Mirrorless cameras are now generally preferred to DSLR cameras because they are the newer technology. But what if the mirrorless camera in question has a cropped APS-C sensor, while the DSLR has a full-frame sensor?

Is the mirrorless system still the better camera, or does the older DSLR rig pull punches?

Crop sensor mirrorless cameras are a popular choice for both budget and portability, but some full-frame DSLRs sit at a similar price, thanks to the format's age.

Truth be told, there’s no single answer here, as it all depends on the kind of photography you like. Personally, I would opt for an APS-C mirrorless system because I travel a lot and also often take my camera hiking, but if image quality is a priority over portability and autofocus smarts, the answer may be different.

The more compact a system is, like the Sony A6700, the easier it is for me to get around, or up a mountain, for that matter.

I’m also looking for speedy autofocus to ensure I capture split-second adventure shots in the mountains crisply. And as mirrorless cameras use the imaging sensor to calculate focus, they have advantages like edge-to-edge frame coverage and smarter subject tracking, even if they feature seemingly ‘worse’ cropped sensors.

However, you might care more about absolute image quality, in which case, a full-frame DSLR might suit you better.

Full-frame DSLR cameras excel at low-light performance and achieving shallow depth of field. The larger sensor surface area captures more light, resulting in cleaner images with much less noise when light is scarce.

A full-frame sensor would also give you more control over depth of field, making it easier to achieve beautifully blurred backgrounds – ideal for portraiture.

Age has dropped some full-frame DSLRs to a similar price to some APS-C mirrorless in some regions. The Nikon D780, for example, sits at a similar price point to the Sony A6700 in the US and UK.

Even powerhouses such as the 45MP Nikon D850 or the 30.4MP Canon EOS 5D Mark IV can now be found for a competitive price compared to some flagship APS-C models, such as the Fujifilm X-H2.

Of course, there are a few exceptions. The Nikon Z50 II tends to be more affordable than the Nikon D780, for example. And there's the ultra-affordable Canon EOS R100.

The higher-end APS-C mirrorless cameras on the market, such as the 32.5MP Canon EOS R7 and 40.2MP Fujifilm X-T5, tend to sit at higher price points. But these are prosumer models that cost a premium and so are best suited to serious photographers rather than those testing the waters.

The bottom line? If you want solid image quality and maximum portability, then I’d go for a mirrorless APS-C.

But if you want maximum image quality on a budget, then a full-frame DSLR camera should at least be considered. Yes, you'll have to factor in things like age, autofocus, and lenses, but DSLRs are still capable shooters for the price point if you don't mind a larger camera.

A third option? Opting for an older or lower resolution full-frame mirrorless camera can still mean steep discounts over the latest models, like the Sony A7 III or the Panasonic Lumix S5 II.

My point is this: if you're on a tight budget, don't automatically ignore older camera tech.

You might also like…

Discover our expert pick of the best mirrorless cameras as well as our take on the best DSLR cameras.

The best Sony wide-angle lenses enable you to fit a sweeping vista into a single frame. Wide-angle lenses are among my personal favorites – all but essential for landscapes and cityscapes, helpful for architectural interiors, and great for emphasizing perspective to creative effect.

These are the best ones I’ve tested for the Sony E-mount ecosystem. All of these are lenses I’ve taken out into the field and tested in the lab to assess their resolving power, focusing capabilities, and ease of use. I’ve included zooms and primes, and options for both full-frame cameras (the A1, A7, and A9 ranges), and for APS-C Sony models (the A6000 and ZV-E ranges).

Let’s take a closer look at the best Sony wide-angle lenses for a range of different needs, budgets, and camera types. For more options in different focal lengths, see my general guide to the best Sony lenses, which includes standard and telephoto lenses as well as wide-angle glass.

Best Sony wide-angle lenses

Best wide-angle zoom for pros

I love the wow-factor that this lens delivers, as soon as I put my eye to the viewfinder. Most ‘trinity’ f/2.8 wide-angle zooms serve up a 14-24mm zoom range, but this one goes even wider. An additional 2mm in focal length might not sound like a lot, but the more expansive field of view is immediately obvious through the viewfinder. When this lens was launched, Sony already had a smaller FE 12-24mm F4 lens on the market, but I like the faster aperture of the newer model for freezing movement under dull lighting. It also gives more potential for blurring the background in close-up shots, especially towards the longer end of the zoom range. Bokeh is soft and dreamy, typical of G Master lenses.

I’m impressed that the lens is packed full of top-quality glass, including three XA (eXtreme Aspherical) elements that are manufactured to a tolerance of just one hundredth of a micron. The pay-off is superb sharpness for an ultra-wide-angle lens that extends right out to the edges and corners of the image frame. I also find that autofocus is very fast for a lens with such wide-diameter elements. That’s thanks to four high-speed XD (eXtreme Dynamic) Linear Motors, two for each of the pair of groups that move during focusing.

As with many ultra-wide-angle lenses, this one has an integral hood. As such, there’s no filter attachment thread, but at least there’s a slot in the mounting plate for inserting gel filters.

Read more: Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 G Master review

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Best affordable pro wide-angle zoom

I was a big fan of Sigma’s 14-24mm F2.8 lens for DSLRs, and this E-mount version is even better. It’s redesigned from the ground up to make the most of Sony mirrorless cameras. Optical highlights include three aspherical elements, including a high-precision, large-diameter one at the front, an FLD (‘Fluorite’ Low Dispersion) element, and no less than five SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements. A significant addition is the use of NPC (Nano Porous Coating) as well as Sigma’s more conventional Multi-Layer Coating.

In practical terms, I’ve found that the lens delivers superb sharpness and clarity, even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, throughout the zoom range. Color fringing is entirely negligible, and there’s excellent resistance to ghosting and flare. Barrel distortion can be noticeable in the shorter half of the zoom range, but there’s less reliance on automatic in-camera correction than with many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras.

Like most other recent Sigma Art and Sports lenses, this one has really solid build quality and is extensively weather-sealed. I like that the AF-L (Autofocus Lock) button is featured and that I can customize it for other uses via in-camera menus. All in all, this Sigma looks, feels, and performs like a fully pro-grade ‘trinity’ zoom, but for about half the usual price. Bargain!

Read our full Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art review

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Best affordable full-frame wide-angle zoom

I think this Tamron lens has a lot going for it. There’s no shortage of similar own-brand lenses, including the Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS, which is ‘slower’ but features Optical SteadyShot, and the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 G Master. A ‘trinity’ f/2.8 lens with a difference, the Tamron has a slightly more restrictive zoom range and marginally less maximum field of view, but it’s relatively compact, lightweight, and sells for a much more affordable price. That ticks a lot of boxes on my wish list.

Although small and light, I like that the Tamron feels solid and well-built, and includes weather seals. I also like its nippy RXD (Rapid eXtra silent stepping Drive) autofocus system, which I’ve found to be fast, virtually silent, and consistently accurate. What matters most to me is image quality, and the Tamron scored highly again in this respect. Corner-to-corner sharpness is excellent, and there’s virtually no color fringing. Unusually for a wide-angle lens, there’s a little pincushion distortion in the longer half of the zoom range, but automatic in-camera correction is available.

Especially for landscape photography, I feel that the inclusion of a front filter thread is a bonus. It means I can use the likes of neutral density and ND grad filters easily, and the 67mm thread is refreshing modest for a wide-angle lens.

Read more: Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD review

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Best APS-C wide-angle zoom

Sony’s APS-C format cameras tend to be small and lightweight, and I like that this E-mount lens follows suit. Weighing in at just 335g, it feels beautifully balanced on slimline Sony bodies, and I like that the 11-20mm zoom range delivers good wide-angle coverage, equivalent to 16.5-30mm in full-frame terms. Another bonus for me is the relatively fast and constant f/2.8 aperture, which I find extends the versatility of the lens.

I feel that the build quality and handling are very good. The Tamron features weather seals and comes with a bayonet-fit petal-shaped hood. I find it useful that, unlike with many wide-angle lenses, I can easily attach filters via the 67mm attachment thread. Autofocus is fast and virtually silent, as I’d expect from a stepping motor-based system. However, there’s no optical image stabilizer, which can be a concern as so many APS-C format Sony mirrorless cameras don’t have in-body stabilization.

Another thing I like about this lens is its short minimum focus distance of just 0.25m at the wide-angle end of the zoom range, although it stretches to 0.24m at the long end. Either way, I can get in really close to subjects and exaggerate perspective at wide-angle zoom settings. As with many wide-angle lenses, lab test results don’t flatter the Tamron, but in real-world shooting conditions, I found sharpness very impressive across the whole image frame, right into the corners. There’s some reliance on automatic in-camera distortion correction, but unlike many recent wide-angle lenses for mirrorless cameras, it’s not wholly dependent on it.

Read more: Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD review

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Widest full-frame prime

I think this lens is quite astonishing. At first glance, I assumed it was an APS-C format lens, due to its super-short focal length and small size. But no, it’s a full-frame compatible lens. Digging a little deeper, I’ve found that it’s a conveniently compact and lightweight lens that bears some heavyweight credentials. Despite its 9mm focal length, it’s a rectilinear rather than curvilinear (or fisheye) lens, shoehorning an epic 132-degree viewing angle into its small build. When I put my eye to the viewfinder, it really feels like taking the blinkers off my photography.

I like the solid metal construction, which extends to a metal integral hood and slip-on metal cap. Naturally, though, the built-in hood precludes the use of filters. Not just a manual-focus lens, it’s fully manual and includes no electronics whatsoever. As such, you need to adjust the aperture via the onboard control ring rather than from the camera body, and no lens-based EXIF information is saved in image files.

On the plus side, I find that focusing is quick and easy. The focus ring works with smooth precision, and the enormous depth of field means I don’t have to be painstakingly accurate, even at the lens’s widest aperture of f/5.6. At the price, it’s a nicely crafted and very useful kit bag addition for capturing sweeping vistas in landscape photography, architectural interiors when space is tight, vlogging when you want to set yourself in an expansive scene, and a lot more besides. I really like it.

Read more: 7Artisans 9mm F5.6 review

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Best professional wide-angle prime lens

I love that this Sony lens is so compact and lightweight for an ultra-wide-angle, full-frame compatible lens with such a fast f/1.8 aperture rating. Even so, there’s a lot packed in when it comes to handling exotica and all-around performance. I’ve found that the electronically-coupled manual focus ring has a smooth and precise action with a linear response that’s well suited to both stills and video shooting. A further bonus for video is that the manual aperture ring can be de-clicked via a switch on the right-hand side of the barrel. On the left, there’s an AF-MF focus mode switch and a function button, which is nominally for AF Hold, but you can customize its action via in-camera menus.

Build quality feels very solid for such a lightweight lens, and extensive weather seals are fitted to all the joints, mounting plate, switches, and buttons. Florine coatings are applied to the front and rear elements. Although small, the lens packs 14 optical elements. Specialist glass includes two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, one Super ED element, and two high-precision XA (eXtreme Aspherical) elements, plus a regular aspherical element. The mix intends to maximize sharpness, contrast, and clarity while keeping aberrations to a minimum. Nano AR Coating II is also applied to minimize ghosting and flare.

I found that sharpness is superb, right out to the extreme corners of the frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. There’s also remarkably little coma and astigmatism. That’s great news for astrophotography and shooting nighttime cityscapes, as it ensures that stars and pinprick lights don’t take on irregular shapes towards the edges and corners of the frame, especially when shooting at the widest aperture.

Read more: Sony FE 14mm F1.8 G Master review

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Best affordable full-frame wide-angle prime

The Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN | C joins a growing range of fairly fast primes for Sony E-mount cameras, in Sigma’s ‘I-series’ range. I like that the look and feel of the lenses is so consistent across the range, which includes 24mm, 35mm, and 65mm F2 DG DN | C options, as well as a slower 45mm F2.8 lens. For me, the ‘Contemporary’ design ethos works well in delivering excellent performance with a compact and lightweight build.

I’m impressed that there’s some impressive glass shoehorned into the diminutive construction, with 13 elements in total that include three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) element, and one top-spec FLD (‘Fluorite’ Low Dispersion) element. Sigma’s conventional Super Multi-Layer Coating and more high-tech Nano Porous Coating are both employed to fend off ghosting and flare.

As with other lenses in Sigma’s I-series Contemporary line-up, I like the build quality, which is based on a coated brass mounting plate, a metal barrel, and even a metal lens hood and lens cap, the latter of which is magnetic. A more regular plastic lens cap is also supplied in the box. The construction features multiple weather-seals and is dust- and moisture-resistant. Handling is enhanced by an aperture control ring which operates in one-third f/stop increments, but there’s no ‘de-click’ option. Sharpness is very good, but automatic in-camera correction comes in useful to reduce distortion and wide-aperture vignetting.

Read more: Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN | C review

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Best APS-C wide-angle prime

A small lens with a big heart and a big viewing angle, I love how this Sony 11mm shoehorns so much into the image frame. I find it ideal for everything from cramped architectural interiors to sweeping landscape vistas and cityscapes, while its fast f/1.8 aperture makes it equally adept for astrophotography. Buy one, and it won’t be long before you wonder how you ever managed without it.

I really like that the lens is designed to be equally adept at shooting stills and movies, boasting two linear stepping motors that deliver super-fast autofocus for stills and smooth, virtually silent focus transitions for movies. The minimum focus distance of 0.15m shrinks to just 0.12m in manual focus mode, delivering a tight depth of field at f/1.8 for close-ups or using the lens for vlogging. Handling benefits from an AF/MF switch and a customizable autofocus-hold button.

I also like that the lens is neatly compact and lightweight, ideally suited to slimline Sony A6000-series camera bodies. Even so, it packs quality glass, including three aspherical elements and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements to optimize image quality, while build quality is convincingly robust, featuring multiple weather seals.

Read more: Sony E 11mm f/1.8 review

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Widest APS-C prime

When I think of ultra-wide-angle lenses with a relatively fast f/2.8 aperture, two things spring to mind – size and weight. They tend to be big and heavy, which is the last thing I want if I’m trekking off across tricky terrain, in search of great landscape photo opportunities. The same thing goes for pounding city streets, looking for great architectural shots. This lens fits the bill perfectly, and really redresses the balance, so to speak. It’s so small and light for an ultra-wide-angle lens that it almost seems to defy the laws of physics. Indeed, it weighs in at a mere 175g or 6.2oz.

Typical of Viltrox's ‘Air’ series lenses, it has a very streamlined build that doesn’t include an AF/MF focus mode switch, nor an aperture control ring. The upside is that it really couldn’t be any simpler to use and feels like a perfect fit for Sony’s slimline APS-C format mirrorless cameras. I also like that it has a separate rather than integral hood, enabling the easy fitment of landscape-friendly filters.

It’s only natural to think that if a lens is this small, there’s going to be a compromise in terms of image quality and all-around performance. I was pleasantly surprised that the Viltrox autofocuses with speed and consistent accuracy, and that in real-world shooting, it maintains impressive levels of sharpness right out to the edges and corners of the image frame. Even the asking price is super-small, making it standout value for money.

Read more: Viltrox AF 9mm f/2.8 E Air review

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Best wide-angle lens for video

The first thing that hit me about this wide-angle zoom lens for Sony’s APS-C format mirrorless cameras is just how small it is. To me, it feels much more like the size and weight of an ultra-compact standard kit zoom lens with a variable (and slow) aperture rating. The fact that Sony has managed to shoehorn such an expansive range of viewing angles with a constant f/4 aperture into such a small lens, complete with motorized zoom, really is quite something. Especially as image quality and overall performance are so excellent.

I find that the silent power zoom facility makes the lens ideal for vlogging and general video shooting, but it’s equally adept at capturing stills of anything and everything from architectural interiors to sweeping landscapes, or just for exaggerating perspective effects. The electronically coupled zoom ring feels wonderfully responsive, seamlessly converting the speed and amount of rotation to the resulting focal length. I also like the additional zoom lever that enables constant-speed adjustments right down to super-slow movements, ideal for avoiding jerky zoom transitions when shooting movies. I’m also pleased that there’s an optional grip and remote controller, plus a free app for controlling everything from my mobile phone.

Although really small, the lens feels very solid and well-built, and includes multiple weather seals around all the joints, buttons, and switches. Handling refinements include an AF/MF focus mode switch and a customizable focus hold button. I’m a bit disappointed that the lens lacks an aperture control ring, for which a de-clicked option would have been nice when shooting movies, but there’s only so much you can squeeze into such a small lens.

Read more: Sony E PZ 10-20mm F4 G review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. You’ll see that the mighty Sony FE 12-24mm G Master lens is outstanding for sharpness, and I’d expect nothing less. However, the relatively humble Sigma 20mm ‘Contemporary’ lens is quite the overachiever. Lab tests at extremely close range don’t do justice to the incredibly ultra-wide 7Artisans full-frame lens in terms of sharpness, which performs better in real-world shooting. The distortion figures flatter some of the zoom lenses, as the scores are averaged out across the entire zoom range.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion. Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel distortion at its shortest focal length, which is less obvious when everything is averaged out. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, take a look at the graphs published in our full standalone reviews.

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How to choose

Prime or zoom?
Sometimes it’s hard to decide whether a zoom lens or a prime lens will be a better buy. Zoom lenses tend to be more versatile, as they cover a broad spread of focal lengths. However, there’s a lot to be said for prime lenses, which generally have a wider or ‘faster’ aperture rating and are often relatively small and lightweight. Some photographers find that they only tend to use wide-angle zooms at or near their shortest focal length anyway, which is another reason for considering a prime lens.

Do I need speed?
If you’re mainly using a wide-angle lens for landscape photography, you won’t need one with a really fast aperture rating, and an f/5.6 lens should suffice. That said, most of the lenses in this buying guide have aperture ratings of f/2.8 or faster. That’s a real bonus for astrophotography, for which wide-angle lenses are particularly well suited, as well as for shooting architectural interiors under low indoor lighting, and for night-time cityscapes.

How do I tell if a lens is full-frame compatible?
It can be tricky for the uninitiated to recognize the difference between Sony lenses that are made for full-frame or APS-C format cameras. The clue is in the title. APS-C format lenses have an ‘E’ prefix, whereas full-frame compatible lenses have an ‘FE’ prefix. Sigma designates its lenses as ‘DC’ for crop-sensor cameras and ‘DG’ for full-frame. Bear in mind though, that you can shoot with E lenses on full-frame cameras in crop mode, and with FE lenses on APS-C cameras with no limitations.

What’s the APS-C crop factor?
Sony’s APS-C cameras have an image sensor that’s the same size as a frame of ‘Advanced Photographic System type C’ film. That’s quite a bit smaller than a frame of 35m film, on which full-frame digital cameras are based. The outcome is that the ‘crop factor’ gives a 1.5x magnification in the focal length of lenses. For example, a 10mm wide-angle lens will give the same field of view as using a 15mm lens on a full-frame camera.

Do I need OSS?
Optical SteadyShot can be really useful if your Sony camera doesn’t feature IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization). It’ll help counteract the effects of camera-shake and ensure you get sharp handheld shots more consistently with slow shutter speeds. However, OSS is generally not featured on wide-angle lenses, as camera-shake is less of a problem in handheld shooting compared with standard and telephoto lenses.

How we test

We test lenses using both real-world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. Our lab tests also reveal the extent of color fringing and distortion. We find the combination of lab and real-world testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.

You can find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World.

Sometimes a great camera kit can be more than the sum of its parts. I think it’s true that particular lenses are a better fit for individual camera bodies rather than others, even when there are similar models in the line-up. When I’m choosing lenses for the slim and budget-friendly Sony A6400, I feel that the size, weight and price are strong contributing factors. For my money, the A6400 is one of the best Sony cameras because I think it delivers such a great combination of features and versatility, at a keen price. It’s a compact and affordable camera, so its lenses should be as well.

I’ve regularly used the Sony A6400 and I’ve tested all the lenses featured in this guide. If I was spending my own money, these are the options I would consider first. You can also check out my list of the best lenses for Sony A6000 cameras generally if you like, and many of the best Sony lenses will also be a good match for the A6400.

As photographers, we all have our special areas of interest, so I’ve tried to cover plenty of genres, from travel photography to portraiture, sports and wildlife. As you’ll see, I’ve also taken A6400 video shooters into account, with the inclusion of a couple of affordable prime lenses which are great for video as well as for stills. Above all, I’ve aimed to give full consideration to each lens’s suitability for the A6400’s size, its performance in relation to the camera’s 24MP sensor, and the kind of value for money that reflects the price of the A6400 itself.

Best lenses for the Sony A6400 

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Best everyday lens for the A6400

The Sony A6400 is usually sold with Sony's 16-50mm power zoom kit lens, which is very compact and convenient but a bit lacking in optic prowess. If you want a step up in quality, one option is Sony's rather massive and expensive 16-55mm f/2.8 G, but I would pick this Sigma instead.

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN offers a constant f/2.8 aperture, just like the Sony lens, with a classic 3x zoom range for a standard zoom. The Sigma is smaller than you’d expect given its constant maximum aperture (my shot shows it fitted to a Sony A7R III, but you'll get the idea), yet the build quality is very good – and it’s weather-resistant as well. The autofocus system is super-fast and virtually silent, and I'm impressed by the image quality.

Read more: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C review

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Most versatile lens for the A6400

Frustrated by the short focal range of the standard Sony 16-50mm kit lens? Get this! With an equivalent focal range of 27-202mm in full frame terms, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is practically a superzoom, but remains compact, neat, and affordable, and – unlike almost every other long-zoom lens – it holds its performance all the way through to its longest zoom setting.

What I like about this lens is its neat, simple design, its fuss-free exterior, easy operation, and built-in optical image stabilizer. Like a lot of modern mirrorless lenses, it does rely on digital as well as optical corrections, but the result is a long-range lens with far better image quality across the range than I would normally expect from a lens of this type.

Read more: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS review

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Best wide-angle lens for the A6400

Sony also makes an older E 10-18mm f/4 OSS lens, which is a little cheaper than this one and is also worth considering. The 10-18mm has optical stabilization, which is good for stills photography, but this newer E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G has a power zoom, which is ideal for video, so take your pick.

The Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G is especially good for vloggers who need to film themselves in the context of their background, because it gives a wider angle of view than a regular zoom. It's also a great travel lens, ideal for narrow city streets, tall landmarks, and spectacular interiors. None of the ultra-wide lens options for the Sony A6400 is cheap, but this is such a useful lens to have that I recommend it without hesitation.

Read more: Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G review

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Best telephoto lens for the A6400

I love using this lens on both A7-series full-frame cameras and APS-C format Sony bodies. It’s much more compact and lightweight than conventional 70-200mm f/2.8 ‘trinity’ telephoto zooms, which I feel is always a good thing when shooting with slimline mirrorless bodies. Sure, it doesn’t quite stretch to 200mm at the long end, but it comes pretty close, while retaining that all-important constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range. Pop it on an APS-C format body, and you get an ‘effective’ zoom range of 105-270mm. It works a treat for weddings and events and even for sports and wildlife photography, while keeping the weight off.

And there’s more. While the original Tamron 70-180mm was a great lens, I love that the G2 adds optical image stabilization, uprated handling, and revamped optics. And it delivers all this at a more inexpensive launch purchase price than the original lens. I find that in-body image stabilization tends to be less effective in telephoto shooting, so the addition of optical stabilization is particularly welcome.

Autofocus is super-fast, based on a VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) system, and well able to do justice to the Fast Hybrid AF, Eye AF, and advanced tracking options in Sony’s recent mirrorless cameras. The proof of the pudding is in the image quality, and I like that the optical layout has been redesigned to include an XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) element, a hybrid aspherical lens element, three LD (Low Dispersion) elements, and two GM (Glass Molded aspherical) lens elements. Tamron’s BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) coating is also applied to minimize ghosting and flare. All in all, it’s a terrific lens and a bargain at the price.

Read more: Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 review

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Best super-telephoto lens for the A6400

For longer-range subjects, you need a lens with big telephoto reach, but also with sufficient optical quality for sharp results. So while there is a cheaper and smaller Sony E 55-210mm lens, this is the one I would recommend for action, sports, and wildlife, as well as for bird photography.

The Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS is a relatively big and expensive lens, but its 5x zoom range is equivalent to 105-525mm on a full-frame body, stretching into super-telephoto territory. It might not have an ultra-fast maximum aperture, but the modest f/4.5-6.3 aperture rating enables a more compact, lightweight build, and it does have Sony's OSS optical image stabilization system. It's a manageable lens that offers huge reach at an affordable price.

Read more: Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS review

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Best street photography lens for the A6400

I said in the introduction that I wanted to include a couple of prime lenses, and this is the first. The Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 is actually a full-frame lens, so if you decide to upgrade to a full-frame Sony camera in the future, you can keep this lens for the journey.

On a full-frame camera, it's an ultra-wide-angle prime. Fit it to your Sony A6400, and it has an 'effective' 30mm focal length – perfect as a semi-wide-angle 'street photography' lens. Not only that, its 1:2 close-up capability means it's halfway (literally) towards a full macro lens, so it does two jobs, not just one. Best of all, it's not too big and not too expensive, despite first-rate optical performance, so it's a great buy for Sony A6400 owners.

Read more: Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 review

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Best portrait photography lens for the A6400

Compared with full-frame cameras, APS-C models like the A6400 can struggle to deliver a tight depth of field. That’s because DOF is more dependent on the ‘actual’ focal length rather than the ‘effective’ focal length after the 1.5x crop factor is applied. To compensate, I love that this lens has an ultra-fast f/1.2 aperture, which is capable of delivering a really tight depth of field at typical shooting distances for portraiture.

Making the most of the tight depth of field, the Viltrox combines superb sharpness with beautifully smooth bokeh in defocused areas, with a natural-looking roll-off between the two. It’s a great portrait lens that enables you to really isolate the main subject within a scene by blurring fussy-looking backgrounds.

Handling is excellent, and although the lens is necessarily a bit chunky due to the super-fast aperture rating, it’s well stocked in features. These include an aperture control ring with a click/de-click switch, a handy AF/MF focus switch, and a customizable function button.

Read more: Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 E Pro review

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Best ultra-wide prime lens for the A6400

A small lens with a big heart and a big viewing angle, I love how this Sony 11mm shoehorns so much into the image frame. I find it ideal for everything from cramped architectural interiors to sweeping landscape vistas and cityscapes, while its fast f/1.8 aperture makes it equally adept for astrophotography. Buy one, and it won’t be long before you wonder how you ever managed without it.

I really like that the lens is designed to be equally adept at shooting stills and movies, boasting two linear stepping motors that deliver super-fast autofocus for stills and smooth, virtually silent focus transitions for movies. The minimum focus distance of 0.15m shrinks to just 0.12m in manual focus mode, delivering a tight depth of field at f/1.8 for close-ups or using the lens for vlogging. Handling benefits from an AF/MF switch and a customizable autofocus-hold button.

I also like that the lens is neatly compact and lightweight, ideally suited to the slimline Sony A6400. Even so, it packs quality glass including three aspherical elements and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements to optimize image quality, while build quality is convincingly robust, featuring multiple weather-seals.

Read more: Sony E 11mm f/1.8 review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. You’ll see that the Tamron 70-180mm has standout performance for sharpness, especially for a zoom rather than prime lens. By contrast, the Sony 11mm and Tamron 20mm show extreme barrel distortion but as with many lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, they rely heavily on automatic in-camera correction to put things right.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel distortion at its shortest focal length, which is less obvious when everything is averaged out. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, take a look at the graphs published in our full standalone reviews.

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How to choose the best lens for the Sony A6400

The A6400, like all A6000-series cameras, uses the Sony E lens mount. Sony’s own E-mount lenses have either FE (full-frame) or E (APS-C format) in their model names: all work on the A6400. Very broadly speaking, an FE lens will be heavier and more expensive than an equivalent E lens, but deliver better image quality. E lenses (again, very broadly) will tend to be smaller and lighter.

For shooting at shorter focal lengths and wider angles of view – specifically kit lenses or ultra-wide zooms – you are probably better off with an E lens. The APS-C crop factor of the A6400 means that FE lenses offer a reduced angle of view, curtailing their wide-angle capability with the smaller sensor.

If you are buying a third-party E-mount lens, check whether the lens is designed for use with APS-C Sony cameras, such as the A6400, or with full-frame Sony bodies.

Check out our guide to the best Sony lenses if you want to know more

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How we test lenses

The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of 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 centre of the image frame, corners, and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).

We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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When putting together my list of the best lenses for the Sony ZV-E1, I kept its intended purposes firmly in mind. This camera may be used on a tripod, but is more likely to be used handheld, on a gimbal, or on a grip.

The Sony ZV-E1 is one of the best 4K cameras for filmmaking, as well as one of the best vlogging cameras, but it’s not as simple as reeling off a list of the best Sony lenses all around. Many Sony lenses are big, heavy, and designed for stills performance and reach, rather than for video. The ZV-E1, however, is incredibly compact and designed for portability and speed of operation in the field.

Despite its small size, the ZV-E1 follows suit with Sony’s other full-frame Alpha models by incorporating in-body stabilization. There’s therefore no need to seek out Sony’s OSS-stabilized lenses – these are mainly of interest for sports and wildlife photography, or Sony’s unstabilized APS-C E-mount cameras, and first-generation A7 full-frame cameras.

Best lenses for the Sony ZV-E1

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Best standard zoom for the ZV-E1

The Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G is a standard zoom with a difference. It follows a new-ish trend in standard zoom design, with a wider-than-usual minimum focal length so that it can also do much of the work of an ultra-wide zoom, which means less lens swapping and more versatility.

20-70mm is a terrific zoom range for all-around filming, and the constant f/4 maximum aperture will help in low-light interiors. The 20mm minimum focal length would make this a great lens for selfie vlogging on a grip or a gimbal, too – although, at 488g, this lens is no lightweight. Rounding all this off are a declickable aperture ring and dual Linear XD AF motors for fast and silent autofocus. If the bulk doesn’t bother you, this is a terrific and versatile standard zoom for the Sony ZV-E1.

Read more: Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G hands-on review

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Best wide-angle zoom for the ZV-E1

Sony’s G Master lenses have a reputation for optical quality, so it’s no surprise that this second-generation version of Sony’s 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom comes with a hefty price tag. If this is your favored focal range for stills and video, this lens will be your dream buy; otherwise, take a look at the Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G, which is less than half the price.

You might also want to check out third-party alternatives. The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master II justifies its cost, however, with no fewer than four Linear XD focus motors and suppressed focus breathing. It really is quite a lens with stunning pictorial quality and all-around performance, and a lens that you'll probably want to keep for a lifetime.

Read more: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II review

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Best wide-angle prime for the ZV-E1

If you want to film a wider angle of view and don’t want the bulk of the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G or the cost (especially the cost!) of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II, the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is a compelling alternative. It offers a wide enough angle of view for self-filming, and it’s fast enough for filming in low-light interiors. It’s not one of Sony’s G Master lenses, but the optical quality is sensational, with serious edge-to-edge sharpness, especially when you stop down slightly.

Sure, it's not the most compact and lightweight lens you can buy, nor is it the cheapest. But the image quality and overall performance make it well worth the investment. It's also a great next step in wide-angle coverage when switching from a standard zoom lens.

Read more: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G review

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Best street prime for the ZV-E1

I’ve come to expect a lot from Viltrox lenses, and for comparatively little outlay compared with equivalent own-brand Sony lenses. Even so, the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II really comes up trumps with excellent all-metal build quality despite its compact and lightweight construction, along with advanced handling characteristics that include a click/de-click aperture ring and a customizable function button.

More importantly, as far as I’m concerned, the autofocus mechanism is fast, near-silent, and consistently accurate, while image quality is superb in terms of sharpness and clarity, smooth bokeh, and a minimum of unwanted aberrations. Everything’s packed into a compact and lightweight package that helps with remaining inconspicuous when you’re out and about, shooting on the streets.

Read more: Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II review

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Best portrait lens for the ZV-E1

Viltrox lenses have impressed me over the last few years and recently they’ve been going from strength to strength. That said, most recent offerings have been either from the ‘Air’ line-up and are very compact and lightweight but also fairly basic, or from the ‘Pro’ and ‘Lab’ series, which are relatively chunky but packed full of features and handling exotica.

This lens is the first in a new ‘Evo’ range, and I love it. It’s like having the best of both worlds. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to live with, yet it also boasts plenty of handling finery, including an aperture control ring with a click/de-click switch, an AF/MF focus mode switch, and a customizable function button.

The lens feels solid and robust, with a metal barrel and weather-sealed mounting plate, complete with a USB-C port for applying firmware updates if and when needed. Best of all, image quality is superb and, although the f/2 aperture might not seem overly fast, the lens is perfectly capable of combining excellent sharpness with soft and dreamy bokeh. It’s also incredible value for money.

Read more: Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 FE Evo review

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Best telephoto lens for the ZV-E1

I love that this lens is much more compact, lightweight, and affordable than conventional 70-200mm f/2.8 ‘trinity’ telephoto zooms. Sure, it doesn’t quite stretch to 200mm at the long end, but it comes pretty close, while retaining that all-important constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range. It works a treat for weddings and events and even for sports and wildlife photography, while keeping the weight off for long periods of handheld shooting.

The original Tamron 70-180mm was a great lens, but I love that the G2 adds optical image stabilization, uprated handling, and revamped optics. And it delivers all this at a more inexpensive launch purchase price than the original lens. I find that any camera's in-body image stabilization is second-best with telephoto lenses, so the addition of optical stabilization is particularly welcome.

Autofocus is super-fast, based on a VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) system, and well able to do justice to the Fast Hybrid AF, Eye AF, and advanced tracking options in Sony’s recent mirrorless cameras. The proof of the pudding is in the image quality, and I'm very impressed that the lens's many optical upgrades translate into fabulous pictorial excellence. It’s simply a terrific lens at a bargain price.

Read more: Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The cut-price Viltrox 35mm prime leads the way for sharpness, but the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 does particularly well for a zoom lens. The latter is the least impressive for control over distortion, but automatic in-camera correction is available.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths, respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How to choose the best lens for the Sony ZV-E1

The ZV-E1 uses the Sony E lens mount. Sony’s own E-mount lenses have either FE or E in their model names: all work on the ZV-E1, but the image from an E lens will be cropped, so FE lenses are by far the better option. If you are buying a third-party E-mount lens, check whether the lens is designed for use with full-frame Sony cameras like the ZV-E1, or only with APS-C Sony cameras like the ZV-E10.

The ZV-E1 can also use Sony A-mount lenses with the aid of a mount adapter, but you should check that the A lens is suitable for full-frame cameras.

Check out our guide to the best Sony lenses if you want to know more

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How we test lenses

The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of 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 centre of the image frame, corners, and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).

We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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Picking the best Sony video lenses is no easy task, with the main challenge being whittling your options down! With E-mount having been going strong for more than a decade, the catalogue includes a host of superb lenses for the system, not only made by Sony, but also by third-party manufacturers like Sigma and Samyang.

Many of the lenses in my list are already among the best Sony lenses all-around, but here I’ve paid special attention to lenses designed for vloggers and filmmakers. After all, the best Sony cameras are renowned for their video capabilities and are amongst the best hybrid cameras to buy right now.

I've made my picks based on the lenses that have most impressed my team in testing and reviewing – see the 'how to choose' section at the bottom of this piece for a detailed breakdown of our inclusion criteria. I've included options for both full-frame and APS-C Sony mirrorless cameras, and have made sure to incorporate a range of price points.

Best Sony video lenses

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Best versatile zoom

While not designed specifically for video, the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G covers a really useful focal range that's wide enough for selfies and vlogging, even taking into account the extra crop factor of digital stabilization. It also delivers on optical quality, handling, and portability, although like many modern lenses, it does rely on optical in-camera corrections.

The widest aperture of f/4 should prove fast enough and isn't much of a compromise for the extended zoom range and lightweight build. The only real drawback is the price, at least in some territories – it’s a lot to pay for an f/4 standard zoom, no matter how good or useful it happens to be.

See our full Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G review

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Best wide-angle zoom

Sony brought this lens to market as "the world’s lightest compact constant f/4 wide-angle Power Zoom G Lens", which it definitely was, as it was also the only one! Key features include the use of Sony's XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors not just for the AF actuator but for the zoom control too, which also has variable zoom speed.

The overall barrel length remains the same when focusing or zooming, which makes the lens very manageable on a gimbal – as does its surprisingly modest weight of just 353g. The lens is dust and moisture-resistant. It's also one-quarter the price of Sony's massive 16-35mm T3.1 cine lens. The equivalent 24-54mm focal length on APS-C Sonys or Super35 mode on full-frame models is a useful range in itself.

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Best wide prime

If you're filming with a gimbal, it's a lot easier to balance the camera and handle the rig with smaller, lighter lenses, especially primes. The Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G is hard to fault as a design. It’s small and light, it has an aperture ring which can be de-clicked for video, its AF is fast, smooth, and effectively silent, and it feels really well made.

However, it does have huge barrel distortion when uncorrected, and like many newer lenses, it doesn’t just benefit from digital corrections; it relies on them as part of its design. On the plus side, this will be corrected automatically by the camera, so it's something you will probably never even be aware of.

See our full Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G review

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Best for vlogging

This Sony APS-C ultra-wide zoom joins the existing 10-18mm f/4 lens in the range, but is specifically optimized for video with a power zoom mechanism. The first thing that hits you about this ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for Sony’s APS-C format mirrorless cameras is just how small it is. The size and weight are more akin to an ultra-compact standard kit zoom with a variable (and slow) aperture rating.

The fact that Sony has managed to shoehorn such an expansive zoom range with a constant f/4 aperture into such a small lens, complete with motorized zoom, really is quite something. That's especially true considering that image quality and overall performance are so excellent. It’s pricey for an APS-C format zoom, but well worth the money.

See our full Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G review

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Best power zoom

The best Sony cameras for video offer full-width oversampled 4K video, but some full-frame models rely on a cropped Super35 mode for some resolutions and frame rates, so APS-C E-mount lenses like this one can prove useful on larger cameras too.

The 18-105mm focal range offers the equivalent of 27-158mm in full-frame terms, which is expansive for a lens with a constant f/4 aperture. The built-in optical stabilizer is another advantage, as is the power zoom lever, although, as with other Sony E APS-C lenses, there's no aperture ring. This could be the ideal all-purpose standard zoom for filming, but it is pretty big and heavy, especially so when fitted to a skinny Sony A6000-series body or the ZV-E10.

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Best for close-ups

There are lots of third-party lenses available for Sony cameras, but for videographers, the Samyang V-AF series is particularly appealing. These have been designed to give the features of a cine lens, such as compatibility with a professional follow-focus attachment. However, they offer autofocus – unlike most cine lenses – and are much more affordable.

The 75mm focal length is particularly useful for tight close-ups – when shooting interviews, say. And thanks to its wide T1.9 maximum aperture (equivalent to f/1.8 on a photo lens), it can give beautifully defocused backgrounds.

A neat feature you don't get in many other lenses is a pair of tally lights on the front, so the presenter can see when the camera is transmitting and when it is live. Another innovative feature is a front-mounted bayonet that allows you to attach optical accessories, such as Samyang's anamorphic adapter.

See our full Samyang V-AF 75mm T1.9 review

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Best tele zoom

While this lens is definitely a bit on the heavy side, the Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art gives any video shooter an impressive level of versatility that’s worth a little extra weight. The refined handling makes the lens a pleasure to use, with a de-clickable aperture ring that’s suited to video.

Autofocus performance is excellent – fast and accurate – and image quality is, of course, tremendous. Sigma’s Art range of lenses is known for their exceptional sharpness, and in our lab tests, this lens excelled. Some video users may find they miss the wide 24mm option, but if you don’t mind working with a slightly narrower field of view, there’s a lot to recommend here.

See our full Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art review

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Best standard zoom

This second-generation 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II is a lot smaller and lighter than the original and a more manageable proposition for shooting video. It also has an aperture ring, which the first version did not. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the original edition of Sony’s G Master trinity standard zoom for photography, but the second incarnation is even better in every way.

It packs a host of new features, improved handling characteristics, and a completely redesigned optical path into a smaller, more lightweight build. It’s more comprehensively weather-sealed as well. The GM II is undeniably pricey, but you get what you pay for and more besides.

See our full Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II review

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Best for bokeh

The big appeal of the Sigma 28-45mm is its incredibly wide maximum aperture – something you just don't see in other zooms. This allows you more control to defocus the background when shooting, or to increase the light transmitted through to the image sensor when shooting in low-light conditions.

The design means the lens is big, but Sigma has tried to ensure the lens is still usable by restricting the range of the zoom. Ultimately, this Art series zoom could replace two or three prime lenses from your kit bag. Even so, this lens is best suited to Sony's full-frame Alpha cameras.

See our full Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 zoom is amazingly sharp, living up to its claims of replicating the performance of multiple fast prime lenses. Meanwhile, the Sony FE 24mm relies very heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortion. Color fringing is well controlled across the board.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths, respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How to choose the best Sony video lenses

For a good video lens to mount on Sony cameras, we are looking for a handful of specific qualities:

• Constant maximum aperture:
Obviously this is one attraction of prime lenses, but when shooting with a zoom for more scope and convenience, you want to be able to zoom in and out without having to work around changing iris values.

• Aperture ring:
Being able to see and set the iris value externally is very useful, especially if the aperture ring is ‘de-clickable’. This enables you to make smooth and silent iris adjustments while filming.

• Wide angles of view:
This is useful for filmmaking or vlogging in small interiors, but practically essential for ‘selfie vlogging’, where you often want to get the background in the shot as well as yourself. Don’t forget that some video modes bring a digital crop, as does Sony’s digital image stabilization.

• Power zoom:
An electrically powered zoom mechanism is not essential, and many filmmakers won’t zoom while filming anyway. But if zooming and zoom effects are your style, it’s a lot easier and smoother with a power zoom than trying to do it manually. Some Sony cameras, like the ZV-E10, even have a zoom lever on the body.

You can’t always get all of these features in any single lens, but they are things you might want to look out for nonetheless.

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How we test lenses

The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of 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 centre of the image frame, corners, and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).

We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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At the CP+ Show in Japan back in February, a Sony official shared some insights into the company’s view on APS-C, which seems to have sparked healthy discussion around potential cropped-sensor models with souped-up specs that the photography community would like to see.

Speaking to PetaPixel at the show, Yasufumi Machitani, general manager of Sony’s Camera Business Department, said that “APS-C is important” and that “looking at the market, we believe it’s growing.”

While this is clearly an acknowledgment by Sony that the company has its gaze cast beyond its higher-end lineups, such as the highly popular A7R range, I don't think it justifies the somewhat wild speculations—or at least the desires—we are now seeing. Among them, I’ve read pleas for a “35-40MP A7000 in an A7 IV/V-ish body and specs similar to the A7V,” and even a “mini Sony A1 for $2,000.”

But my question is: why would Sony roll out super-spec APS-C cameras when its current lineup is doing the job? Although Machitani didn’t state the source he was basing his earlier comment on, the latest figures from the Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) highlight that almost twice the number of interchangeable-lens cameras with cropped and Micro Four Thirds sensors were shipped worldwide in 2025 compared to those with full-frame sensors.

What I think the prosumer community—who make up a fair share of the commenters online—needs to keep in mind is that the majority of people who buy digital cameras are likely dabbling in photography and simply want an affordable rig that takes better and more editable pictures than a smartphone without paying much more than they would for a smartphone.

At this level, which APS-C thrives in, cost is arguably the most important selling point, and there’s no way a “35-40MP A7000 in an A7 IV/V-ish body” would retail at a price most APS-C shooters would even sniff at. What’s more, a camera like this would likely surpass the specs of the latest A7 camera, the Alpha 7 V.

You might argue that a potential APS-C camera boasting such specs would bridge the gap between the 26MP a6700 and the A7V, but we all know that Sony’s carefully tiered array of Alpha lineups is designed to dangle the specs you want just out of reach in the next, more expensive lineup to convince you to upgrade.

In the same interview with PetaPixel, Machitani even said: “Even if customers start with APS-C, some will upgrade to full-frame once they enjoy our products.” Obviously, this is not an admission of the notion I just shared, but I do think it backs up my argument that we’re not going to see some kind of pro-level APS-C camera from Sony anytime soon.

The speculation also likely comes from the series's age. The Sony A6700 launched in 2023, and the A6400 in 2019 – though vlogging cameras like the Sony ZV-E10 II are more recent.

Ultimately, the numbers will do the talking, and if Sony sees demand for these desired super APS-C cameras, I’m sure it’ll supply the goods. After all, Machitani also said that Sony doesn’t “limit the APS-C business” and that the company wants “to see the market trend and discuss future development.” I maintain, though, that the current trends don’t support demand for APS-C cameras with full-frame firepower.

You might also like

Take a peek at our hands-on review of the best Sony cameras, which includes APS-C and full-frame models we've out through rigorous testing.

Hot on the heels of the recently revealed AF 17mm f/1.8 Air, TTArtisan is back with an even wider offering. The 7.5mm F2.0 is a diagonal fisheye lens for APS-C Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony bodies, as well as Micro Four Thirds cameras. The lens captures a huge 180-degree angle of view (150 degrees with an MFT body), and when combined with the 0.12m minimum focus distance means you can compose captivating distorted close-up compositions. The fast f/2 maximum aperture also makes the lens suitable for astrophotography.

Inside the compact 343-370g (depending on mount) metal barrel is an 11-element optical stack arranged in 8 groups. A 7-blade diaphragm is said to provide 'smooth and pleasing bokeh', and there's a dedicated aperture ring with click stops.

As you might imagine from an accessibly-priced, multi-mount lens, focussing is manual and there are no electrical mount contacts for lens-body communication. However, given the relatively deep depth of field available at such a short focal length, even when shooting at f/2, focussing manually needn't be a chore.

And when we say the 7.5mm F2.0 Fisheye is accessibly priced, we mean it. Costing just $139/$149, it massively undercuts any comparable lens from Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony or OM System. So if you want to go ultra-wide with your APS-C or MFT camera, then the TTArtisan 7.5mm F2.0 Fisheye lens looks like a no-brainer.

Buy now from Amazon UK / Amazon US

When I started clearing my loft, I discovered a box of old photos in APS format. No, I don't mean they were taken with a camera with an APS-C-sized sensor. I mean that they were taken on an APS camera. Onto APS film.

It struck me that some folk might not remember the last hurrah of the film era, because it never really got close to unseating 35mm before digital cameras came along and did that instead. Now we remember APS and its three different sizes more through reference to image sensor size than we do the film itself.

That size – as well as its timing – was definitely an Achilles heel. But there were more than a few bits of brilliance about it, and one of them was very visible in my old box. That is just how well the photography developers treated APS camera consumers. Well, at least at first. I'll explain what I mean in a moment, but first a quick reminder of what APS was all about.

APS was launched in 1996 by all the big names in photography, including Kodak, Fujifilm, Canon, Minolta, and Nikon, and the idea was to make photography easier; film went inside a cartridge that was a little smaller than a 35mm canister, and had markers at one end to indicate whether the film was new, part exposed, exposed, or exposed and developed. Pretty nifty.

Even better, the film also had a magnetic strip to record data on. This wasn't quite the beginning of the metadata era, as some cameras could already expose the date & time (in LCD-like patterns) onto the front of pictures. This, however, was a more technically elegant solution – it allowed the processing lab to print stuff on the back without spoiling the shot. Far nicer for consumers.

The frame could also contain cropping data – Should it be the standard APS-HD, or cropped at the sides to 'Classic' 3:2 shape (APS-C)', or 'Panoramic'? The upshot? Massive boxes of different sizes of prints. Pretty cool, though this is where the system starts to fall down a bit too, because especially the panoramic mode really, er, exposes the problem of film resolution.

At this point, consumer cameras were doing a pretty good job of making 35mm film reasonably easy to use, and it had a frame size of 36x24mm. APS-HD (the biggest) was 30.2x16.7mm – that's quite the 'crop factor'. The point was to allow for smaller consumer cameras – I had a Canon IXUS, which (and you don't hear this in marketing terms a lot these days) was "Smaller than a cigarette packet."

This wasn't unheard of in consumer cameras before either – 110mm cartridge cameras existed before and I remember that my grandmother proudly used one. I also remember that, back on the old film stock, the results were pretty dreadful. Mind you that's far enough back that flash cubes were disposable items; film had got better – but of course those improvements were also evident in the bigger 35mm. As the 'full frame' brigade will cheerfully point out, a larger film area or sensor does have its advantages.

Nonetheless, a compact camera I could shove in my backpack when I went travelling around Europe as a student in the late 1990s, or document my student days with did help keep the idea of photography alive in me before it was something a phone might want to do (my first cell phone, in 1997, did not have a camera!)

What were you saying about luxe?

So, yeah, when I took my film to be developed at Jessops, a high street photography store in the UK, I would be treated to a pretty generic envelope for a 35mm film, with the developed negatives tucked in a pocket at the front. Meh. But when I took my first APS film things were very much more impressive.

I found myself with a massive case containing the full 40 exposures (APS films came in 15, 25, or 40). It has to be long enough to accommodate the panoramic prints which, as I've mentioned, my camera allowed me to choose with a switch on the back and then noted the request on the film for the developer. It felt like a big step up from 35mm, and (at first) I didn't really understand why they looked so grainy in comparison. The innocence of youth, eh?

The whole case, which felt like a glossy hardcover book, had Jessops and the APS logo in gold foil on, and plastic inside with a recess for the film canister. It was "So extra!" as some younger folks I know might put it, by comparison, but it was also a clever solution to the problem developers faced – they couldn't just smash open the canister any more and return film because the cartridge was meant to remain sealed forever.

Over time, had digital not caught up anyway, there might have been issues with that. The film cartridges were a bit thicker than developed negatives. Certainly, I remember some developers opted for less impressive solutions – boxes with trays and the like.

But I'll always remember those early boxes because they made me feel like royalty when picking up photo prints, and it took me quite a while to realise that APS might not actually be a photographer's dream, more of a clever bit of consumer tech. The format came out at more or less the same time as early digital cameras so, in truth, it never really had long to live – but those amazing high-quality Jessops boxes? They kept my prints in perfect condition for more than a quarter of a century.

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Check our guide to the best photo albums or read I designed 16 photo albums to find the best.

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.

Earlier this year, myself and Digital Camera World's Editor in Chief, James Artaius, were invited to Japan by Sigma to see three brand new products: the Sigma BF full-frame camera, and the Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS | S and Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-7.1 | C zoom lenses.

As part of the trip, we were also invited to Sigma’s one and only factory in the mountainous region of Aizu, where we were treated to a brilliant tour of the factory to see how the company manufactures all its lenses and cameras in-house from start to finish.

The grand tour begins!

Before we could begin, it was important to put on shoe coverings and lab suits to avoid any contamination. One of the main mottos of the assembly division is to not bring dust into the environment, so some workers have to pass through air showers before entering clean rooms within the factory.

First up was the Production Engineering & Development Divisions, where Sigma's production and development engineers can work and communicate freely and easily.

Next up a quick walk past the Prototype Jigs & Tools Processing Division, where parts for prototypes are machined for the engineers to work through any teething problems, and identify any defects before the molds and dies are finalized for mass production in the Mold & Die Manufacturing Division.

Each mold can take between six to eight weeks to finish and the division creates roughly thirteen resin molds and eight press dies on average per month. Sigma’s smallest mold weighs a hefty 100kg, while many weigh over a ton!

Metal Processing

Onto the Metal Processing Division, where around 15,000 parts are processed per day by 200 machining tools using aluminum, brass and stainless steel. The parts produced in this division are for camera bodies, lens barrels and even small electrical contact pins, and have super strict tolerances from +/-0.003 to 0.005mm (which is 10 times thinner than a human hair!).

Also in the Metal Processing Division, Sigma was eager to show off its latest addition – several five-axis CNC machines installed specifically for the new Sigma BF camera, which is machined out of a single block of aluminum.

This is loaded and unloaded by automated robots and then taken to the next machine for further processing. The total process takes seven hours for each camera!

Plastic Fantastic

Next up, the Plasticity Division! Plasticity doesn’t just relate to plastic, though; this division encompasses everything from injection molding to metal pressing and stamping, painting, electroplating and even printing.

We caught a glimpse of Sigma’s impressive machines that create the plastic injection molding, with the company storing 1,500 molds ready to use in the process to create plastic components, and we saw them live in action creating the brand’s iconic lens caps.

No less than 38 machines are used to produce the plastic components using materials such as engineering plastic (EP) and thermally stable composite (TSC).

Resin granules are dried in a hopper at high temperatures, then melted down at around 572°F / 300°C and injected into the mold, where they re-solidify into the designed shape. Excess plastic is removed and ground up to be recycled.

Onto Metal Pressing & Stamping, and here dies are used by high-powered machinery to stamp or press out metal parts such as diaphragm blades, washers, clips, pins, metal guides and more. The materials used in the division include stainless steel, iron, aluminum, copper and brass.

There are two types of die: Progressive Die, which uses multiple pressing processes in sequence to create the final part from the metal material. Not only cuts, but also bends, and “punches”. Then there’s the Single-Shot Die, which creates the part in a single shot.

A lick of paint

The Painting Division is responsible for improving the surface properties of materials, mainly to enhance hardness, wear resistance, lubrication, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, heat resistance, insulation, and decorative and aesthetic qualities.

The division uses five different types of machines to carry out various types of painting, including an advanced twelve-axis machine that can closely mimic human-like movements.

We also took a pit stop at the Printing Division, where we saw machines printing the lens information found on the exterior of the lens, such as logo, focal length and f-values. This is mainly done by Pad or Silk Screen printing. Some Sigma lenses and cameras also require color inlay, which is a delicate process and needs to be done by hand.

A Sigma representative told us, “Since almost all printing here is visible from the exterior of the lens, the attention to detail is of utmost importance to create high-quality products”.

Next it was onto the Electroplating Division, where we saw components being electroplated and anodized. In the electroplating process, brass, iron, steel, phosphor bronze and zinc materials are treated with nickel and nickel-chrome plating to improve abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and lubricity improving durability and appearance. The anodizing process is similar, but creates an alumite coating on aluminum materials.

We witnessed first-hand Sigma lens bayonets being electroplated, with Sigma’s chief of customer service, Jonathan Ryan, telling us, “We believe that a beautifully coated and unadulterated bayonet helps to make a strong first impression when users first open up the lens box and take out their new lens”.

Glass Molding

Now onto the Glass Molding Division – the area that creates the magical glass that goes inside a Sigma lens.

This division molds special aspherical lenses from glass gob (a measured amount of molten glass cut from a stream of glass and fed into a molding machine) or blows it into a pre-form, with the melted glass taking on the desired shape and setting once cooled.

Sigma produces spherical lenses as well, with grinding and polishing processes which we will see later, but these aspherical lenses can suppress aberrations and improve optical performance and they are an essential key factor in increasing design freedom.

One of Sigma's major strengths is its ability to produce large-diameter aspherical lenses with diameters in excess of 80mm, which are used in ultra-wide-angle lenses. Sigma told us that 70 machines are used to produce 10,000 pieces per day.

The molding machines perform three processes: preheating, pressing, and cooling, reaching temperatures of up to 1,292°F / 700°C with pressures of 500-1000kg being applied to mold the lenses. It takes a minimum of 20 minutes to mold a single lens, with the longest taking about 2.5 hours.

Onto the Ultra-Precision Machining (GM Molds) division now, and this is where the molds for the GM division are manufactured. The Glass Molds use three main processes: rough machining, finishing machining and hand polishing.

Each mold is made of tungsten carbide and is much heavier than it looks; a 4cm cube weighs around 1kg! These molds are used to make aspherical lenses, so their precision is highly important for creating ultra-refined aspherical lens elements.

Processing and fitting the lenses

As you might imagine, the division known for processing the lenses and mounting them inside the barrel is vast for the world’s largest independent lens manufacturer. The Optical Elements Processing division is separated into Lens Coating, Lens Centering, Optical Element QC and Washing, Fine Polishing, Edge Painting, Lens Bonding and Lens Caulking.

First up, the lens is centered (to find its optical center) and then the outer diameter is ground away to reach the final lens design. There are between 10-28 lens elements inside a Sigma lens, so it’s crucial for them all to reach a consistent center for high-resolution image quality.

Polishing is critical to achieving a sharp and bright lens, so it’s divided into three stages: Curve Generation, Rough Polishing and Fine Polishing.

As seen earlier, Sigma molds its aspherical optical elements from glass gobs. In this division, the spherical optical elements are ground and polished from pre-formed glass “blanks”. Sigma is able to achieve incredibly high precision in this process, where only 0.05 - 0.1mm of material can be polished away at a time.

Lenses must be washed after final processing and sometimes even between processes. The washing process is a 12-step process that uses fresh water from the Bandai area in Japan, as well as isopropyl alcohol, and ultrasonic pulses to clean away the polishing residue. Some optical elements include glass so soft that it could be scratched by the washing process, so they are also washed by hand.

Now onto lens coatings, and here we saw the workers ensuring that each element is free of dust, residue and blemishes before loading them into “domes” to be carried off to the coating machines.

Sigma uses its proprietary “Super Multi-layer Coating”, which is an anti-reflectance coating applied using a vacuum deposition process. Since, naturally, 4-5% of light is reflected per side of the lens element, and there are 10-28 optical elements per lens, you can see how the loss of light will add up.

The Super Multi-layer coating achieves higher light transmittance per lens element, which enables Sigma to make products with faster apertures. The number of layers of coating range from 1-15, with each layer being only 300-500 nanometers (0.0003-0.0005mm) thick.

Sometimes a group of lens elements needs to be bonded together to correct image defects ("aberrations") that naturally occur in spherically-shaped lenses. The elements are joined using a UV-cured resin, with some of them using a balsam-based resin.

One aspect of lens manufacturing I hadn’t thought about was minimizing reflectance inside the lens barrel. Sigma does this by keeping the inside as dark as possible, and hand-painting the rim of its glass edges with black ink or paint in a process called ‘Sumi-nuri’.

Ryan revealed that the company is working on automated machines for use in this section, though it’s currently such a delicate process that it has to be done by hand. I also had the chance to quiz his brains on Vantablack – the world's blackest material, which uses carbon nanotubes to absorb practically all light, and he told me it was something the company is interested in.

With the lens elements centered, polished, washed and the edges hand-painted, it’s time for assembly in the Lens Caulking area. Here, the optics are press-fitted into lens chambers using high heat and pressure to secure them in place, whil other lenses are screwed into the chamber.

Finally, one of Sigma’s own-made circuit boards is added to the lens.

The finishing touches

The tour concluded with a walk through Sigma’s Assembly Division. All the parts we’d seen thus far are gathered and assembled into the final products. This area is a strict clean room environment, to keep as much dust out of our lenses as possible.

We got to see the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art lens, which is the company's latest big seller, being assembled in front of our eyes with the individual parts assembled into units, which are then adjusted and the resolution tested.

From the window we could see two automated machines: one applying the right amount of grease along the cam barrel grooves, and the other inserting rollers. Both require precision for the best outcome.

All assembled lenses are adjusted and inspected by Sigma's A-1 MTF (Modular Transfer Function) measurement machines, which were developed in-house and are equipped with ultra-high-resolution sensors.

Next up it’s the Quality Assurance division, which uses Sigma's MTF measurement machines from Trioptics to thoroughly evaluate the performance of new lens designs as well as the performance of competitors’ lenses.

The lenses can be evaluated from minimum focus distance all the way to infinity, to get super-accurate performance data across the full focus spectrum.

One of the machines has been in use for around five years and is quite rare, with there only being a few of them in Japan, while another machine was custom-ordered from Trioptics and is the only one of its type in the world.

These machines are used to inspect each lens to ensure it meets Sigma's strict resolution standards, and provide the benchmark scores used by the A-1.

Finally, the Quality Assurance division is responsible for the overall quality control of Sigma products. Since brand image is strongly connected to quality, this division carries out uncompromising and rigorous quality checks; not only on assembled products, but also on individual units as well as pre-production firmware bug checking and camera compatibility checking.

Taking a guided tour through every step of Sigma's manufacturing process was fascinating, educational and a real privilege – and gave us a new appreciation for the true craftsmanship that goes into creating these incredible cameras and lenses. Thank you to Sigma for the great honor of visiting the Aizu facility!

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

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.

Meike has announced a new accessibly-priced prime lens for full-frame Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and L-mount cameras. The Meike 35mm F2.0 has an optical stack comprised of 11 elements in 9 groups, a minimum focus distance of 0.45m, and can be fitted with 58mm filters.

Read more:
The best Sony lenses
The best Nikon Z lenses
The best L-mount lenses

The 35mm focal length equates to a 64-degree diagonal angle of view on a full-frame camera, and 44.2 degrees when fitted to an APS-C body. The lens has a diameter of 73mm and is 90-93mm long, depending on mount option, and it's also reasonably light weight at 298g for the E-mount version.

But the standout feature of the Meike 35mm F2.0 is that, despite its low $199.99 price tag, the lens features autofocus, courtesy of a stepping motor system. Traditionally, cheap primes like this have been 'dumb' lenses, with no electronic communication between the lens and host body and were therefore manual focus-only. But with the 35mm F2.0, Meike is following some recent Viltrox and 7Artisans prime lenses by producing a fully-featured optic that should operate much closer to an equivalent lens from the likes of Sony, Nikon or Sigma.

The Meike 35mm F2.0 is available now, priced at $199.99 / £149.99 / AU $289

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.

We've seen no shortage of inexpensive manual focus primes being launched out of China in the last couple of years – but TTartisan's 75mm f/1.5 promises something different. Yes, that 75mm is a nice focal length for portraits, and yes, that f/1.5 aperture is pretty fast for bright images in low light, but what really sets this lens apart is its 'swirly' bokeh, when shooting at wider apertures.

Bokeh is the term for out-of-focus highlights and usually forms rounded circular blobs that mirror the shape of the lens aperture. But the 13-bladed aperture design of the TTartisan 75mm f/1.5 renders bokeh with an attractive swirl shape, which lends a creative twist to portraits.

This soft, swirly bokeh effect adds a unique artistic look and feel to images that helps the subject really stand out, giving the impression of the background rotating around it. It comes into its own in backlit scenes, with softly diffused light and smoothly blended shadows creating a layering of light and shadow that evokes the classic charm of vintage lenses. In fact, the lens design and Petzval bokeh both look eerily similar to the old Russian Helios 42 lens that filmmakers used to artistically film scenes in the movie Dune 2.

Ideal for portraiture, the f/1.5 large aperture captures clear images even in low light while achieving a shallow depth of field, making subjects stand out even further and creating a unique visual effect.

It's a full-frame lens, and TTartisan says there's no sign of vignetting on cameras that use a full-frame or smaller sensor, such as the APS-C format. On medium format cameras, there's a darkening of the image towards the edges, but this could be said to add to the artistic quality.

Combining classic design with modern optical technology, the lens retains the charm of traditional manual lenses while offering superb image quality. It has an all-metal construction, and inside there are six elements arranged in four groups. The closest focus distance is 0.75m, and the lens offers a 32º angle of view. It has a 58mm thread for the fitment of filters, and it weighs in "at around 562-669g" – TTartisan wasn't specific on this!

As you'd expect with a completely manual lens, there's no communication with the host camera. As such, the aperture is set via a ring towards the front of the lens barrel, which is clicked to minimize the danger of accidentally nudging it away from your intended choice.

The lens has a universal M42 screw-mount design, offering wide compatibility with the vast majority of camera bodies; you simply need to get the correct adaptor for your camera. TTartisan lists a wide number of compatible camera models that the lens works with via an adaptor, that use Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, Canon RF-, EOS M- and EF-mounts, Fuji GFX- and X-mounts, Hasselblad XCD-mount, and the L-mount used by Panasonic, Leica and Sigma.

One notable exception, however, is that the lens is not compatible with the Nikon F-mount, even when an adaptor is used, so it will not work with any of Nikon's DSLRs or traditional film SLRs.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best retro cameras

Viltrox is a Chinese manufacturer that has really impressed me with many of its autofocus lenses for full-frame and crop-sensor mirrorless cameras, over the last three years. Indeed, I’ve enjoyed reviewing some of them so much that I’ve bought several of them for my permanent collection. They tend to be really nicely made, excellent performers and standout value for money. My current Viltrox stash includes the 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 which I use on my Nikon Z fc camera.

The 28mm pancake ‘FE’ lens that I’m reviewing here is a different kind of lens, with the emphasis on being incredibly small and lightweight. Even so, it’s full-frame compatible and the original version aimed to be one of the most affordable lenses for Sony E-mount cameras (and still does). It’s equally viable for use on Sony APS-C format mirrorless cameras, where it gives an ‘effective’ focal length of 42mm, and thus a very natural perspective rather than a wide viewing angle. Since originally being launched, the lens has also become available in Fujifilm X and Nikon Z versions, those two subsequently being followed by an L-mount edition, as the second non-cine Viltrox lens to be launched in L-mount, following the comparatively large and high-tech Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Specifications

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Price

I tested the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 in September 2024, before it actually went on sale. Since then, the original Sony E-mount version of the lens has been adapted, with alternative Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and finally L-mount editions becoming available. The lens is full-frame compatible, although that’s a moot point for APS-C format Fujifilm X-mount cameras, and APS-C format L-mount cameras are few and far between. The list price is $99 / £90 / AU$169 but it’s worth keeping an eye open for discounts that come around from time to time.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Design & Handling

The key factors in the design of the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 are compactness and lightweight construction. Measuring just 15mm / 0.59” thick and weighing a mere 60g / 2.1oz, I can’t readily think of many other full-frame compatible pancake lenses that are so small and light. Even so, there’s a fair bit packed into this diminutive lens. For starters, it has six optical elements arranged in six groups, featuring two aspherical elements and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. More remarkably, it features a quick and virtually silent autofocus system, based on a voice coil motor.

Another surprise, given the featherweight design, is that the lens has a mostly metal construction. It includes a metal mounting plate with gold-plated electronic contacts and even a USB-C port for applying firmware updates if and when needed.

Up front, there’s a built-in sliding cap to shield the front element, which is operated by a lever on the front of the lens. That’s another space-saver, although there’s no hood. I’d consider buying a screw-in hood separately but there’s no filter attachment thread either. Back on the plus side, the lens features HD Nano multi-layer coating and a fluorine moisture-repellant coating on the front element. Around the back of the lens itself, there’s a conventional bayonet-fit rear cap.

When designing a lens this small, something has to give. Sure enough, the Viltrox lacks an adjustable aperture diaphragm, which saves both size and weight as well as cost. Instead, it has a fixed aperture of f/4.5. The aperture itself isn’t circular but has an 8-sided shape.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Performance

When I think of really small, lightweight lenses, street photography springs to mind. It’s a genre where I often want to be as inconspicuous as possible, not drawing attention to myself with a big camera outfit. A lightweight camera and lens combo is also great for walkabout and travel photography. A focal length of 35mm is often preferred but I actually like the wider viewing angle of a 28mm lens for general shooting with a prime lens. I tested the Viltrox with a Sony A7C II. It’s a very compact camera body and the lens definitely follows suit. It’s so thin that, when it’s mounted on the camera, the front edge only protrudes as far as the camera’s hand grip. That’s really quite something.

I found autofocus to be typically nimble and virtually silent, for a voice coil motor system. One frustration for traditional street photography is that there’s no provision for manual focusing, as there’s no manual focus ring. It’s autofocus or nothing. Even so, I found that autofocus was not only rapid but consistently reliable.

Not being able to adjust the aperture can also be a frustration but f/4.5 generally works pretty well. It enables fairly fast shutter speeds in bright lighting conditions, which you can maintain in dull scenarios by hiking up your camera’s ISO a bit. The combination of focal length and aperture give a pretty good depth of field for general shooting, while also enabling you to blur the background to some extent when shooting close-ups.

Sharpness is very good in the central region of the image frame, pretty average in the outlying area and quite mediocre at the edges and corners. Color fringing can also be very noticeable towards the edges and corners of the frame, if you don’t take advantage of automatic in-camera correction or fix it at the editing stage. Better news is that there’s only a hint of barrel distortion, even when uncorrected.

My only real gripe about the lens’s performance is that I found it was prone to flare when shooting against the light, or with the sun high in the sky but not behind me. A lens hood would certainly be a bonus but there simply isn’t one for this lens.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Sample Images

The gallery of sample images below was shot in bright sunny weather at the floating harbor in Bristol, UK.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: 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:

Sharpness is excellent in the central region of the image frame but drops off to average levels between the center and the edge. At the extreme edges of the frame, sharpness is merely mediocre.

Fringing:

There’s only fairly minimal color fringing across most of the image frame but it can become very noticeable towards the edges and corners if automatic correction is switched off in camera, or you don’t take care of it when editing images.

Distortion: -0.5

There’s just a hint of barrel distortion which will generally go unnoticed, even without applying any correction during RAW image processing or when editing JPEG images.

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5: Verdict

I feel that the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 is the last word in convenience and portability, thanks to it’s incredibly small and lightweight build. I really like using it for street photography and for walkabout/travel shooting, as it keeps size and weight to an absolute minimum. I’m not overly fussed about the lack of a manual focus ring and, in most respects, I was very pleased with the lens’s image quality. Being unable to adjust the aperture can be a problem and I found the lens was quite susceptible to flare, so it’s a shame there’s no hood for it. Ultimately though, it’s a fun lens that keeps things simple.

Alternatives

The Brenizer method is the brainchild of renowned US wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer. It's sometimes referred to as the 'bokeh panorama' or 'bokeh-rama', owing to the panoramic stitching technique used to achieve it and the super-shallow depth of field that's produced. 

'Bokeh panoramas' boast shallower depths of field than are otherwise achievable with a wide-angle lens and give APS-C and full-frame users the ability to produce portraits with a large-format aesthetic. 

The key to this striking technique is to use a telephoto lens, ideally a fast one such as the best lens for portraits. You then shoot your portrait in small sections - in a tile-like grid that you will then stitch together in Photoshop. For each shot you use constant camera settings that won't change between frames, so you can create a seamless blend.

Once you've settled on a white balance preset, and locked your exposure in Manual, you used AF to focus on your subject and then switch to manual focus so as not to change your point of focus as you begin to shoot your panoramic sequence. Exactly how many photos you take is down to personal preference, but we strongly recommend overlaying each image by around 30% to ensure you don't leave any gaps.

Adobe Photoshop CC makes it easy to blend your sequence by automatically merging your images. You then simply need to check the blend for any inconsistencies and crop it as desired. If you like the idea of creating a wide portrait with a super-shallow depth of field, here's how to shoot and edit your own 'bokeh panorama'.

The Brenizer method

1. Select a fast lens 

A fast medium telephoto is handy for maximizing the shallow depth of field. However, if you don't have a pro porttrait lens any telephoto zoom will do. The great thing about this trick is you end up with a wide-angle view with much less depth of field than your existing lenses will allow.

In this instance, we used the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G, but the classic 50mm f/1.8 could also work well, especially when providing an equivalent focal length of 75mm on an APS-C camera. 

Depending on your system, the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM, Sony FE 85mm F1.4 G Master, and Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR would work well, too. Thankfully, you're not limited to just prime lenses though. A fast telephoto zoom, like a 70-200mm f/2.8, will still produce a suitably blurry background for this effect.

2. Set a consistent white balance  

As you'll be merging photos, each image needs to be as consistent as possible. To prevent the white balance from changing mid-sequence, head to menu and set the color temperature manually. We'd suggest shooting in Raw so you can tweak the color temperature of you batch of images later.

3. Frame your image 

You'll have plenty of room to crop your large panorama in post, but you should still consider your composition. Visualize your final image and position yourself accordingly before you start shooting. Still leave enough space to crop, though, as your blended image will be an irregular shape.

4. Camera settings 

Select Aperture Priority mode and choose a wide aperture. We'd recommend f/2.8 or wider. Adjust the ISO value until you get a shutter speed of 1/200 sec (or higher). Select Manual mode and input the same settings to lock your exposure. Just like the white balance, consistent exposure is vital.

5. Switch to manual focus 

Your focus needs to be consistent throughout your sequence. If you're using back-button focus you can simply release the back button after you've focused on your subject. If not, focus on your subject using AF and then switch to manual focus. Your focus will then remain locked as you proceed to capture your bokeh panorama.

6. Capture a 'bokeh panorama'

We framed and captured our subject, and then shot three frames to the left and three frames to the right. This process was repeated just above the model's head and below her feet. There's no hard and fast rule for how many or how few images you should capture. Just make sure you overlay each image by around 30% to prevent any gaps between frames.

Blend a 'bokeh panorama'

7. Open your sequence in Camera Raw 

Highlight your sequence in Adobe Bridge (select the first image, hold Shift and select the last image). Right-click and select Open in Camera Raw. Hold Shift and select the last image in the left panel to highlight the sequence. Edits will now affect all of the images.

8. Set the color temperature

Once you've selected Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections in the Lens Corrections tab, check the exposure and color temperature of each image. Ensure you fix any inconsistencies before blending your panorama and select Done.

9. Import your sequence into Adobe Photoshop

With the images still selected, click Tools>Photoshop>Photomerge. Make sure Auto and Blend Images Together are selected when the Photomerge window opens and click Browse to select the images from your sequence. Hit OK to start the merging process.

10. Blend your 'bokeh panorama'

You'll now have a large medium-format style image that's spliced into multiple layers. Photoshop generally does a good job of blending images together, but it's worth looking for any obvious inconsistencies, which you can rectify with the Clone or Patch tools.

11. Crop your blended image 

Your image is likely a rather irregular shape; fix this using the Crop tool. It's worth remembering that your photograph is a blend of multiple pictures, so you have plenty of room to play with if you opt for a tighter composition.

6. Flatten and finish 

Make a flattened copy of your image by selecting the topmost layer and pressing  Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (Cmd+Alt+Shift+E on a Mac). You can then proceed with your normal tonal editing regime to finish it off.

You may also be interested in how to use Photoshop's High Pass Filter to selectively sharpen your photos, or to learn other great Photoshop tips

TTArtisan has released the AF 75mm f/2 prime for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount cameras. This full-frame prime boasts a stepping motor, delivering what TTArtisan is calling "fast" autofocus, and is priced just $199 / £199 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). 

Not only is that an incredibly competitive price for a full-frame, autofocus-capable lens that will appeal if you use your camera for portraits, but the optical construction (ten elements within seven groups) is housed within a metal body – something you'd expect from a more premium offering.

Surprisingly, it still weighs just 328-340g (presumably without and with the included lens hood, respectively), compared to the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S at 470g and the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 at 371g. Dimensionally, the Sony variant is slightly shorter at 74mm (2.91in) than the Nikon variant at 76mm (2.99in), with both featuring a diameter of 67mm (2.64in).

A standout feature of the TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 is the presence of an aperture ring. This will surely delight Nikon Zf and Z fc users, given the notable lack of Z-mount lenses with retro-chic aperture rings, though its clicked design may not be ideal for video shooters.

The 75mm focal length isn't far off 85mm – a focal length revered by portrait photographers. And the wide f/2 maximum aperture (to f/16) should provide a suitably shallow depth of field for popping sharp portrait subjects against a soft background, while I'd hope to see nice, circular bokeh, thanks to the nine-bladed diaphragm. 

The size of this prime could make it a great companion for a portable setup, too. I could see it pairing well with a Sony A7C II or a Nikon Z f. If you wish to use it with an APS-C camera such as the A6700 or Z fc, you’ll end up with an equivalent 112.5mm focal length. 

Other specs of note include a 62mm filter thread and 0.75m close-focussing distance. The AF 75mm f/2 also features a "[USB] Type Cinterface for firmware upgrades," suggesting there will be support for the optic in the future. 

The only thing to be aware of is that autofocus isn't supported for the Sony A3000 and A3500 – though with both cameras being about a decade old, released in 2013 and 2015 respectively, this probably won't affect too many users. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Nikon cameras and the best Sony cameras.

At the time of testing this new Sigma lens, Canon is currently offering four APS-C format mirrorless EOS R system cameras, but only four dedicated APS-C format lenses to go with them. Naturally, you can use full-frame compatible ‘RF’ lenses on these cameras but, even so, all four of Canon’s ‘RF-S’ lenses are zooms with fairly slow aperture ratings, shrinking to f/6.3 or f/7.1 at the long end. With Canon keeping such tight control over its EOS R tech since the system was launched back in 2018, only ‘dumb lenses’ with no autofocus or electronic communication with the camera body were available until recently. But that’s changed with the launch of a new brace of Sigma lenses.

Sigma now offers 10-18mm and 18-50mm AP-S zooms in Canon RF-S mount, both with a relatively fast and constant f/2.8 aperture, from its ‘Contemporary’ line-up. Both lenses are repurposed from original designs that have been available for a while in Fujifilm X, L-mount and Sony E-mount options. Indeed, we’ve already reviewed the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN C in Fuji X mount, and the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN C in Canon RF-S mount. More pertinently for this review of the Sigma 10-18mm for Canon users, this ultra-wide-angle zoom goes into direct competition with the own-brand Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM. It therefore aims to be one of the best lenses for the Canon EOS R50 and other APS-C format EOS R system cameras. Canon RF-S mount versions of Sigma’s fast 16mm, 23mm, 30mm and 56mm f/1.4 prime lenses are also in the pipeline – coming soon.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Specifications

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Price

The Sigma 10-18mm in Canon RF-S mount launched in September 2024 with a retail price of $659/£649. That makes it considerably pricier than the own-brand Canon RF-S 10-18mm, which sells for around $329/£379, although you have to buy Canon’s hood separately, whereas it’s included with the Sigma. Even so, the Sigma’s higher price is entirely understandable given its faster, constant aperture rating of f/2.8 compared with the Canon’s variable f/4.5-6.3. It's more like a ‘trinity zoom’ wide-angle lens for APS-C cameras. The companion Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN C standard zoom costs around $589/£479 but Sigma is offering a money-saving ‘Capture Plus twin-lens kit’, if you want both lenses, which sells for around £999 in the UK. I’d expect other world regions to follow suit.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Design & Handling

Before I jump into the Sigma’s design and handling, I’ll start off with what I like about the competing Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens. The Canon is remarkably compact and lightweight. Thanks to its retractable design, it shrinks to just 69x45mm for stowage. It’s also remarkably featherweight, at a mere 150g, shedding a few grams with a plastic rather than metal mounting plate. The Canon also features 4-stop optical image stabilization, which I feel is a bonus considering that the Canon EOS R7 is so far the only APS-C format EOS R system to have IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization). It’s sadly lacking in the EOS R100, EOS R50 and EOS R10 cameras. You could argue that optical stabilization isn’t a ‘must-have’ on such a wide-angle lens but I find it very useful for the likes of handheld shooting of architectural interiors in venues like museums and cathedrals, where tripods are prohibited.

Another Canon upside is that you can switch to manual focusing and get in really close, with up to 0.5x macro magnification, but I can live without that. What I don’t like about the Canon lens is its relatively slow f/4.5-6.3 variable aperture rating, that its plastic mounting plate feels less solid and robust than a metal one, and that it lacks any weather-seals. 

It also annoys me that, apart from up-market L-series lenses, Canon generally sells its lens hoods separately rather than including them with lenses. In this case, the ‘optional’ EW-53B hood (I’d call it essential for an ultra-wide lens) costs an additional $29/£19. All of those minus points are addressed in the Sigma lens.

While the constant f/2.8 aperture rating is a key advantage over the Canon lens, the Sigma is similarly strong when it comes to the overall design. The optical path includes four aspherical elements, three top-grade FLD (‘Fluorite’ Low Dispersion) elements and one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) element. All in all, there are 13 elements arranged in 10 groups. Autofocus is driven by a fast and near-silent stepping motor, and focusing is fully internal, so the front element neither extends nor rotates. The avoidance of rotation is an important factor when using filters like ND grads for shooting landscapes. Speaking of which, the lens has a medium-sized 67mm filter attachment thread.

The physical length of the lens extends slightly as you zoom from the 18mm setting down to 10mm, but it’s pretty minimal and any change in the center of gravity is imperceptible. The size and weight of the lens are 72x62mm and 260g, so it’s bigger than the Canon lens (when the latter isn’t retracted) and heavier as well. Even so, it’s very compact and lightweight for such an ultra-wide-angle lens. Build quality feels more solid than in the Canon lens, particularly as it has a plated brass mounting plate rather than a plastic one, and the mount features a weather-seal that’s lacking in the Canon lens. There’s also a fluorine coating on the front element, along with Sigma’s usual Super Multi-layer Coatings to reduce ghosting and flare.

Handling feels refined. The zoom ring operates very smoothly and the electronically coupled manual focus ring enables precise adjustments. I initially found the petal-shaped hood a bit fiddly to attach and remove, compared with most lenses that have a bayonet-fit hood, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Performance

Ultra-wide viewing angles coupled with a wide aperture can make sharpness a real challenge. Sure-enough, sharpness across the whole frame at f/2.8 is good rather than entirely great, at all zoom settings. Narrow the aperture by a single f/stop to f/4 and center-sharpness comes on strong. At 10mm, the Sigma is much sharper than the Canon lens across almost the whole image frame, and about equal at the extreme edges and corners. At mid-zoom settings, both lenses return similar levels of sharpness, but the Sigma hangs onto sharpness better at the long end.

The pair of shots above and below demonstrate the overall zoom range, taken at the shortest and longest focal lengths of 10mm and 18mm. However, with the lack of optical image stabilization, I had to boost the ISO setting of the non-stabilized Canon EOS R100 camera body to avoid camera-shake, especially at the long end of the zoom range, being prohibited from using a tripod in the cathedral. That wouldn’t have been a problem with the optically stabilized Canon lens.

Both lenses do well to keep color fringing to fairly low levels, although the Canon wins out in this respect at the long end of the zoom range. It’s a bit of a moot point, as automatic in-camera correction is available for both lenses. The same goes for distortion. The Sigma lens gives very noticeable barrel distortion at 10mm, rather less so at 12mm, almost none at 14mm and a touch of pincushion at 18mm. By contrast, the Canon lens delivers so much distortion that it’s basically unusable without in-camera correction, on which it relies completely. Switch it off when processing RAW files and the Canon lens gives an almost fisheye look to images. I suspect the effect of in-camera correction is why the effective maximum angle of view is quoted as 107.5 degrees for the Canon lens, and a larger 109.7 degrees for the Sigma, despite them both having the same minimum focal length.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Sample Images

The following gallery of example shots were taken at the Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace gardens in Wells, the smallest city in England, UK.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: 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 center-sharpness are mostly excellent although, as I’d expect from an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens with a relatively fast aperture of f/2.8, they drop off when shooting wide-open, throughout the zoom range. Edge/corner-sharpness also drops off at the longest zoom setting of 18mm.

Fringing:

Control over color fringing is pretty good, even when uncorrected in-camera, getting marginally worse at longer zoom settings.

Distortion:

There’s very noticeable barrel distortion at the shortest zoom setting of 10mm but it’s better controlled in the 12-14mm sector, and there’s a touch of pincushion distortion at 18mm. Even so, native distortion is rather less than I’ve seen in many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, which rely almost entirely on automatic in-camera correction.

Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C: Verdict

I feel that the choice isn’t altogether straightforward between this Sigma lens and the competing own-brand Canon RF-S 10-18mm. I like the optical image stabilization of the Canon lens but, when it comes right down to it, I prefer the Sigma’s faster, constant f/2.8 aperture and its better build quality with a brass rather than plastic mounting plate. Overall image quality is better from the Sigma lens too and, while it’s significantly more expensive to buy, it’s still a bargain at the price. Long story short, I’m sold on the Sigma!

Alternatives

TTArtisan has announced the APS-C AF 14mm F3.5: a wide-angle pancake prime for Sony E-mount APS-C cameras, giving a 92-degree angle of view. Exact dimensions have yet to be revealed, but it certainly looks shallow enough to qualify as a bona-fide pancake lens, and at just 98g it's super-light. Despite the small size and low weight, the lens still packs autofocus, as well as a dedicated aperture control ring.

Read more: the best Sony lenses

Inside is an 8-element optical stack arranged in 7 groups, and the 7-blade diaphragm has an aperture range of f/3.5-f/16. The lens takes tiny 39mm filters and can focus down to 0.25m. We await further information regarding pricing and availability.

Canon has launched what is, on paper, a trinity lens without the red ring or the price tag. The new Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM doesn't pack the same elite optical performance, but it's a far more affordable alternative to both the RF 28-70mm f/2L and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L. 

It’s set to be a great accompaniment to Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the EOS R6, R6 Mark II and R8, and will be a substantial upgrade over kit lenses such as the RF 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 or RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1.

While it is a full-frame lens it can of course be used on any of Canon’s mirrorless APS-C cameras, where its 1.6x crop factor will give a full frame focal length equivalent of 44.8-112mm – where you’ll also enjoy the sharpest, center-most portion of the optics.

Canon doesn’t currently plan for the RF 28-70mm f/2.8 to be bundled with such cameras, though this could change in the future. It makes for a substantial upgrade over the current kit bundle options with its wide f/2.8 maximum aperture. And it gives upgraders a nice option to the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM – the original L-series zoom for the R system, widely considered one of the best Canon RF lenses.

While the new lens has a slightly more limited focal range, with a 2.5x optical zoom compared to the 4.3x zoom of the 24-105mm, it's about 14% smaller in length when fully retracted – and 30% lighter, too, weighing just 490g. 

Canon’s non L-series lenses aren’t usually weather-sealed, but the new 28-70mm f/2.8 bucks this trend with protective seals around the focus and zoom rings, sealing around the RF mount, and the lens switches have been redesigned for dust- and water-proofing.

The ace up its sleeve is the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture available throughout the zoom range. In terms of kit lenses this makes it a full stop (twice as bright) as the 24-105mm f/4L, and both 1.3 stops brighter than the 24-50mm at its widest setting and 2.3 stops (over four times as bright) at its 50mm setting – so it’s much better suited to low light situations as it can suck in notably more light.

Speaking of low light, the new RF 28-70mm f/2.8 claims to deliver shutter speeds 5.5 stops slower than would normally be required using its Optical Image Stabilization – or up to a whopping 7.5 stops when paired with one of Canon’s cameras featuring In-body image stabilization.

As this lens doesn’t get the red ring signifying that it’s an elite L-series optic, Canon acknowledges that its image quality won’t quite match that of L glass like the 24-105mm f/4L. 

I tested the two lenses side-by-side while writing my Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM review, and found that the new lens more than held its ground – though it makes use of in-camera correction to compensate for a non-L optical formula.

"What can be said for the image quality of the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 is that it is nice and sharp across the frame, and this gets even better when closing the aperture to a middle value like f/5.6," I said in the review.

"In summary, the image quality doesn't really concern me. It follows Canon’s growing trend of sacrificing the optical quality by fixing it in post-production and therefore enabling the lens to be made smaller and lighter."

It’s constructed from 15 elements in 12 groups, with two UD (ultra-low distortion) and two GMo (glass-molded) aspherical elements as well as Canon’s Super Spectra coating (which Canon says will "ensure incredible sharpness"). It also boasts a 9-blade aperture, for circular bokeh, with a 67mm front filter thread and closest focusing distance of 27cm at its widest 28mm focal length.

Canon claims its users will experience a big step-up in video performance, too, with "gorgeous smooth focus transitions and quick adjustments" thanks to an STM (stepping) motor for fast, accurate and quiet autofocus. It also boasts focus breathing compensation that can work in conjunction with the breathing compensation system present in some EOS R cameras.

There’s also a new three-way switch to change the front ring from a control ring to a manual focus ring, or to flick it to AF for uninterrupted autofocusing if you prefer.

The Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM is due to go on sale on September 27, with a retail price of $1,099 / £1,249.99 / AU$1,919.

You might be interested in the best Canon RF lenses – and don't forget that you can also adapt the best Canon lenses for DSLR to use on EOS R cameras. 

Watch video above: Reach for the skies!

From the roar of the vintage engines as planes race by overhead, to the fun of characters dressed up in period outfits, there will be plenty to photograph when you visit an airshow near you this summer.

Airshows present a real opportunity to hone your photo skills and you’re pretty much guaranteed to come away with some great images. However, if you’re interested in elevating your aviation photography to the next level, some simple steps towards better technique will go a long way to making a big difference. Picking the right kit for airshows will also help ensure you get the best results, but any DSLR or mirrorless camera will do the job so don’t think your equipment will be the key factor. That said, some kit can’t be scrimped on, such as a long telephoto zoom lens, plus a monopod which makes the experience much more comfortable, taking the weight of your camera set-up off your shoulders, and a godsend when shooting for long periods. 

Airshows are quite unique in their set-up – you’ll have a lot of subjects to shoot and you’ll have to adjust settings to the speed of what’s happening in front of you to keep up with the action. What’s more, simply pointing the lens towards the sky may return images that lack character or purpose. By taking a slightly different approach and including more of the environment, whether it be some greenery in the background or adding some polish in post-production, you can create images that do more and help tell the story of the aircraft. 

Working with the light you have on the day can also be a big factor, but again, there are ways of approaching these tasks and by taking control of your camera, you can come away from an airshow with a memory card full of keepers. Here are my top tips to get started... 

1. Pick the right kit

Pairing the right lens and camera can make a big difference. I use a 70-200mm lens, but by using this optic with my Canon EOS 90D, an APS-C crop factor camera, I have an effective focal length of 112-320mm thanks to the 1.6x crop factor.

2. Get even closer

Use a Canon teleconverter, also called an extender for 1.4x or 2x magnification. Adding a 1.4x extender between my camera gives me a huge focal length of 156-448mm when paired with my 1.6x crop factor, helping to fill the frame with faraway planes. Check out the best teleconverters.

3. Use a 'slow' shutter speed

Your shutter speed is key for capturing sharp shots, around 1/2000 sec for jet planes, but if I’m shooting planes with propellers, I like to slow the shutter speed down to around 1/320 sec in shutter priority (Tv) mode to add a little motion blur to the prop blades.

4. Time your shots

Most people shoot planes when they are overhead, but that won’t always lead to the best images. I often find that by timing your images for take off or landing, you can capture more interesting background or foreground elements, which help add scale and context to the frame.

5. Three's the magic number

What’s better than one plane? Two planes. But three is even better! Many airshows will feature multiple flying aircraft at once. Adjust your composition to include more planes to increase interest. Zoom out and try to time your frames for when the planes cross, fly together, or better still, bank.

6. Use Ai Servo autofocus

Focusing on fast moving subjects can be tricky so it’s best to use your Canon’s AI Servo AF mode a single, and a group of AF points to continuously track and refocus on your subject. If your Canon EOS has Vehicle Subject Detection it would be well worth shooting with this too!

If you're serious about scenery, take a look at the best cameras for landscape photography along with the best lenses for landscapes.

This week saw a whole bunch of camera rumors come to fruition in the form of drones, action cameras and lenses, while Canon got seriously busy on a bunch of different fronts.

First it knocked Sony off the top spots in terms of sales, then it set its sights on DJI with a new take on gimbal cameras. For its part, DJI has its sights set on the HoverAir X1 with its new product. 

Sigma has its sights on Canon, with a new RF lens and a trinity busting pro lens that rivals Canon's groundbreaking 24-105mm f/2.8. 

And GoPro, meanwhile, is hoping that its two new Heroes will save the day. These are the top five stories of the week…

Canon resurrects its DJI-beating gimbal camera

Canon is revisiting its plans to challenge DJI with a handheld gimbal camera, designing a new product that looks eerily reminiscent of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. 

This is not, however, Canon's first attempt to design such a product. Canon's aspirations to produce a handheld gimbal camera date back to at least 2021, which is when the first patents and designs were spotted. 

Back then, the company was working on a camera that differed in one key way to the Osmo line: rather than having a fixed lens, Canon's initial designs featured an interchangeable lens mount…

Full story:
Canon vs DJI: Canon designs ANOTHER challenger to the Osmo Pocket

DJI's new drone takes on the HoverAir

DJI has just announced the DJI Neo, which might not be much of a surprise to those closely following the rumors but still marks a significant change in style for DJI, the world leader in consumer drones.

I've had access to an early model, and have already completed my first full review of the DJI Neo (though some features aren't quite there).

For many product generations, the company has focused on delivering compact drones that folded up small and – after regulators set a 250g weight limit for unregulated consumer drones – has delivered drones at 249g. Those include some of the best beginner drones and the best camera drones without qualification. Sure, there have been some specialist FPV drones, but these have seemed like outliers…

Full story:
DJI Neo marks a generational change for world's leading drone company

Sigma drops a pair of killer f/2.8 zooms

It's been a big week for professional zoom lenses. Not only did Leica launch a new 70-200mm f/2.8 with 2x teleconverter, Sigma dropped a pair of eagerly anticipated optics – both of which promise to be world-beaters.

First is the full-frame Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN | Art lens for E and L-Mount cameras. Yes, a 28-105mm lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture – a direct challenger to the "trinity buster" Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L lens. 

Speaking of Canon, Sigma also launched its second lens for the RF mount: the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary for APS-C bodies. This is "the world's smallest and lightest ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C cameras", offering an equivalent focal range of 16-28.8mm in full frame terms…

Full stories:
Canon RF shooters get a wiiiiiiiiiide angle zoom from Sigma
Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 sets what could be a new standard for standard zoom lenses

Two new Heroes come to GoPro's rescue

If, like me, you have been hoping to save money on an older GoPro model, but are sick of prices stubbornly refusing to come down, then the announcement of a new $199 / £199 GoPro will be music to your ears.

The new model, which is simply named GoPro Hero 13 (currently with no suffix or numeration) takes the classic GoPro formula of a rugged waterproof action camera and makes it more affordable – and even smaller.

Launching alongside the newly-announced GoPro Hero13 Black, will be the fourth model to be called the GoPro Hero. The first-ever GoPro model, launched in 2008 was simply called the Hero. This was followed by similarly named updates in 2010 and 2014. Inevitably, this new version will likely become known as the GoPro Hero (2024), so as to avoid confusion…

Full stories:
GoPro's new budget Hero is its smallest-ever action camera
The new GoPro Hero13 Black puts lenses front and center

Canon topples Sony from the sales charts

In a dramatic turn of events, the Sony ZV-E10 has been usurped by two Canon bodies as Japan's best-selling camera in August. 

In July the ZV-E10 took the top three spots in varying color and lens configurations, and accounted for five of the top twenty best-sellers, according to BCN Retail (which aggregates sales from approximately 50% of Japan’s retailers, which crucially includes major electronics retailers and camera dealers). 

In August however, the tables have very much turned, with the Canon EOS R10 and RF-S 18-150mm lens taking the top spot, up from number four the previous month. The EOS R50 double zoom kit secured the second and third places, in black and white colorways respectively…

Full story:
Move over Sony! Canon is back on top in Japan, with a dramatic sales recovery

You might be interested in the best camera drones, the best zoom lenses, the best GoPro cameras and the best action cameras. 

The Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is an ultra-wide angle lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Launched initially in L-mount and Sony E-mount versions, it’s now available in Fujifilm X-mount, and is a tantalizing proposition for Fujifilm users because it undercuts Fujifilm’s own-brand lenses in both price and size. A Canon RF mount version will go on sale on September 26, 2024.

Fujifilm does make two super-wide-angle lenses of its own – the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR and the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR. The XF 10-24mm has a longer focal range than the Sigma and OIS, but a smaller maximum aperture. It’s also much bigger and more expensive, and has optical limitations that become especially apparent on the latest 40MP Fujifilm cameras. The XF 8-16mm lens goes even wider than the Sigma, but this is one of Fujifilm’s red-badge pro lenses, and it’s both much bigger and much more expensive.

Right now, then, the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary looks like a smaller, more affordable and perhaps superior super-wide lens for Fujifilm fans. 

Indeed, Sigma claims this is the smallest and lightest ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C cameras, which makes its constant f/2.8 maximum aperture even more impressive. Sigma also claims its optical performance is maintained across the whole frame, with fine detail rendered perfectly right into the corners. 

This is achieved with a sophisticated optical construction of 13 elements in 10 groups, which includes three ultra-low dispersion FLD elements, one super/special low dispersion  SLD element, and four aspherical elements.

Sigma is also very open about the fact this lens relies on digital corrections too. This has become standard practice for mirrorless camera zooms, but not all lens makers are equally forthcoming about this. Images shot with the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN will be corrected in-camera if you’re shooting JPEGs and will have a correction profile embedded in raw files for use by programs like Capture One and Lightroom.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Specifications

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Price and availability

The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary for X-mount is available now and costs around $599 / £649 / AU$1,099. That’s substantially cheaper than the cheapest own-brand Fujifilm alternative which is the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR. This costs around $999 / £879 / AU$1,499, which is a lot of money for a somewhat average sort of lens. Fujifilm left a very big gap in its lens range for a more affordable ultra-wide zoom, and Sigma has filled it.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Design and handling

There are some key features of the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN to pick out straight away. The first is its size. It’s very small and light for an APS-C ultra-wide zoom, and yet it also has that constant f/2.8 maximum aperture. It covers a pretty modest zoom range, of course, but that’s still impressive.

It’s not all good, though. There’s no aperture ring on this lens, so the aperture must be controlled from the camera body. That’s not such a downside on X-mount cameras with a conventional mode dial, such as the Fujifilm X-S10 or X-S20, but it will be a disappointment for users of the Fujifilm X-T5, X-T50, or other X-T, X-E, and X-Pro cameras with external exposure controls. Many of the best Fujifilm cameras owe their status to these controls.

This lens is also not fully weather-sealed. There is a rubber seal behind the lens mounting plate (which is made of brass) to keep out dust and moisture, but that’s it. If you’re going to be shooting in harsh conditions, bear in mind that while many of the best Fujifilm lenses are weather-sealed (look for the ‘WR’ in the name), this one isn’t.

And while the lens internals are made of metal, the exterior is fashioned from TSC (Thermally Stable Composite). Nevertheless, the exterior finish is first-rate. The semi-matt dark gray/black surface looks very smart indeed.

The action of the zoom ring is super-smooth, and the focus ring has a light, smooth feel too, though there’s no focus distance scale and no hard stops to the minimum focus and infinity settings.

The lens zooms in and out by less than a centimetre, and this combines with an internal focus system that should make the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN ideal for gimbal use. The best camera gimbals will be able to cope with any slight center of gravity shifts with no difficulty.

Given the 10mm angle of view at the wide and and the relatively fast f/2.8 maximum aperture, the front element of this lens is not particularly bulbous. This means you can fit relatively common 67mm filters with no need for fancy wide-angle adapters.

A petal-style hood is included. This attaches to the front of the lens with a strange kind of push-click action and is removed with a slight twist. It’s a bit odd, but you do get used to it.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Performance

It’s asking a lot to expect a lens this wide to offer flawless, aberration-free edge to edge sharpness, and despite Sigma’s claim that this lens does exactly that, it doesn’t entirely stack up in practice.

Testing it on a 40MP Fujifilm X-T5 doesn’t really help, since Fujifilm’s latest sensor really highlights any drop-off in lens performance. Keep this in mind if you’re using an earlier 26MP, 24MP or 16MP model, since you won’t notice these issues to the same extent.

Right through the zoom range, the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN is extremely sharp in the center of the frame, and around the mid-way point to the frame edges. At the extreme edges, though, the definition does fall away somewhat. You’ll notice this most at 10mm, though, and by 14mm and 18mm, the edge definition is really very good. This lens certainly outperforms the Fujinon XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR, which is probably what it’s mostly likely to be compared to.

Sigma’s in-built lens profiles do a great job of correcting any distortion or corner shading, though the in-camera correction of purple fringing towards the edges of the frame isn’t that great. This does contribute towards the impression that the corners aren’t that sharp – a lot of the apparent unsharpness is actually chromatic aberration. If you shoot raw you should find that the automatic chromatic aberration correction in both Capture One and Lightroom will fix this with a single click.

The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN does deliver excellent contrast and flare resistance even wide open. You can get really close to foreground objects for dramatic perspective effects and throw backgrounds out of focus at the same time – though there is some visible longitudinal color fringing or ‘bokeh’ fringing with defocused object outlines.

This lens uses a stepping motor AF system rather than the linear actuators in more exotic lenses, but Sigma says the focus group within the lens is light and, in real world use, this lens focuses very quickly. It’s also inaudible. In video it refocuses quickly with subject distance changes and, again, silently.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Sample images

Here’s a selection of images taken with the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN at various focal lengths and shooting distances. The edge to edge performance improves at longer focal lengths, but it’s still pretty good even at 10mm. It does extremely well for a such a small and modestly priced lens.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Verdict

The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN is not perfect. The lack of an aperture ring will be a disappointment for many Fujifilm users, and the lack of weather sealing and OIS may disappoint a few more. But I do think the positives easily outweigh the negatives. Compared to Fujifilm’s own ultra-wide zooms, this lens is tiny – some would say that this is the size APS-C lenses are SUPPOSED to be. Given its size, its constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is a considerable achievement. It’s true that this is over a shorter focal range than the Fujinon XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR, for example, but you have to decide if you’re willing to swap the extra zoom range for an extra f-stop in maximum aperture.

Perhaps the single biggest killer feature of this lens, though, is its price. It’s not just smaller than the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR, it’s also considerably cheaper. And, admittedly over a smaller zoom range, it outperforms the Fujifilm lens optically, too.

Professional users might still look at the massive Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR instead, which goes even wider than this lens, but that represents a huge step up in both size and price. If what you’re looking for is a more compact ultra-wide zoom for travel, architecture, landscapes or interiors, the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN does it brilliantly. Why pay (and carry) more?

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN: Alternatives

Sony's ZV-E10 may be three years old, but is being given a new lease of life thanks to a free firmware update. 

The Sony ZV-E10 was launched back in 2021 - and its replacement the Sony ZV-E10 II went on sale recently - so it is great to see Sony providing improvements to the now obsolete model. The last firmware update for this camera was released in December 2021

Aimed primarily at vloggers and other content creators, the ZV-E10 was designed like an compact camera - but had the advantage of a large APS-C sensor, and interchangeable lenses. In essence, it was the replacement for the legendary Sony A6000 - one of the best-selling mirrorless cameras ever.

So, what do you get from the update? As ever with firmware, the description is pretty vague – but definitely sound like useful improvements. Sony USA describes Ver. 2.01 firmware as offering these benefits:

• Improves the stability of transferring images to smartphones

• Improves the other operational stability of the camera

• Makes the Eye AF feature compatible with animals when recording a movie

• Fixes an issue where the Touch Shutter may not work

Detailed instructions for downloading the firmware and installing on your own camera can be found here (note, there are different links available depending on whether you use a Windows or a Mac computer):

• ZV-E10 System Software (Firmware) Update Ver. 2.01 (Windows)
• ZV-E10 System Software (Firmware) Update Ver. 2.01 (Mac OS)

See our guide to the best lenses for the Sony ZV-E10

Pentax has released a new hotshoe flashgun for use on its DSLR cameras and on Ricoh GR compacts. With a guide number of just 18 (m/ISO100) it is designed for on camera use for fill-in in daylight, or as the main light source after dark.

Pentax AF180FG is a replacement for the existing Pentax AF201FG strobe – and both are exactly the same size and weight and have nearly identical features. The only difference that we can make out is that the newer version has a slightly lower maximum output (the AF210FG has a guide number of 20 (m/ISO100)).

The AF180FG has a simple interface that offers a dial offering access to its four operating modes. In addition to a fully automatic TTL exposure mode, there are two manual options that provide either full or quarter power. There is an additional option for rear-curtain sync flash.

The head can tilt through ten different positions from -10 degrees through to 135 degrees for flash photography. The flash offers coverage for a 24mm wide-angle full-frame lens – extending to cover a 20mm lens, if the built-in pull-out diffuser is used.

Boasting a weatherproofed construction, the flash weighs 141g before you add the two AAA batteries that are needed to power the unit. A new set of alkaline cells should give around 100 flashes, with a recycle time of 6 seconds. You get a slightly better performance if you use nickel metal hydride rechargeable AAA batteries - with 130 flashes with a recycle time of 5 seconds.

The Pentax AF180FG will cost $199/£199 – the same price as the flashgun it is replacing.

See our guide to the best flashgun for your camera

Sigma's second lens for the Canon RF mount is here, and it's one that APS-C shooters have been patiently waiting for: the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary. 

Announced back in October for Sony E, Fujifilm X and L-Mount, the 10-18mm f/2.8 is "the world's smallest and lightest ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C cameras" – and is the perfect complement to Sigma's first Canon RF lens, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary.

With an equivalent focal range of 16-28.8mm in full frame terms, and a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range, the lens fills a much-needed gap for Canon EOS R7, R10, R50 and R100 owners, essentially providing a wide-angle trinity pro lens for APS-C cameras. 

The lens retains the same core technical specs as seen on the other mounts, with 13 elements in 10 groups, 7 aperture blades, a minimum focus distance of 11.6cm at the wide end and 19.1cm at the telephoto, weather sealing, a filter thread of 67mm and a length of just 62mm. 

It is, however, slightly heavier at 270g (rather than 260g on other mounts), and has a slightly different angle of view range of 106.6° - 73.4°.

While the components may be the same, Sigma has customized the software to meet Canon's autofocus and speed performance.

"A control algorithm including AF drive and communication speed optimization has been developed specifically for Canon RF Mount interchangeable lenses," says Sigma. 

"In addition to realizing high-speed AF, the lens also supports Servo AF and in-camera aberration correction" on cameras that feature the latter function.

The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary for Canon RF goes on sale September 26 with a retail price of $659/£649 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). 

You might be interested in the best Canon RF lenses, along with the best wide-angle lenses and the best Canon wide-angle zoom lenses.

Viltrox is working on new super-slim lens to add its fast-growing range of autofocus primes. The new Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 VCM ASPH ED pancake lens will be set to launch as a crowdfunded project - with a new name that the Chinese company has yet to decide upon.

As is the beauty of the best pancake lenses, the key attraction of the 28mm f/4.5 will be its diminutive size. It will weight just 60g - that's a mere 2.1 ounces - and will be only 15.3mm deep (0.6 inches).

The lens is being produced to fit Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras - but can also be used on E-mount APS-C models too, where the effective focal length becomes 42mm.

The f/4.5 maximum aperture is particularly slow for a wide-angle prime - but the lens will appeal for those who want a lightweight option for street photography.

The lens is constructed from six non-grouped elements including two ED lenses, two aspherical lenses, with HD nano multilayer coating and a front lens waterproof anti-fouling coating.

The minimum focus of the lens is 0.32m (12.6in) - and the autofocus system uses a VCM voice-coil motor.

Unusually, the lens boasts a built-in lens cover and doesn't have a front filter ring.

The price and the launch date for the new 28mm f/4.5 lens have yet to be announced.

See our reviews of current Viltrox lenses

• Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 review
• Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 review
• Viltrox AF 23mm F1.4 Z review
• Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro review
• Viltrox AF 33mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 review
• Viltrox AF 56mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 review

It's been a week of leaks, launches and flagship fun, in an exciting period in imaging as we start hitting pumpkin spice season. 

The first specs and a loose release window has emerged for what looks like Nikon's next camera, along with rumblings about an unexpected reworking of one of Leica's most popular cameras.

OM System dropped new significant new firmware for its duo of flagship bodies, and Canon launched a new flagship printer that is sure to make your jaw drop if you love printing your images (especially crunchy, moody monos).

And finally, Sony has updated one of its most iconic prime lenses… here are the five biggest stories of the week!

First Nikon Z50 II specs

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…

Full story: Nikon Z50 II specs emerge – is Nikon playing it too safe?

New flagship firmware for OM System

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…

Full story: New firmware update improves autofocus in OM System's flagship cameras

Sony updates its iconic 85mm lens

The original Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is unquestionably a classic. Originally launched in 2016 as one of the first of three G-Master optics, it proved that Sony could make lenses for its new mirrorless cameras that rivaled the best DSLR lenses for optical quality. 

Over the years as lens technology has evolved the original 85mm G-Master is starting to show its age, with slow autofocus, prominent chromatic aberrations, and a large size that doesn’t perfectly balance with smaller bodies. So, Sony has gone back to the drawing board to design a more compact and lightweight 85mm lens that solves the previous version’s optical flaws – and has come back with the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II.

With 14 elements in 11 groups, including x2 XA and x2 ED elements, as well as a Nanon AR II coating on the front of the lens, Sony is promising this second-generation’s refined optics will produce significantly less color fringing and improved chromatic aberrations… 

Full story: The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II is a fresh update of an iconic lens

Is Leica releasing a remix of the Q3?

Ever since the Leica Q was released in back in 2015, the pitch-perfect Q series has ranked among the very best Leica cameras. Since then we've seen the Leica Q2 and most recently the Leica Q3 hit the shelves – but one thing that some have always dreamed of is a longer lens than the wonderful f/1.7 28mm Summilux.

Well, the rumor mills are churning – and according to Leica Rumors, we might just see a longer focal length version of the Leica Q3 coming soon! According to this report, there could be a Leica Q3 announced with a fixed 43mm f/2 Apo, which might sound surprising to some hoping that it would be a 50mm. 

However, 40mm is quite an admired focal length among photographers and anything close to it could be a great idea from Leica. The sought-after Contax G2, for example, shipped with a 45mm lens – and that was loved by all…

Full story: Could a revamped Leica Q3 with a new lens be on the horizon?

Canon upgrades its flagship ImagePrograf Pro

Canon has announced a new flagship product, the Canon ImagePrograf Pro-1100 – an update to the nearly decade-old ImagePrograf Pro-1000 professional printer aimed at studios, professional photographers and businesses.

It boasts the exact same physical dimensions (723 x 435 x 285mm) and weight (32.4kg) as its predecessor, but don;t be fooled by its similar appearance; inside it's brimming with new exciting tech, such as 5G WiFi.

The Pro-1100 can print at sizes up to A2+ or 17". However, using paper roll, the Pro-1100 can now make prints well over twice as wide as the Pro-1000 could; while its predecessor could produce panoramas up to 1.2m wide, the Pro-1100 can create panos up to 3.27m…

Full story: Paint it black! Canon's new ImagePrograf flagship printer boasts better blacks and a slew of updates

You might be interested in the best mirrorless cameras, the best lenses for portraits and the best photo printers.

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.

Mirrorless cameras are expensive, right? Well, not all mirrorless cameras! Right now you can buy the Canon EOS R100 for just $299 (that's a $180 saving) – yes, a brand new 24.1MP Canon mirrorless camera for under 300 bucks! Is it Black Friday and nobody told me? 

You can also get huge savings if you want a lens, as a Canon EOS R100 + 18-45mm lens is just $364.99 (a $234 discount) and a Canon EOS R100 twin lens kit is only $499 (a saving of $330)!

The Canon EOS R100 (review here) has been one of my favorite cameras since it first appeared, as it offers an affordable and powerful option for newcomers to photography. 

The price is kept low by way of a couple of compromises – namely the fixed screen with no touch input, and the cropped 4K video – but as a pure photographic device I think these are more than acceptable trade-offs to achieve the affordability.

For your money you get a 24.1MP APS-C image sensor that renders beautiful quality, color and detail. The R100 boasts Canon's powerful Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology for fantastic autofocus, and can rattle off bursts of images at 6.5fps. 

The body is incredibly small and lightweight, making this perfect for travelling light (and for using as a travel camera), and keeps things straightforward for beginners with a single control dial to adjust your exposure. It also features guided menus to explain the camera's functions, again making it easy to get to grips with. 

I still can't believe this camera costs just $299 – if you've been thinking about it, I'd snap it up right now as this is a Black Friday beating price! 

Check out other Labor Day camera deals we've found

You might be interested in the best beginner cameras, as well as the best Canon cameras and the best Canon RF lenses to go with them. 

Viltrox has just told us that a Sony E-mount version of its Viltrox AF 40mm f/2.5 lens is now available. The budget-priced autofocus prime was first launched in the Nikon Z mirrorless mount earlier in the year.

Weighing just 180g (6.3oz), the lens is suitable for both full-frame Sony cameras - with the effective focal length becoming 60mm when used on an APS-C model.

The big appeal of this new lens (as with the Nikon version) is the budget price - with the Sony version now on sale for $168 / £165.

With an f/2.5 maximum aperture, it is not quite as fast as some rival primes with this 'standard' focal length - but the affordability makes it a useful addition to a camera bag full of slower zooms.

The lens is constructed from 10 elements in six groups, including one ED lens, three high refractive (HR) index lenses, and one aspherical lens. The front element has a nano multi-layered coating designed repel water, grease, and grime. The new Viltox has seven aperture blades, a 52mm filter thread, and a minimum focus distance of 0.34cm (1.1ft).

See our reviews of current Viltrox lenses

• Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 review
• Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 review
• Viltrox AF 23mm F1.4 Z review
• Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro review
• Viltrox AF 33mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 review
• Viltrox AF 56mm F1.4 review
• Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 review

Sigma is announcing "new products" next week, confirming that it has scheduled a product launch for Thursday.

The latest Sigma Stage Online product announcement is set for Thursday September 05 at 06:00 EDT / 13:00 BST / 20:00 AEST, and as is the norm it will be streamed on YouTube.

"We will be live streaming Sigma's new product presentation," reads the machine translated description on Sigma Japan's YouTube Live page.  

"In addition to introducing new products, we will also have a section where we will answer comments and questions received via chat during the stream, so be sure to turn on your notifications and tune in real time!"

The question, of course, if what are these products – and I have an idea…

What is Sigma announcing?

Sigma has a habit of launching groundbreaking, sometimes leftfield products. Case in point, at the last Sigma Stage in June, it announced the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art – the world's first ever full-frame f/1.8 zoom lens. 

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sigma dropped another world-first optic, possibly a trinity-busting complement to that 28-45mm, that sets eyebrows raising and tongues wagging. 

However, there's another more obvious option – in fact, there are five of them. Which may be why (aside from it being boilerplate text) the YouTube description states that Sigma will be "introducing new products" plural.

Back in April, Sigma announced the development of six Canon RF-S lenses for the EOS R system. 

We've already had the first of these – the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary, which launched at the end of June – but the other five are all scheduled to "launch in fall of 2024 and onwards":

• Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary
• Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN | Contemporary
• Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary
• Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary
• Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary

It could very well be that one of more of these will be revealed next week, which would be music to the ears of Canon APS-C users! 

You might be interested in the best Canon RF lenses (which includes RF-S glass), as well as the best L-Mount lenses from Sigma and other manufacturers.

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

A student at the UK's Nottingham Trent University has designed an innovative modular camera that can be used by right- and left-handed users alike. Called the MC-1, this one-off design features a central 'hub' section which looks as though it can function by itself as a standalone camera. It has two large red shutter buttons, one on the top panel and another on the bottom, enabling right- or left-handed use by simply flipping the camera over. We assume the rear screen is touch-sensitive, as there doesn't seem to be any other physical controls on the main camera, apart from those shutter buttons.

To improve ergonomics, an additional grip module can be clipped to the side, and this also houses extra physical buttons to aid camera control. If the camera is to be used by a left-handed shooter, it can be rotated through 180 degrees, and a bespoke left-handed grip module then clips to the left side of the main camera unit.

Flipping the camera over for left-handed use rules out a conventional, built-in viewfinder. To solve this, the camera's designer, Rowan Baxter, came up with a separate viewfinder module that can be clipped onto either the top or bottom of the main camera, depending whether the camera is in left- or right-handed orientation. Rails on the top and bottom surfaces enable the viewfinder module to easily hook into place.

As this looks like a prototype camera, we don't know much about its internals, only that the sensor size is APS-C, and the core 'hub' module is "pocket-sized". The lens fitted to the MC-1 we see in the Instagram Reel is a TTArtisan AF 27mm F2.8. This APS-C lens is only available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mounts, so we assume the MC-1 is fitted with one of those mount options.

Though a left-handed camera may seem unusual, this isn't the first time we've seen such a product. Back in 1987, Yashica launched the Samurai Z-L; a real, mass-produced left-handed film camera. It was essentially a flipped version of the company's right-handed Samurai Z, with the grip and camera controls mirrored for left-handed users. We've got a separate story about that camera if you'd like to know more.

Story credit: Rowan Baxter Design

Watch video (above): Kaleidoscopic colour

There’s no shortage of photographic gear and gadgets on the market. Although while we often justify a new lens with an ability to open up new creative possibilities, we don’t always give accessories the same time of day. This month I’ve been experimenting with the Fractals Filters Classic 3-Pack, which at £170 / $129 may sound a tad steep, but like a new lens, they open up brilliant artistic opportunities and allow you to take unique pictures.

These prism filters can be held in front of the lens to refract and reflect light in interesting ways. Some create a glitchy pattern while others create a kaleidoscope of colour, making them perfect for portraits – giving your shots an edge that will stand out from the crowd. Of course, cheap prisms can be bought online for £10/$10 and are a great place to start, but if you want better quality and versatility, these Fractals Filters are certainly worth it. 

1. Use a 50mm prime lens

Start by attaching your lens to your Canon EOS camera; 50mm on a full-frame Canon, or 35mm on an APS-C, seems to be the sweet spot but you can, of course, experiment. Make sure your lens is fitted with a UV filter so that you don’t scratch the front element.

2. Starting settings

To begin, go into your Canon’s Aperture Priority (Av) mode and dial in an aperture of f/2 and ISO1600. You’ll want to aim for a shutter speed of at least 1/200 sec to eliminate camera-shake, so you may need to tweak your ISO value depending on daylight levels.

3. Move the filter around

First compose your scene and have your model pose as desired, and check the exposure is good. Then, compose again but bring your prism into view this time. Try moving it closer or further away from the lens and tilting it towards or away from your model.

4. Face Detection

Autofocus can be a challenge when shooting through a prism. On newer Canons like the EOS R5, Subject  Detection (above) makes this much easier. But for older Canons you’ll need to place your active AF point over the model’s eyes to make sure they are sharp.

5. A helping hand

Holding your camera in one hand and a filter in the other can be tricky, so we suggest it’s easiest to hold the Fractals Filter by its grip and then use your thumb to rest against the lens barrel to steady yourself, and help you line up the shot perfectly. It’s also worth enabling any lens or body-based Image Stabilization on your Canon EOS to help reduce camera shake too. A tripod can be a better option if you don’t need the flexibility of moving and shooting quickly, although it’s a good option for shooting video footage with prisms.

6. Not all 50mm lenses are created equal

A 50mm lens offers the perfect focal length for prism portraits, but one thing to look out for is the front element. This Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM front element is just 43mm, so we needed to move the filter away from the lens to see more of its effects.

The diameter for the front element of this Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens is much larger at 77mm.  This means we can hold the Fractals Filter closer to the lens to squeeze in the effect of the prism. As we can hold it closer to the lens it’s much easier to blur using a wide aperture and shallow depth of field.

7. Fractals Filters: Pascal

The Pascal is the heaviest of the three prism filters in the Fractals Filters Classic 3-Pack. Tipping the scales at 255g it’s a bit more unwieldy to use than the others. Master it though, and it will allow you to take ‘impossible’ images, as its chunky glass element has been cut in such a way that allows it to reflect objects from outside your normal field of view. When you’re shooting outside, this could be a tree directly behind you! Our model wore a sparkly dress in front of a blue glittery background for extra sparkles that has reflected in the glass. 

8. Fractals Filters: Julia

The Julia filter is perfectly circular with the Fractals Filters signature knuckle-duster style metal grip so you can hold it comfortably in your left hand, while holding your camera in your right hand. It has an orange segment style pattern cut into it with a clear circular sweet spot in the centre. This used to be an actual hole but is now one complete piece of glass for cleaner results. This central zone gives you an ideal ‘sweet spot’ in which to position your model’s face, with the surrounding frame then being filled with a mesmerizing kaleidoscopic view. 

9. Fractals Filters: Penrose

The Penrose filter is the lightest of the trio in the classic 3-Pack with its thin proportions and a section of glass cut out from it. This makes it a joy to use as it can be held and repositioned with ease. The glass has a checkerboard pattern on its front face, breaking the surrounding scenery into a wonderful diffused, glitchy pattern. The cutaway section of glass is ideal for placing your focal point as it leaves this area perfectly sharp. Due to its two pointy ‘horns’, make sure a UV filter is fitted to your lens to avoid scratches to the front element.

It's no secret that the retro look of film photography is back – and not just the celebrated film you might find on a Salgado or Adams print, but the nostalgic Nineties film look seen in family albums that were captured with film cameras. PolarPro has just made achieving this look in-camera easier with the release of its LightLeak lenses.

The PolarPro LightLeak range enables you to capture the nostalgic analog feel on the latest mirrorless cameras, by intentionally add light leaks to images. The unique lenses are designed for APS-C sensors and are available in three focal lengths, 16mm 28mm and 50mm (which translates to 24mm, 42mm and 75mm in equivalent terms, or 26mm, 49mm and 80mm on Canon cameras), offering wide to light telephoto range.

Light leaks used to be a byproduct of light accidentally leaking into the camera and exposing a streak on the film. Today it is a stylistic choice chosen by many to emulate the quirks of film, made famous by filters used on social media.

You might be asking yourself why you might use these lenses on cameras that are capable of shooting clean, crisp images, but these lenses are less about clinical precision and more about capturing the mood and moment. They seek to bring back some personality to modern cameras, which can often be too clinical. 

Above: A sample gallery of images taken with the PolarPro LightLeaks

The LightLeak lenses promise to provide "rich colors, natural grain, and light leaks" as you would get with an analog camera and film. Much like a disposable camera the lenses are fixed focus from 3.3ft / 1m to infinity, meaning once you set the focus in the camera it's locked.

The lens also has a fixed aperture of f/11, providing sufficient depth of field to make sure everything is in focus.

The shape and direction of the light leak are determined by rotating a ring on the lens. Alternatively, you can choose to have no light leaks and simply enjoy the ability to capture grain and retro colors.

The design of the lens is as you'd expect from PolarPro, with a sleek aluminum housing and protective lens caps that also look sleek and stylish.

The PolarPro LensLeak lenses are available now for Fujifilm X, Sony E, Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts. Individually they cost $129 / £100, but they are also available as a full set for $349 / £270 (Australian pricing to be determined).

You may also be interested in our guides to the best film cameras, the best film stocks, and the best retro cameras.

Viltrox has a new Sony-fit version of budget-priced  AF 56mm f/1.7. Already on sale in NIkon Z and Fujifilm X mount, the lens is designed for use with APS-C cameras - and as such offers an effective focal length of 85mm – making it a great lens for portrait photography. 

The ideal focal length for head-and-shoulder portraits, coupled with the wide f/1.7 aperture will enable the user to create shallow depth of field, isolating the subject from the background. With nine aperture blades, it promises the sort of dreamy bokeh that you usually only get with much more expensive prime lenses.

The 56mm f/1.7 has an internal focusing and a silent STM autofocus motor, enabling fast and accurate focusing for both stills and video. Vitrox says that the focus breathing is "almost imperceptible when the focus changes".

The lens is constructed from 11 elements in nine groups, including four extra-low dispersion lenses and three lenses with high refractive index, combating aberrations and dispersion. It weighs just 171g and is 72mm long.

Other features include HD multi-layer nano lens coating, a 52mm diameter filter thread, EXIF info transmission support, and a built-in USB-C port for updating firmware.

The AF 56mm f/1.7 sells for $180 / £139 / AU$315.

You can read our full review of the Nikon-fit Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7

See our guides for more information on the best portrait lenses and the best Sony lenses

Watch video: Get the toy-town look

While we call this miniaturization look a ‘tilt-shift’ effect, it’s actually only the tilting part of an expensive, specialist tilt-shift lens that will have the ability to shift the zone of focus in this artful way.

Tilt-shift lenses are specialist optics, out of reach for most photographers (myself included). But for architectural and city photographers they’re the holy grail, allowing users to move the lens along its axis, either left/right and the pitch, or up/down and the yaw, depending on which way the lens is set up, while still attached to its Canon body. Needless to say, this fancy functionality comes with a high price tag.

Fortunately the ‘tilt’ aspect, responsible for creating these toy-town effects, can be easily replicated in-camera, using Scene modes of some entry-level Canons, as well as in Photoshop. Shooting your start image with a telephoto lens provides the best results, as not only will you have a totally sharp shot to begin with to add blur in Photoshop; unlike with the in-camera filters, or even a tilt-shift effect, you’ll be able to refine the blur after you’ve clicked the shutter button.

In this project we take a look at how you can achieve tilt-shift shots in-camera, as well as how to transform ordinary pictures into toy-town scenes. You can set the exact amount of blur, fine-tune where the sharp band of focus sits on your image, and also boost the colours to really ramp up the playful miniaturized look, with the end result looking like a fabulous tiny toy town.

It helps to shoot from up high, whether that’s from the stands at a football game, a cityscape from the top of a skyscraper or bridge, or a landscape from the top of a hill. This is so you can replicate the view we associate with those toy town scenes, like old children’s TV shows, so things will look miniature once blur is added. 

You’ll also want a clear focal point that you can firmly fix your band of sharpness on, such as a person, vehicle, building, or the two cyclists in our example. Without further ado, let’s get to it and create a toy town! 

1. In-camera Scene Modes

Many entry-level Canons have a large bank of Scene modes to choose from. Cameras like the EOS R50 have a Miniature Effect mode, or Miniature Effect Movie mode as  in the EOS M50 Mk II (above), allowing you to get the tilt-shift look in-camera.

2. Tilt-shift lenses

Tilt-shift lenses, such as the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II, are expensive specialist optics that allow the lens to be tilted or shifted. While useful for correcting verticals in architecture, they can also shift the focus zone for a miniature effect in-camera.

3. Use a standard zoom lens

The most accessible way is to use a zoom lens, such as a 70-200mm on a full-frame (above) or 55-250mm on an APS-C. Shoot from somewhere high up such as a hill or a tall building so you can achieve a high perspective across your landscape.

4. Edit in Photoshop CC

Shooting with a standard lens, your depth of field is likely to be fairly sharp across the scene, so we’ll need to selectively add some blur to mimic the look of an expensive tilt-shift lens and create the toy-town effect. In Photoshop open your shot and go to Filter>Blur Gallery>Tilt-Shift.

5. Refine the effect

Set Blur to 20px and Distortion to 0% then drag the centre reticule down to where you want the sharp band to be in your scene, and drag outside of it to change the angle. The two bands of straight and dotted lines either side can be dragged in or out to change the size of the sharp zone.

6. Boost the colors

Click OK at the top of the screen to apply the effect then hit Ctrl/Cmd+U to bring up the Hue/Saturation panel and boost the Saturation to make the colours punchy and hit OK to apply. Then go to Image> Adjustments> Brightness/Contrast and give the Contrast a boost too.

If you're serious about scenery, take a look at the best cameras for landscape photography along with the best lenses for landscapes.

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.

When you think of the Ricoh GR III, you think of one camera – a pocket-sized premium compact with an APS-C sensor, a fixed focal length lens and a serious reputation amongst serious photographers.

It fills a lot of needs. Its small size and quality makes it perhaps one of the best point and shoot cameras, or among the best cameras for travel. But it’s not just one camera. Actually there are four distinct variants, and some special editions, with a history that makes the whole line-up, past and present, very confusing indeed.

Right now there are two principal versions. The Ricoh GR III is the original, with a 28mm equivalent f/2.8 fixed focal length lens. But this has been joined by a later Ricoh GR IIIx with a longer focal length 40mm equivalent f/2.8 lens for photographers who prefer a slightly narrower angle of view.

Now for the ‘HDF’ bit. The regular GR III and GR IIIx come with a switchable 2x ND filter, a physical filter toggled by a button and useful, perhaps, in bright light. The newer HDF versions swap this for a Highlight Diffusion Filter, and again you can toggle this with a button. This adds a soft glow to highlights for a subtle ‘analog’ look.

So when you combine these permutations, there are in fact four distinct GR III variants to choose from today (and that's before limited edition color variations). Got that? OK, so now for the historical variants, which always have the potential for confusing the heck out of people (me, anyway).

First came the GR Digital in versions I-IV. These used smaller point-and-shoot size sensors, so while they were serious cameras in their day, they are not in the same league as the modern versions. The modern cameras dropped the ‘Digital’ in the name and swapped to a much more desirable APS-C sensor, and the GR III models are the latest incarnation.

That’s quite a lot of history – sorry. But now we’ve got our bearings, let’s get on with the review.

Ricoh GR III HDF: specifications

Ricoh GR III HDF: price and availability

The Ricoh GR III HDF costs around $1,067 in the US and £1,049 in the UK. It’s around $80 / £50 cheaper than the GR IIIx HDF version. That seems plenty for what looks like a pocket-sized point and shoot, but the GR III HDF is rather more than that. It’s a lot cheaper than the Fujifilm X100 VI (and more readily available) and while it lacks many of that camera’s features, it’s somewhat less pretentious and massively more pocketable. You can get Canon PowerShots and Sony RX100s with zoom lenses and 4K video at this price, but only if you accept a much smaller 1-inch sensor. In many ways, the GR III HDF is out on its own.

Ricoh GR III HDF: design and handling

The Ricoh GR III HDF is so compact, given its sensor size, that you never quite get used to it. If it had a 1-inch sensor, you would say that Ricoh had done well to make it so small, but the fact is that it has a much larger APS-C sensor, so its size is just uncanny. You can put it in a trouser pocket and forget it’s there, or even a shirt pocket. This is a proper camera with a proper sensor that’s out on its own for portability.

But then that involves some compromises. There’s no EVF, for a start, and that wouldn’t be so bad if the rear screen had some serious brightness and a flip-out pivot, but it has neither. You can ramp up the brightness manually for use on sunny days, but you’re still left with a pretty primitive viewing system.

And don’t be fooled by the ‘grip’ on the right side of the body. This purposeful-looking protuberance is better than nothing, but you can’t curl your fingers round it very far before your fingernails crunch up against the lens barrel.

The controls, however, are rather good. The main mode dial has a locking button to prevent accidental mode changes, and the clever clickable spring-loaded Adj dial on the back controls a lot of camera functions and makes light work of all of them. There are no control dials as such, but a rotating ring around the four-way controller on the back which, thankfully, doesn’t have to do too much.

It’s worth mentioning the lens. Good as it is optically (and it is very good) it is electrically driven. Motors move it into position when you power up and motors (obviously) move it for focusing. There’s no focus distance scale, no depth of field markings and no manual focus ring – this is done from the camera body. The camera itself has a strong physical feel, but the lens operation lets it down a little. 

Ricoh GR III HDF: Performance

The images from the Ricoh GR III HDF are as good as those you would expect from any APS-C camera, of any size. The design may look as if it’s been around for years, but there’s nothing wrong with the detail rendition or the resolution of its pint-sized lens in regular shooting situations. It’s worth pointing out that this camera’s 16.3mm f/2.8 lens is a fraction of the size of any equivalent lens for other APS-C camera systems. It’s unexpectedly good at higher ISOs, too – some of our samples were shot at ISO 3200 in a museum and have remarkably good detail with not that much noise.

The autofocus is good but not stellar. It can focus quickly enough for most situations but doesn’t quite have the speed and responsiveness of some modern rivals. If you press the shutter release quickly in a single action it will swap to the Snap Focus mode. This is faster but sets the focus to whatever set distance you’ve chosen in the settings.

This Snap Focus mode is also available separately if you prefer zone focusing, and the camera does come with a “DOF Priority (Deep)” Program Line, though it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t just switch to A mode and choose a small aperture, which seems the simplest solution.

While it feels very responsive for single images, the GR III HDF is not a camera for action bursts. Ricoh doesn’t quote a frame rate for continuous shooting but it feels to be around 4fps. It doesn’t have much of a buffer capacity either.

Ricoh GR III HDF: sample images

Here are some sample images taken with the Ricoh GR III HDF. The 28mm equivalent focal length proves to be very well suited to street photography and grabbed shots. It’s close to the kind of perspective and angle of view of a smartphone.

Ricoh GR III HDF: lab results

For our lab data comparison we're using results from the regular GR III rather than the GR III HDF. The two cameras are fundamentally identical when the HDF feature is disabled, and we would disabled it when conducting a lab test. We've pitched the GR III against similarly compact cameras with relatively large image sensors: the Fujifilm X100VI, Leica D-Lux 8 and the Olympus PEN E-P7.

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

Resolution is measured using standardized text charts which give results in line widths / picture height, which is independent of sensor size.

The GR III (HDF) scores well for a 24MP APS-C camera, but ultimately the 40MP X100VI was always going to come out on top for resolving fine detail.

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').

Though the GR III (HDF) doesn't quite lead the pack at low ISOs, it captures excellent dynamic range as sensitivities increase.

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.

All four cameras are closely matched here, but the GR III (HDF) performs well at all but the highest sensitivities.

Ricoh GR III HDF: verdict

The limitations of the GR III HDF are easily apparent. There is no EVF and the optional clip-on viewfinders are expensive. It has a fixed focal length lens and while you can swap to crop mode for ‘longer’ focal lengths you lose resolution. There is a twist-on optical wide-angle conversion lens, but it’s bulky and expensive. The rear screen is hard to see in bright light unless you crank the brightness up to maximum and the 200-shot battery life is a serious limitation.

But it does have some good qualities that are hard to set aside. For an APS-C camera it is just bafflingly, laughably small. What other camera of this quality can fit in a shirt pocket? Despite its size it has physical controls which are well-spaced and effective, and not just for beginners but for more experienced hands-on control freaks too. And while you might imagine that such a tiny lens on an APS-C sensor just wouldn’t be very good, you would be wrong. The lens on the GR III HDF is very good indeed.

So what about that HDF filter? It means you lose the 2-stop ND filter of the standard camera, but I never felt that 2 stops was enough to achieve much anyway. It might allow you to use a wider aperture in very bright light, but it’s nowhere near enough to achieve motion blur effects with long exposures.

But is the HDF filter any better? For a start, its effect is very subtle. That might sound like a good thing, but in practice it can be hard to see whether it’s been used or not. It’s also a ‘hard’ effect, so there’s no going back later if you change your mind. Personally, I’d much rather apply this kind of effect in post, where you get both choice and control.

If I had a choice between the regular and HDF versions of this camera I’m not sure I’d care very much at all since I probably wouldn’t use either filter. But if I could learn to put up with the lack of an EVF, the weedy rear screen and battery life, and the fixed 28mm equivalent focal length, I think I could become a fan – and the Ricoh GR III has plenty of those.

Ricoh GR III HDF: alternatives

The retro aesthetic is in, and with retro cameras come retro lenses – and the new Silver edition of the TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 could be the missing piece to unlocking your full retro setup. 

The popularity of the vintage aesthetic has been increasing, so much that mirrorless camera manufacturers are taking influence from the past – pretty much all the best Fujifilm cameras are prime examples.

The new silver TTArtisan lens would pair nicely with silver cameras such as the Fujifilm X-T50 and Nikon Z fc, as the APS-C lens is available for Fujifilm X mount, Nikon Z mount and Sony E mount.

It must be noted that this is a new colorway and not a new lens, as the TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 was initially released last year. That being said, I do believe it is a lens that has been slept on a little bit.

Right off the bat, it costs under $150 / £170 / AU$240! As good a reason as any to pick up this nifty little pancake, as cheap AF lenses like this are becoming a rare occurrence. However, despite the small price tag, it also has some great features that can make it fantastic for capturing everyday life.

The 27mm is equivalent to just over 40mm on a full-frame camera, an ideal all-rounder and one of my favorite focal lengths for street photography. The wide f/2.8 aperture is also generous, and in our review of the lens we noted great sharpness and contrast, although a slight vignette when used wide open.

The compact pancake size facilitates easy carrying and storing in bags, and even pockets if your camera is small enough. Inside the small form factor is an STM stepping motor which provides quick and efficient autofocus, enabling the user to react quickly without missing the shot.

Other notable features include a USB-C interface for firmware updates, a clicked aperture ring, and anti-shake enabling smooth video capture.

The TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 lens is available now in the new silver and black colorways for an absolute steal at $149 / £169 / AU $239.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best pancake lens, the best lens for street photography and the best cheap lenses.

Yongnuo is a Chinese camera and lens manufacturer that focuses on delivering premium optics with an entry-level price tag. Over recent years its standard of development has risen, but Yongnuo has kept its attractive prices – and now it has announced a new autofocus lens packed with tech for just over $400!

The Yongnuo YN23mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro has officially been announced and although packed with great features, it will fit comfortably in our guide to the best cheap lenses.

The lens is designed for APS-C sensors, meaning the 23mm focal length is the equivalent of 35mm on full-frame bodies – a common focal length for street photography and reportage, and a great all-arounder for photography and video.

Initially available for Nikon Z mount, both Fujifilm X and Sony E mount versions are scheduled for a future date.

Much like the Yongnuo YN33mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro, released earlier this year, it comes complete with a wireless remote that enables the user to control aspects of the lens from a distance. 

The small controller facilitates changes to aperture and focus via a 2.4GHz radio frequency wireless link, meaning it's a great option for video.

The lens also promises great photography capabilities. Constructed of 11 elements in 9 groups, with 9 aperture blades, and a wide max aperture of just f/1.4, the lens offers great bokeh and falloff in the out-of-focus areas.

Other notable features include a quick and accurate AF stepping motor, a minimum shooting distance of just 0.3m, a control ring, customizable buttons and switches, a USB-C interface for firmware updates, and multi-layer lens coating.

The Yongnuo YN23mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro is available now for Nikon Z mount for just $420 (converted from the US$276 price tag).

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cheap lenses, the best Nikon lenses, and the best wide-angle lenses.

Yongnuo is a Chinese camera and lens manufacturer that focuses on delivering premium optics with an entry-level price tag. Over recent years its standard of development has risen, but Yongnuo has kept its attractive prices – and now it has announced a new autofocus lens packed with tech for well under $300!

The Yongnuo YN23mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro has officially been announced and although packed with great features, it will fit comfortably in our guide to the best cheap lenses.

The lens is designed for APS-C sensors, meaning the 23mm focal length is the equivalent of 35mm on full-frame bodies – a common focal length for street photography and reportage, and a great all-arounder for photography and video.

Initially available for Nikon Z mount, both Fujifilm X and Sony E mount versions are scheduled for a future date.

Much like the Yongnuo YN33mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro, released earlier this year, it comes complete with a wireless remote that enables the user to control aspects of the lens from a distance. 

The small controller facilitates changes to aperture and focus via a 2.4GHz radio frequency wireless link, meaning it's a great option for video.

The lens also promises great photography capabilities. Constructed of 11 elements in 9 groups, with 9 aperture blades, and a wide max aperture of just f/1.4, the lens offers great bokeh and falloff in the out-of-focus areas.

Other notable features include a quick and accurate AF stepping motor, a minimum shooting distance of just 0.3m, a control ring, customizable buttons and switches, a USB-C interface for firmware updates, and multi-layer lens coating.

The Yongnuo YN23mm f/1.4 DA DSM WL Pro is available now for Nikon Z mount for just $276 (approximately £220 / AU $420).

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cheap lenses, the best Nikon lenses, and the best wide-angle lenses.

Call me old-fashioned but I’m of an age where enthusiast photographers with deep pockets bought f/1.4 prime lenses and those on a tighter budget settled for cheaper f/1.8 alternatives. That was certainly the case with Nikon’s F-mount lenses for its DSLRs but, in its Z-system line-up for mirrorless cameras, we’ve so far seen f/1.8 premium S-line lenses, jumping straight to the likes of the super-fast Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S and Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S, taking time-honored f/1.4 lenses completely out of the equation. Stranger still, while the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S was one of the very first Z-mount lenses to be released, the new f/1.4 option following about six years down the line is not only faster but cheaper to buy, lacking S-line credentials. 

Nikon is billing it as a perfect choice for ‘street photography,’ but I’ve always found that the 35mm focal length works great for all sorts of photo opportunities, from landscapes and architectural photography through environmental portraiture to general shooting. 

Naturally, on a DX (APS-C format) Z-system body, the lens has an ‘effective’ focal length of 52.5mm, thus delivering a very standard perspective and giving it the potential to work well as a ‘nifty fifty’. All in all, the new lens looks like it should be on track to become one of the best lenses for Nikon Z full-frame cameras, as well as one of the best lenses for the Nikon Z 50 and other Z DX bodies.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Specifications

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Price

I wouldn’t call the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4 a cheap lens but it’s certainly not expensive for an own-brand Nikon f/1.4 prime. Listed at $597/£649, it undercuts the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S for price, the latter retailing at $847/£789. For comparison either side of the 35mm focal length it’s more than twice the price of the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 ($277/£259) and Nikon Z 40mm f/2 ($277/£259) lenses, which have an all-plastic build, right down to their mounting plates, and rather slower aperture ratings. For a few dollars more, the 28mm and 40mm lenses are available in SE (Special Edition) guise, to match the retro styling of the Nikon Z f and Nikon Z fc cameras. That’s not the case with this lens, at least not so far.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Design & Handling

Cameras like the Nikon Z 6III are designed to suit content creators, being equally adept at shooting video as well as stills. The Z 35mm f/1.4 follows the same ethos. A notable addition compared with the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is that the new f/1.4 lens has a secondary stepless control ring, as well as a main, full-sized manual focus ring. As I’d expect nowadays, both of the control rings are customizable via in-camera menus, but their obvious applications are to use the main control ring for manual focus and manual override of autofocus, and the smaller secondary ring for stepless aperture control, ideal when shooting video.

What Nikon gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. While you gain an extra control ring, you lose the A/M autofocus/manual focus switch that’s featured on the Z 35mm f/1.8 and many other Z system lenses. I’m not a fan of the omission, as it means I have to resort to using camera menus whenever I want to make a quick change between auto and manual focus modes.

To continue the comparison between these two Z 35mm lenses, they both have an optical path that’s based on 11 elements arranged in 9 groups, a well-rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm and a 62mm filter attachment thread. However, while the f/1.8 lens features 3 aspherical elements and 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, this f/1.4 lens only has 2 aspherical elements and no ED elements at all. It’ll be interesting to see how that affects factors like clarity and color fringing, when we come to looking at performance a bit further on. Another difference is that the f/1.8 prime boasts Nikon’s high-tech Nano Crystal Coat for minimizing ghosting and flare, which is absent in this f/1.4 lens.

At least the lens is supplied with an effective petal-shaped hood, whereas no hood is supplied with the more budget-oriented Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 and Nikon Z 40mm f/2 lenses. The build quality of the Z 35mm f/1.4 is rather better than in both of these other lenses. It has a more substantial metal rather than plastic mounting plate and feels a little more sturdy. All three lenses have a basic set of weather-seals to guard against dust and a light sprinkling of rain.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Performance

Autofocus is typically rapid and virtually silent, as well as enabling smooth transitions when shooting movies, thanks to the now-common linear stepping motor arrangement. I found that autofocus performance was consistently accurate during my testing. The minimum focus distance is just 0.27m (10.6 inches), as measured from the camera body’s image sensor rather than from the front of the lens. That gives plenty of scope for close-ups, where the f/1.4 aperture enables a fairly tight depth of field, despite the lens’s moderately wide-angle focal length. The quality of bokeh is pretty smooth and remains of good quality when stopping down a little, thanks to the well-rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm.

Vignetting is quite pronounced when shooting wide-open, even with automatic in-camera correction applied, but becomes much less noticeable at f/2.8 and narrower apertures. Like many lenses designed for mirrorless cameras nowadays, this one relies heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortion, which can’t be disabled in the menu system of the body. Similarly, it can’t be switched off when processing RAW files in Nikon’s NX Studio app. With the correction applied, however, distortion is negligible. The small amount of color fringing is similarly eliminated after automatic correction is applied, either in-camera or when processing RAW files.

I’ve never had any problems with sharpness from any Nikon Z system lens, and this one’s no exception. Center-sharpness is thoroughly excellent even wide-open at f/1.4, although the edges don’t really get into their stride until you stop down to f/2.8 and narrower apertures. Even so, sharpness in general isn’t very far at all behind that of the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S, which is one of the sharpest lenses I’ve ever tested.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Sample Images

This gallery of sample images was taken with a Nikon Z 7II, at Wells Cathedral and the adjacent Bishop’s Palace Garden, in the UK.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: 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:

Center-sharpness at f/1.4 is exceptional, although edge/corner-sharpness is merely average at this aperture. Stop down to apertures of between f/2.8 and f/11, and sharpness is excellent across the whole image frame.

Fringing:

Color fringing at all competing apertures is a little worse than from the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S but it’s still of a pretty low order, and well within the remit of automatic in-camera correction, which works as a complete fix.

Distortion: 0.02

Like many recent lenses, this one relies on automatic in-camera correction for distortion, which can’t be disabled in the shooting menu. With the correction applied, however, it essentially works as a virtually zero-distortion lens.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4: Verdict

I like that Nikon has made a full-frame compatible Z system 35mm lens with a fast f/1.4 aperture rating, and for a pretty reasonable price. Sure, it lacks up-market S-line credentials and doesn’t feature any ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass, nor any fancy high-tech coatings, but it boasts fast autofocus and very good image quality. The extra stepless, customizable control ring is ideal for aperture adjustments, making the lens well suited to videography as well as stills photography. All in all, it’s a good job well done by Nikon.

Alternatives

If you've been looking at the best Leica cameras you will know that these highly-prized pieces of German engineering are offered at astronomical prices, and deals are few and far between. 

But I bring hope to those who dream of owning a Leica, as Wex is offering the Leica SL2-S with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at just £5,199 – that's an impressive £801 saving!

Blending Leica's classic aesthetics with modern functionality, the SL2-S is a versatile full-frame mirrorless camera designed for both photo and video enthusiasts. At its core is Leica's first BSI CMOS sensor, a 24.6MP unit that supports DCI / UHD 4K 10-bit video recording, a wide ISO range of 50-100,000, and vibrant, low-noise image quality. 

This sensor is paired with the advanced Maestro III image processor, ensuring high-speed performance and versatility, including full-res DNG continuous shooting at up to 25 fps and 4K video recording at up to 60p. To enhance both photo and video applications, the SL2-S features a 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system, minimizing camera shake for sharper handheld shots. Its design incorporates a Leica Object Detection AF system with 225 selectable AF areas for fast and accurate focusing. 

The camera is housed in a durable, weather-sealed body and includes a 5.76 million-dot EyeRes OLED EVF, a 3.2-inch, 2.1 million-dot touchscreen, a top status LCD for quick settings recognition, and dual UHS-II-compatible SD memory card slots for flexible file storage. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with the Leica Fotos app, facilitate wireless file transfers and remote camera control.

The SL2-S excels in video performance, offering both DCI and UHD 4K recording at up to 60p using either the full-frame sensor or an APS-C / Super 35mm crop. Internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording is supported up to 30p, and 60p at 8-bit 4:2:0, with 10-bit output available at all frame rates via the full-size HDMI port. 

FullHD recording supports high-speed frame rates up to 180fps for slow-motion playback. Additional features include Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) mode, L-Log gamma profile for HDR output, integrated viewing LUTs, and support for external microphones and headphones via dedicated 3.5mm jacks, ensuring superior video and audio quality.

Don't forget to take a look at the best Leica SL lenses and the best L-Mount lenses to go with the SL2-S. And if that prized red dot is still looking too pricey, you might be interested in some of the best Leica alternatives. 

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

If you have been looking at the best Leica cameras you will know that highly-prized pieces of German engineering are offered at astronomical prices, and deals are few and far between. 

But I bring hope to those who dream of owning a Leica as Wex is offering the Leica SL2-S at just £3,999 – that's an impressive £201 saving!

Blending Leica's traditional aesthetics with contemporary functionality, the SL2-S is a versatile full-frame mirrorless camera designed for both photo and video enthusiasts. Central to its capabilities is Leica's first BSI CMOS sensor, a 24.6MP unit that enables DCI/UHD 4K 10-bit video recording, wide sensitivity from ISO 50-100,000, and vibrant, low-noise image quality. This sensor is paired with the advanced Maestro III image processor, which ensures high-speed performance and versatility, allowing for full-res DNG continuous shooting at up to 25 fps and 4K video recording at up to 60p.

Enhancing both photo and video applications, the SL2-S features a 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system to minimize camera shake for sharper handheld shots. Its design includes a Leica Object Detection AF system with 225 selectable AF areas for fast and accurate focusing. The camera is housed in a durable, weather-sealed body and features a 5.76m-dot EyeRes OLED EVF, a 3.2" 2.1m-dot touchscreen LCD, a top status LCD for quick settings recognition, and dual UHS-II-compatible SD memory card slots for flexible file storage. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, along with the Leica FOTOs app, facilitate wireless file transfers and remote camera control.

The SL2-S excels in video performance, offering both DCI and UHD 4K recording at up to 60p using either the full-frame sensor or an APS-C/Super 35mm crop. Internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording is supported up to 30p, and 60p at 8-bit 4:2:0, with 10-bit output available at all frame rates via the full-size HDMI port. Full HD recording supports high-speed frame rates up to 180 fps for slow-motion playback. The camera also includes features like Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) mode, L-Log gamma profile for HDR output, integrated viewing LUTs, and support for external microphones and headphones via dedicated 3.5mm jacks, ensuring superior video and audio quality.

The Ricoh GR IIIx HDF is a new variant of a long-running camera design. It houses a 24MP sensor in an unfeasibly small body and comes with a choice of two lenses. The regular Ricoh GR III has a 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, while this new version of the Ricoh GR IIIx tested here has a 40mm equivalent f/2.8.

These lenses are fixed and non-interchangeable. You have to choose the focal length you want when you buy the camera. There is a wide-angle adaptor you can get for the 28mm model and a tele adaptor for the 40mm version, but these are pretty bulky and not cheap.

It's pretty limited, then, but the Ricoh GR IIIx is still one of the best compact cameras for its combination of size, control and an APS-C sensor. Some might say it's also one of the best cameras for street photography, or one of the best cameras for travel, depending on how highly you rate pocketability and whether you like the simplicity and discipline of a fixed focal length lens. If you're looking for the best vlogging camera, though, this isn't it. The fixed rear screen and limited video resolution – it's full HD only – rule out out.

There’s no viewfinder on this camera – images must be composed and viewed on the fixed rear screen. You can get clip-on OVFs that go on the accessory shoe, but these too are quite expensive. Another compromise of the small design is a small battery with a lowly 200-shot capacity.

There are some useful and clever features, though. The GR IIIx has built in 3-axis 4-stop image stabilization, a macro mode and an ‘AA filter simulator. The sensor itself has no AA filter but just in case you do see any moiré effects in patterns or textures, the AA filter simulator can help.

The key feature of this GR IIIx HDF model is its HDF or ‘highlight diffusion filter’. This is activated instantly by a button on the back of the camera and lends a soft glow to highlights for a more ‘analog’ look. This replaces the 2-stop ND filter on the regular non-HDF version. (The ND filter is simply to help when shooting in very bright light, not for any particular creative effect like long exposures.)

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Specifications

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Price and availability

The Ricoh GR IIIx HDF is available now and costs $1,146 / £1,099 / AU$1,899. This makes it a cheaper alternative to the wildly popular Fujifilm X100 VI, but more expensive than several decent APS-C mirrorless cameras. There is also a regular GR IIIx version which offers a switchable ND filter rather than the HDF filter in this camera, and if you prefer a wider 28mm equivalent angle of view there’s the regular GR III, which also has an HDF variant and is typically slightly cheaper.

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Design and handling

The Ricoh GR IIIx HDF really is remarkably small. You can carry it around in a trouser or jacket pocket where no other camera would fit, and you still get the high-end image quality of an APS-C sensor. It’s a pretty remarkable achievement in that respect.

Also remarkable is the way Ricoh has managed to make its controls so effective in the limited space available. It has two control dials, the rear ‘Adj’ dial with a click action so that you can choose the setting you want to adjust and a sprung left/right lever action for making changes.

In fact, there’s a third control dial if you count the rear dial around the four-way controller, and this can be used for menu navigation or manual focusing, for example. 

But this camera’s size does affect its handling. There’s what appears to be a grip on the right hand side, but if you curl your fingers around it, your fingernails are scraping the lens barrel. You don’t get an EVF, which perhaps is understandable in a camera this small, but you don’t get an articulated screen either – it doesn’t even tilt. This makes it pretty difficult to compose shots at low angles – and you’ll almost certainly need to increase the brightness for outdoor use, which you can do in the menus.

There’s a locking button above the mode dial so that you don’t accidentally change it while handling the camera, and the shutter release offers a ‘snap focus’ mode which defaults to a fixed focus distance if you press the shutter quickly in a single action; otherwise, you can half-press to autofocus normally.

It’s a small camera so, not surprisingly, it has a small battery. Ricoh says the DB-110 cell is good for around 200 shots, which might be fine for casual snapping, but you might need to take a spare for longer sessions. You can charge the GR IIIx HDF via USB, though, so you could top it up with a portable power bank.

The accessories are worth a mention, for good reasons and bad. The regular 28mm equivalent GR III can  take an optional 0.75x GW-4 adaptor for a wider angle of view, while for GR IIIx there’s a 1.5x GT-2 tele adaptor that takes its effective focal length from 40mm to 60mm – or further if you use one of the camera’s crop modes. These adaptors look reasonably priced at around $225 / £225, but then you do have to buy an adaptor on top of that at around $40-$50 / £40-50. The combination of the converter and adaptor is as large as a comparable APS-C prime, so you’re certainly not dealing with a pocket-sized camera any more.

Our sample GR IIIx was supplied with an optional GV-3 optical viewfinder which clips into the camera’s hotshoe. This is a ‘dumb’ optic which does not transmit or display any kind of camera information but still costs a jaw-dropping $250 / $299. 

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Performance

In terms of image quality, there’s little to complain about. The 40mm equivalent f/2.8 lens delivers consistent edge-to-edge sharpness, though the camera does employ some in-camera corner shading correction, so if you’re shooting raw files you’ll need software with a matching correction profile, or you can do it manually.

The image quality at higher ISOs is good too. Unlike a lot of cameras, the GR IIIx HDF doesn’t attempt to smudge noise out of existence and maintains a good balance between noise and detail right up to around ISO 6400, where magenta mottling is starting to appear in darker areas. You can go all the way up to ISO 102,400 if you want to, but it all depends on how much image quality you’re prepared to sacrifice, and by ISO 102,400 it’s a bit of a mess. 

The autofocus is good without being great. There’s a good choice of AF modes, including pinpoint focus, for when you want to use a wide aperture for differential focus effects, though the AF speed itself is very average by today’s standards. The snap focus is much faster but you need to be able to judge the fixed focus distance you want to set it to.

The burst mode is distinctly lackluster. Ricoh doesn’t quote an official burst speed, but it feels like about 4-5fps, and if you’re shooting raw the buffer fills up very quickly, so this is not a camera for fast bursts.

The GR IIIx is snappy enough (no pun intended) for the kind of street / travel photography it’s become known for, but many of its rivals are just as responsive or better. The HDF filter is interesting but, frankly, it’s so subtle its value is questionable and you will often have to check the image data on the back of the camera to remind yourself if you used it or not.

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Lab results

For our lab data comparison, we pitched the GR IIIx HDF against similarly compact cameras with relatively large image sensors: the Fujifilm X100VI, Leica D-Lux 8 and the Olympus PEN E-P7.

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

Resolution is measured using standardized text charts which give results in line widths / picture height, which is independent of sensor size.

The GR IIIx scores well for a 24MP APS-C camera, but ultimately the 40MP X100VI was always going to come out on top for resolving fine detail.

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').

Though the GR IIIx doesn't quite lead the pack at low ISOs, it captures excellent dynamic range as sensitivities increase.

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.

All four cameras are closely matched here, but the GR IIIx just comes out on top when you average the results across the whole tested ISO range - it does a good job of controlling image noise.

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Sample images

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Verdict

If you must have a camera small enough to fit in your pocket, then the Ricoh GR III is the only camera that fits the bill. The GR IIIx reviewed here has a 40mm equivalent lens but is the same size as the regular 28mm equivalent GR III, and the substitution of an HDF filter for the regular ND filter makes it an interesting creative alternative.

It’s pretty amazing that Ricoh should have been able to cram so many effective hands-on controls and dials to this camera without making it feel crowded. It’s harder to enjoy the overall handling experience, though, with grip that looks the part but is far less effective on a camera scaled down this far. It’s a small camera because it has to be, but if you can accept carrying a camera in a bigger jacket pocket or a bag, then there are many other cameras only a little larger which will provide a much nicer handling experience – with interchangeable lenses, too.

The lack of an EVF and the fixed rear screen does make the GR IIIx HDF hard work at times, especially outdoors in bright light, where you have to manually increase the screen brightness, and the 200-shot battery life can be limiting for longer outings and expeditions.

The electrically-driven lens focuses quickly enough, probably and there’s always the ‘snap’ focus mode, though this itself  is not quite instantaneous. The lens quality is first rate, though, so no complaints there.

The GR III is a unique camera with a strong following, but by modern standards it’s limited and distinctly awkward to use. There are no other APS-C cameras this small, but that compactness comes at a cost.

Alternatives

If you've been looking at the best Leica cameras you know how expensive these German-engineered cameras can be. But if you have looked into Leica M-mount cameras you would have come across the name Pixii, this French camera brand brings the rangefinder into the modern world and now its latest full-frame camera the Pixii Max is available to pre-order through authorized retailers.

The Pixii Max digital rangefinder marks the company's first entry into the full-frame market. It features a 24.5MP BSI CMOS sensor housed in the same compact, machined aluminum body as its APS-C predecessor. 

With a recently developed 64-bit processor, 128GB of internal storage, and a Leica M-compatible lens mount, the Pixii Max merges state-of-the-art digital imaging with a traditional, analog shooting experience when using the best Leica-M lenses.

The highlight of this new model is the full-frame 24.5MP BSI CMOS sensor, which, coupled with the 64-bit processor introduced in 2023, delivers sharp, low-noise images with enhanced dynamic range. The 24 x 36mm sensor size matches the standard 35mm film frame, optimizing light capture and maximizing the performance of classic M-mount lenses. Additionally, the Pixii sensor design supports native DNG RAW image production in both color and monochrome – the first of its kind to the market!