factor for beginner photographers and vloggers.

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Design and handling

The Lumix G100D is a small camera but keeps a DSLR-style shape, and this does give it a certain cute appeal. There is a decent sized grip on the right side that makes it quite secure to hold, though it’s going to feel a little unbalanced with larger lenses. We tested it with the compact 12-32mm kit zoom, though the G100D can of course accept any Micro Four Thirds lens.

The EVF is pretty good. You don’t really notice the drop in resolution compared to the original model – it’s sharp and clear and the colors are good. The same goes for the rear screen, which has a higher than usual resolution for a camera at this price point. The fold-out screen pivot feels pretty robust too.

The power switch is located slightly awkwardly under the main mode dial, but you get used to that. There’s a control dial around the shutter release and a prominent red ‘record’ button to the right.

There’s a second control dial on the back which doubles as the camera’s four-way controller. These can be annoying, but on the Lumix G100D it’s relatively easy to turn this dial without accidentally pressing the buttons… mostly.

The buttons are pretty tightly clustered on the back because the space taken up by the rear screen and the (useful) thumbrest doesn’t leave much room. They work well enough, but they are flush to the camera body so you do need to look to check what you’re pressing.

Overall, the Lumix G100D is a nicely designed little camera that handles pretty well for its size. It is so diminutive, though, that with your fingers around the front grip it’s not really wedging into the palm of your hand. 

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Photo performance

As a stills camera, the Lumix G100D is very good. The 20MP MFT sensor delivers plenty of detail, and it’s not really at any great disadvantage compared to larger-sensor APS-C rivals, except perhaps at higher sensitivity settings beyond ISO 3200. 

Probably the biggest difference is its native 4:3 aspect ratio, which some might find a little ‘square’ compared to the 3:2 ratio of APS-C and full frame cameras. You can shoot at a 3:2 ratio, but then you’re cropping some of those megapixels.

The G100D might use contrast AF rather than phase detect AF, but you’d never know it when shooting stills. It’s very fast and very positive, and you have a choice of AF patterns for different subjects and scenarios – including effective face detection.

This is not a camera for fast-paced action, though. Its maximum 6fps burst speed is pretty low by current standards, and it drops to 5fps with continuous AF.

The lack of in-body image stabilization is a drawback too. Some Lumix G lenses have optical stabilization built in, including the kit lens, but it does limit the G100D somewhat for low light shooting and may force you to set the ISO higher than you would like.

Action photography aside, this is a great little camera for stills. The photo quality is as good as any other Micro Four Thirds camera when you’re using the same lenses. The 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 retracting kit lens is not the best, however. It’s good enough for snapshots and casual use, but you might want to swap to a better lens later on.

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Sample photos

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Lab results

For our lab data comparison we chose three similar entry-level mirrorless cameras: the Canon EOS R100, as we think this is the best beginner interchangeable lens camera right now. The OM System (previously Olympus) OM-D E-M10 IV is another great entry-level stills camera, and the Sony ZV-E10 is a good match for the G100D's video capabilities.

We test resolution using Imatest charts and software, and dynamic range and signal to noise ratio with DxO Analyzer.

Resolution:

The 20.3MP G100D does well to hold its own against the 24MP Canon and Sony cameras when it comes to resolving fine detail.

Dynamic range:

The relatively small size of the MFT sensor in the G100D certainly doesn't hold it back when it comes to capturing dynamic range, as it can record more highlight and shadow detail than the APS-C Canon and Sony cameras at most sensitivities.

Signal to noise ratio:

This test compares the amount of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings as a proportion of the actual image information (the 'signal'). Higher values are better and we expect to see the signal to ratio fall as the ISO is increased.

There's very little to separate the G100D from the EOS R100 and ZV-E10 when it comes to image clarity. The OM-D E-M10 IV has excellent high ISO noise control, which pays dividends in low light and gives it a clear edge in this test.

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Video performance

The Lumix G100D might not be one of the best hybrid cameras on the market, but it’s still a great choice for novices and budget-conscious buyers with ambitions to shoot both stills and video. It does both of these jobs well, though it’s with video that its limitations become more apparent. 

Novice videographers will probably start by shooting handheld, and the G100D is not good at this. It does have electronic stabilization, but it’s not especially effective and definitely no substitute for in-body stabilization. With electronic IS switched on, you can get reasonably steady shots of static subjects, but you need real skill (and luck) to use smooth panning movements or follow moving subjects. It also imposes a crop in Standard mode and a very heavy crop in High mode.

This is a camera that needs to be on a tripod (a mini tripod on a cafe table is fine) or on a gimbal – there is an optional grip which will help too. Without any stabilizing support, the G100D is pretty shaky as a run-and-gun camera.

Panasonic has also faced criticism for its contrast-based DFD autofocus system which can produce a visible ‘pulsing’ effects in backgrounds when filming people talking. That wasn’t apparent in any of our test videos, and given the user level this camera is aimed at, it seems a pretty technical detail. The AF didn’t always respond quickly to changing subject distances in our video tests, but this is perhaps deliberate – in video, focus shifts do need to be progressive and smooth, not ‘snappy’.

The G100D’s OZO audio system is certainly cleverer than the average built in mic, but it too has its limitations. It can be set up with different pickup patterns from front to front-side, rear (for a ‘narration’ track, for example) or omnidirectional.

In practice, though, it’s extremely susceptible to wind noise outdoors. It’s good at picking up ambient audio even at some distance, but even a light breeze can cause horrible bufferting noises. It needs either a stick-on furry wind shield or a decent external mic.

Indoors, you don’t get any wind buffeting, but you do get a lot of room echo if you’re surrounded by hard surfaces. Here again, getting good audio really needs a good quality external mic and careful mic positioning too.

The actual 4K video quality is very good. However, the G100D is hamstrung by its poor stabilization and the limitations of any on-camera mic array, however directional its pickup pattern.

Panasonic Lumix G100D: Verdict

The Lumix G100D is cute, affordable and versatile. It’s great as a stills camera, but while its video features are also very good, it’s here that its limitations quickly become obvious. It’s a great camera to kickstart your vlogging career if you’re happy to use a tripod for most of your shots and you’re prepared to invest in an external mic, but for run and gun style shooting it’s just out of its depth. You could say the same about similarly priced rivals which don’t have IBIS, so the G100D is not the only mirrorless camera that might leave smartphone upgraders disappointed. A mirrorless camera will give you better video quality than you’re phone, but you’re going to have to work harder to achieve it.

Alternatives

Panasonic is going to unveil "a completely new kind of [camera] model" in May, according to a new report. However, that's basically all the information that has been revealed so far.

It is being claimed that this will not be a successor model to any existing camera, so we aren't looking at a replacement for the Panasonic GH6 or Panasonic S1R (although, if you follow our camera rumors page, you'll know that the latter is expected this year). 

Instead, we're apparently looking at a product that Panasonic does not currently produce. "This camera is something totally unexpected," reported Andrea Pizzini, head of websites such as 43 Rumors. 

"This is not a camera that will be a successor of a currently available camera, so not a GH7 Micro Four Thirds camera no S1 II full frame, camera it will be something very new and different."

So what are we looking at? Panasonic cameras tend to be hybrids oriented towards video, and it currently makes camcorders, PTZ cameras, 4K and 6K cameras, vlogging cameras, box cameras… what else is left? 

Perhaps if we should look away from video devices to stills-focused products. Will it do a Hasselblad, and produce a medium format camera with no video whatsoever like the X2D 100C? It seems unlikely – though Panasonic doesn't make medium format cameras.

And nor does it make APS-C cameras, though the company has said on multiple occasions that it doesn't see the APS-C market as worthwhile (since it already has its bases covered with Micro Four Thirds and full frame cameras). Could this news signal a change of tact?

Personally, I think the most obvious thing would be a fixed-lens compact camera to rival the Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR III– or maybe a full-frame compact that would go against the Leica Q3. 

The company previously made a successful line of compact zoom cameras with Micro Four Thirds sensors, such as the Lumix LX100 II – a camera so good that Leica makes a popular clone, the D-Lux 7. 

Joining up two possibly unrelated rumors, I know that a new Leica compact is on the way – and since those are always copies of Lumix compacts, could Panasonic have an interesting new challenger to the Fujifilm throne? 

Either way, it's May next week, so we won't have to wait long to find out!

You might be interested in the best cameras for video and the best cameras for filmmaking – along with the best cine lenses to use with them. 

Tilt-shift photography is a niche but growing area, with some big releases in this space recently like Fujifilm's tilt-shift GFX lenses which our reviewer called "the best tilt-shift lenses in the world." 

If you have never experienced tilt-shift photography, but want to give it a go, unfortunately, tilt-shift lenses do have a habit of being quite expensive. But recently there have been more affordable lenses in this area coming from a growing number of third-party lens makers, the latest – the 7artisans 50mm F1.4.

The 7artisans 50mm F1.4 is a tilt-shift lens for Sony E-mount or Fujifilm X-mount APS-C cameras and for Micro Four Thirds cameras. This gives the lens a 1.5x (APS-C) or 2x (MTF) crop, giving a full-frame equivalent focal length of either 75mm or 100mm. The lens will be a fully manual lens, so that means manual focus and manual aperture, and I can't see from currently available information if the lens has any electrical contacts for providing EXIF data to the camera. The wide f/1.4 aperture should help create some nice depth of field though.

But what is tilt-shift photography? Tilt-shift photography changes how a lens lines up to the camera sensor, changing this focal plane can manipulate the camera's focus and perspective to either change the view of a subject such as tall buildings in architectural photography, or get front-to-back focus as often used in landscape photography. There are also more fun ways of using tilt-shift lenses such as creating the miniature effect in model worlds.

The 7artisans 50mm f/1.4 is available now and costs $226 in the US, with pricing in other locations to be confirmed. 

Check our guide to the best tilt-shift lenses for other options for you camera