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.

I feel that the best lenses for the Sony A7R V, A7R IV, and A7R III play to the key strength of these full-frame cameras, feeding their high-resolution image sensors with everything they need to resolve the utmost in ultra-fine detail and texture. And let’s face it, the A7R series of mirrorless cameras is all about the details, with mighty megapixels under the hood for unleashing incredible resolving power. However, that won't mean a jot if you pair these cameras with lenses that don't achieve the same high standards. That's where this guide comes in.

With many more years under the mirrorless full-frame belt than Canon and Nikon, Sony has had the time to develop an incredible range of G and G Master lenses. These ‘Gold’ standard optics have built an enviable reputation for delivering stellar sharpness, with premium optical prowess that enables you to really get the best out of A7R series cameras. And to maintain optimum sharpness in handheld shooting, these cameras have highly effective in-body image stabilization, so, up to a point, in-lens stabilization is unnecessary, and designers can focus fully on optical quality. The exception is in telephoto and macro lenses, where optical stabilization can team up with IBIS for greater performance.

I've aimed to pick out a range of lenses in different focal lengths for this guide, keeping a mindful eye on them pairing perfectly with the A7R III, A7R IV, and A7R V. That’s what merits inclusion on the hit list. Naturally, for both camera bodies and lenses, high resolution tends to come at a high price financially. But most of us shoot to a budget, so where possible, I've included some relatively affordable alternatives that still deliver the goods.

The best lenses for the Sony A7R III and A7R IV 

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Best everyday lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

Was there anything wrong with the original Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM? No. Is this updated version better in every way? Absolutely. Honoring the name of its flagship G Master series, Sony has delivered a professional-grade zoom that is pin-sharp across its entire image frame, more comprehensively weather-sealed than the previous lens, and yet, somehow, is also 20 per cent lighter and 18 per cent smaller than the previous version. Witchcraft.

Handling has been revamped and is better than ever; the optical layout is completely revamped, and the lens boasts a new floating autofocus system powered by four XD (eXtreme Dynamic) linear stepping motors. It's incredibly precise, as we extolled in our review, and the technical quality is unimpeachable. Our exacting lab tests revealed a basically faultless lens across its zoom range.

Of course, all this quality comes at a cost. While I firmly think that the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is worth its price tag, if your budget doesn't stretch that far, the original Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM is still a solid buy. Also worth considering is the Samyang AF 24-70mm F2.8 FE, a trinity zoom that received glowing plaudits in our review for the sheer value for money it offers.

Read more: Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II review

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Best wide-angle lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

If you shoot landscape, architecture, or interiors, or just prefer to take a wider perspective, the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN | C is an ideal lens to pair with your Sony A7R camera. It's a small, metal-bodied, and robust lens with loads of sublime handling features, not least of which is the aperture ring. A small point perhaps, but we always appreciate it when a lens-maker sees fit to add one.

With a high-quality optical path, the Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN | C produces images of impressive sharpness and detail – in our lab tests, we found that sharpness was retained even when the lens was used wide-open at f/2, and that's what I found in my real-world testing as well. There is noticeable distortion, though it's correctable via software, and color fringing is pleasingly negligible even in the corners of the frame.

Read more: Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN | C review

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Best street lens for the A7R III and A7R IV

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 50mm lens for the Sony A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

The Sony FE 50mm F1.2 G Master is a spectacular nifty-fifty, boasting impressive sharpness right the way through its aperture range – yes, even at f/1.2. Sony has built this lens from the ground up with sharpness in mind, and its optical path includes three XA (extreme aspherical) elements; remarkably, these have been engineered to an accuracy of 0.01 microns (or one hundred-thousandth of a millimeter).

What this means, as I found in my testing, is that the lens performance is absolutely stellar – blowing away its rivals from the likes of Canon and Nikon. Our lab tests reported basically nothing in terms of imperfections, except for some pincushion distortion, and a little vignetting at f/1.2.

The handling, too, is excellent. It's a heavy lens, as it needs to be with specs like these, but not exceptionally so in the pantheon of 50mm f/1.2 lenses. This is an all-around fantastic optic, and if its asking price isn't too dear for you, it'll deliver nothing short of spectacular performance.

Alternatively, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM is more affordable, captures very good center-sharpness, and is both light and compact.

Read more: Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master review

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Best portrait lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

Like many portrait photographers, I swear by the 85mm short telephoto focal length, and if you're looking to shoot compelling images of people, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II lens is one of the smartest buys you can make. Something that's critical in portrait photography is being able to produce images with smooth, attractive bokeh (the defocused areas of an image), and the G Master lens delivers that in spades thanks to its 11-bladed aperture.

Sharpness and image quality are exceptional, as I discovered when I tested the lens, and the high-grade construction means that handling is perfectly on point. If you need a cheaper alternative, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 still delivers a lot of the characteristics that portrait photographers are looking for.

Read more: Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II review

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Best telephoto lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

My first impression of this Mark II Sony lens was how much lighter it is than the original, as well as beating most other ‘trinity’ telephoto zooms in this respect. Despite the lightened load, there’s no shortage of high-end handling extras, including switches for auto/manual focus, full-time DMF on/off, autofocus limiter, stabilization on/off switch, and stabilization mode. On the opposite side of the lens, there’s a switch to turn the aperture ring on and off.

Performance is everything I’d expect from a next-generation Sony G Master lens, combining excellent image quality with fast autofocus and effective stabilization. The only real sticking point is the price; then again, most camera manufacturers’ 70-200mm f/2.8 command the big bucks, so the Sony isn’t unusual in this respect.

Read more: Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II full review

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Best super-telephoto lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

I was hugely excited to see the coveted G Master line-up of lenses getting a 100-400mm optic, and the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master OSS did not disappoint. Blending superb sharpness with well-pitched handling that supports hand-held shooting, this is an ideal lens for long days capturing sports or wildlife on an A7R camera.

Indeed, in my tests and in our review, we couldn't say enough good things about this lens. Its impressively complex optical path gives it excellent image quality across the board, while the handling is nothing short of impeccable. The focus operates smoothly, the three customizable buttons give you real customizability, and the ‘zoom smoothness’ ring lets you adjust the torque required to move the zoom in accordance with your preferences.

Read more: Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master OSS review

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Best ultra-telephoto zoom for the A7R III and A7R IV

A complete redesign of the already excellent DSLR lens, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is a great lens for bird photography, airshows, and all manner of different sporting occasions.

The autofocus is excellent, able to take advantage of the latest AF subject-detection and tracking facilities of Sony cameras. The build quality of the lens is also impressive – while no one is going to pretend this is a lightweight lens, it handles well, with tactile zoom and focus rings and a series of on-body controls for functions like AF speed, stabilization intensity, and, as an addition for the mirrorless version, Zoom Torque control to adjust the resistance of the zoom ring.

Read more: Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports review

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Best macro lens for the A7R V, A7R IV & A7R III

Sony’s time-honored FE 90mm macro lens has been looking a bit old and tired for some time now. Enter the new FE 100mm, which is everything I’d hope for (and more) in a top-end macro lens. For starters, it goes extra-large on maximum magnification, boasting 1.4x magnification at its minimum focus distance, instead of the more usual 1.0x. And if that’s still not enough, you can boost it to as much as 2.8x for revealing near-microscopic levels of detail, if you add a 2x teleconverter.

While the maximum magnification is highly impressive, there’s a lot more to this lens than just acting as a magnifying glass for your Sony A7 V. There’s a smorgasbord of handling exotica, including a calibrated manual focus scale (I typically prefer manual focusing for macro shooting), an AF/MF switch, focus range limiter, stabilizer on/off and an iris lock switch to go with the aperture control ring.

High-performance glass includes two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two XA (eXtreme Aspherical) elements, along with a particularly well-rounded 11-blade aperture diaphragm. Nano AR Coating II and fluorine coatings are also applied. The lens isn’t a one-trick pony either. Great for portraiture or just as a short telephoto prime, it has no less than four XD (eXtreme Drive) linear motors to power its fast and virtually silent autofocus system.

Read more: Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS 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 Sony FE 85mm and FE 50mm G Master primes rule the roost for sharpness, but the Viltrox 35mm and Sigma 20mm run them extremely close, especially for such comparatively low-budget lenses. Color fringing and distortions are generally pretty low, although the Sigma 20mm relies more heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortion, which is available with the Sony A7R III and A7R IV.

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 A7R III and A7R IV

The A7R III, A7R IV and A7R V, like all Alpha 7 cameras, use the Sony E lens mount. Sony’s own E-mount lenses have either FE or E in their model names: all work on the A7R III, A7RIV and A7R V. FE lenses are designed for use with full-frame Sony cameras, including the A7R series, so these should be your first choice. If you are buying a third-party E-mount lens, check that the lens is designed for use with the full-frame Sony E-Mount.

Sony lenses with an E (rather than FE) prefix are designed for APS-C format cameras such as the A6000 series. On the A7R series, they produce a cropped image that doesn't fully fill the frame, so they’re not an ideal choice.

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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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.

The LUMIX S1RII has been officially announced as the latest flagship hybrid camera, setting a new standard in the realm of still and motion image creation. While the original LUMIX S1R primarily catered to photographers, the S1RII has been upgraded to function as a true hybrid camera. Featuring advanced video capabilities, this camera is designed for both professional photographers and videographers, built to enhance your creative storytelling and optimize your workflow.

With the launch of this cutting-edge camera, LUMIX is raising the bar for image quality and versatility. The S1RII boasts an impressive 8K video capability alongside a 44.3MP full-frame sensor. The hybrid camera is packed with advanced features to assist your creative projects effortlessly, like the new compatibility with Capture One tethering. To further enhance your user experience, LUMIX has also introduced the new BG2 battery grip and the LUMIX Flow app.

To experience the S1RII firsthand, join LUMIX's Touch & Try events and discover and compare cutting-edge functions with your current gear. By joining the future of hybrid content creation with LUMIX, you can also enjoy exclusive offers and pre-order promotions in collaboration with Capture One and SanDisk. Please note that the SanDisk pre-order promotion is available only in the US market.

LUMIX S1RII: Key features

Hybrid shooting

Phase Hybrid AF with AI technology
LUMIX's new flagship hybrid camera boasts an advanced Phase Hybrid Autofocus (AF) system, delivering industry-leading autofocus performance. Equipped with 779 points of Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), this camera utilizes real-time recognition and advanced AI technology, resulting in a 1.6 times faster focusing response. It features improved accuracy in eye and face recognition, leading to a twofold increase in human recognition precision. With its automatic tracking capability, you achieve precise autofocus results even when capturing high-speed subjects and framing multiple intersecting subjects. 

Active and advanced I.S.
Image Stabilization technology is crucial for recording high-quality material handheld or on the move. The S1RII includes a 5-axis Body Image Stabilizer (B.I.S.) that compensates for shaky hands, even when using lenses without Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.). For telephoto shots, the camera combines 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 and 2-axis O.I.S., enhancing shooting performance in low light or when zooming in. 

Along with Active I.S., the S1RII operates with advanced Electronic Image Stabilization (E.I.S.) to minimize perspective distortion during video recordings. Additionally, the Cropless mode can be activated to reduce perspective distortion without changing the angle of view. This feature is especially advantageous when using wide-angle lenses and is available when working with LUMIX S series lenses.

Real Time LUT
To give your work a unique look and feel, the S1RII is equipped with color presets known as LUTs (Look Up Tables). This feature allows you to perform in-camera color grading while recording, which saves you time in post-production. First introduced with the LUMIX S5II, this capability has become essential for many photographers and filmmakers, offering a convenient way to achieve a wide range of looks and styles, custom created by yourself or imported from the LUMIX Lab app.

Image creation 

177MP High-Res Shot Mode
LUMIX's signature rendering technology and high-performance engine allow for capturing intricate details at four times the pixel resolution, even when shooting handheld. By utilizing high-resolution mode, the S1RII employs in-body image stabilization (B.I.S.), which allows the image sensor to shift during continuous shooting. This feature automatically combines eight shots, resulting in a final image with an impressive equivalent resolution of approximately 177MP. Here, the S1RII offers flexibility with support for both RAW and JPEG formats and in-camera RAW processing. 

AFC 40fps burst shooting
The new sensor and DC motor optimized the mechanical shutter control of the S1RII, enabling high-resolution and high-speed continuous shooting to capture fast-paced action without sacrificing quality. When set to Speed Priority in H+ Burst Shooting mode, the S1RII stands out as the fastest camera in the LUMIX S series, achieving around 10 frames per second (mechanical shutter) and up to 40 fps (electronic shutter). 

The H+ (High Speed Plus) mode prioritizes burst speed when using the AFC (Auto Focus Continuous) setting, while real-time post-viewing in H+ and SH modes lets you check the framing without interruptions. With the pre-burst shooting function offering 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5-second options, you’re equipped to capture those fleeting, decisive moments easily. 

Capture One tethering
LUMIX has taken an exciting step forward by introducing tethering support with Capture One, the popular photography software suite among photography professionals. This development facilitates real-time editing and in-depth RAW processing during tethered shooting, enhancing the management of large data volumes. As a result, you can streamline your workflows and foster more effective collaboration among team members, elevating the quality and efficiency of your projects. To explore the benefits of this new feature, LUMIX is offering a 3-month free trial for all S1RII purchasers and existing LUMIX users. 

Video recording 

LUMIX’s first 8K recording
The S1RII sets a new standard for image quality, offering an impressive 16 times the pixel count of FHD in its history. With a new 44.3MP sensor, the camera records footage in 8.1K (17:9) at 8128x4288 resolution, 8K (16:9) at 7680x4320 resolution, and 6.4K in open-gate video. The S1RII also boasts a dynamic range of 14 stops in V-Log/V-Gamut, bringing lifelike scene details to the forefront.

Combining this powerful sensor with a high-performance image processing engine featuring advanced L² technology underscores LUMIX's commitment to its "Capturing it All" philosophy. The  S1RII excels in delivering detailed and natural high-resolution renderings, achieving an ideal balance between memory colors and accurate reproduction. It offers versatile shooting options across a broad range of lighting conditions, starting from ISO 80 to higher settings of ISO 51200, all while ensuring low noise levels.

Internal ProRes RAW + HQ recording
For streamlined shootings, especially during solo or small-scale projects, ProRes RAW HQ and ProRes RAW footage can be recorded directly to a CFexpress Type B card within the S1RII camera body. This eliminates the need for external devices and cables, allowing you to work independently and with greater creative freedom. 

32-bit float audio
The new LUMIX S1RII features high-quality audio recording through a 32-bit float recording function. This function provides a high dynamic range when used with the XLR microphone adaptor DMW-XLR2. It allows for capturing a wide range of sound levels without clipping, giving you complete control over creating professional audio material.

Photo Style: Cinelike A2
LUMIX offers a variety of photo styles to enhance your frames straight out of the camera. The latest addition, Cinelike A2, boasts an impressive dynamic range and deep gradation, making it ideal for capturing diverse scenes. 

8k open gate to come
LUMIX has announced that a firmware update scheduled for release this year will enable the S1RII camera to capture 8K Open Gate footage. This update will offer greater flexibility, as the camera will utilize the entire surface of its image sensor, effectively leveraging all the available data. As a result, shots will not be recorded in a fixed aspect ratio, opening up new possibilities in post-production.

Streamlined workflow

To enhance your workflow, LUMIX has introduced its own apps and compatibility with third-party software, aiming to streamline the process for both individual creators and teams. This includes not only photographers and videographers but also broadcasters and event media teams, facilitating smoother client deliveries so you can focus on your creativity.

Capture One: The S1RII supports tethering via Capture One, enabling real-time editing and in-depth RAW processing. 

Frame.io: Allows for direct transfer of photo and video materials to the cloud. 

LUMIX Lab: This smartphone app lets you load LUTs (Look Up Tables) directly onto the S1RII camera.

LUMIX FLOW: The most versatile LUMIX smartphone app for a faster, smarter, more organized video production process. LUMIX FLOW allows for storybook creation, on-site checks, transforms your smartphone into an external monitor, and automates data organization. 

What’s in it for you 

LUMIX’s exclusive offers

Enjoy a three-month free trial of Capture One with your purchase of the S1RII or by registering your current LUMIX camera. 

As a pre-order promotion, receive a free SanDisk® PRO-CINEMA CFexpress™ Type B card or SanDisk Extreme PRO® Portable SSD card when you purchase a LUMIX S1RII online or from an authorized dealer. This offer is valid in the US only and ends on March 31st, 2025. 

Sigma offers a diverse range of lenses in its ‘Global Vision’ Art, Sports, and Contemporary line-ups, aiming to offer ideal solutions to all sorts of photographers who are into every conceivable genre of photography. As an ‘Art’ lens, the 28-45mm F1.8 puts creative expression and excellence of image quality front and center of its design ethos. 

Indeed, Sigma claims it delivers comparable sharpness and clarity to that of a prime lens, throughout its entire zoom range. The outright zoom range might seem fairly limited but it covers popular prime focal lengths of 28mm, 35mm, and (very nearly) 50mm.

As such, this Sigma aims to be a zoom lens that effectively replaces three top-grade primes. That’s not exactly news to me, as I remember the same claims being made of the Sigma 24-35mm F2 DG HSM Art for DSLRs, which was launched back in the summer of 2015. Although it’s the first constant-aperture f/1.8 lens for full-frame cameras, there was also the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art for APS-C format DSLRs, dating back even further to 2013. 

Even so, the 28-45mm breaks new ground and I feel it’s a very tempting proposition for those of us who tend to shoot at modest wide-angle to standard focal lengths, without venturing into telephoto territory. The fast aperture rating enables a tight depth of field and quick shutter speeds for freezing motion, even under very gloomy lighting conditions.

All in all, the Sigma 28-45mm aims to take up residence as one of the best lenses for Sony and the best lenses for L-mount cameras.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Specifications

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Price

The launch price of $1,349 / £1,299 seems pretty reasonable to me, considering the fast and constant f/1.8 aperture. The price tag is in the same ballpark as the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II Art, which costs $1,199/£1,179 and, although the 28-45mm has a less generous zoom range, it’s naturally 1.33 f/stops faster throughout. 

For a further price comparison, the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM zoom which is only a third of an f/stop slower (and again has a more generous zoom range) is very much more expensive at around $3,099 / £3,299 – getting on for three times the price. The Canon is also nearly 50 percent heavier, at 1,430g compared with the Sigma’s 960g. The Sigma’s modest zoom range pays dividends on both counts.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Design & Handling

At the heart of the Sigma 28-45mm is some impressive glass. There are 18 optical elements in total, including three aspherical elements and five SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements, the combination aiming to maximize clarity and sharpness while minimizing aberrations like color fringing. The fast and constant f/1.8 aperture demands some wide-diameter elements towards the front but the HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motor that drives autofocus moves relatively small inner elements with an impressive turn of speed.

As well as fast autofocus for stills, there’s smooth and virtually silent autofocus for shooting video. The latter benefits from negligible focus breathing. For the L-mount version of the lens, Sigma’s optional USB Dock (sold separately) also enables you to customize the rotational travel for manual focusing, between 90 degrees and 720 degrees, That’s a further bonus for focus-pulling when shooting video, and there’s more... The lens features an aperture control ring with one-third f/stop clicks, plus a locking switch for its Auto position and a de-click switch for step-less control during video capture.

Two function buttons are fitted, nominally for autofocus hold, so they fall neatly under the thumb in both landscape and portrait orientation compositions. Typically, Sony and L-mount cameras enable you to customize the action of these buttons for alternative functions, if there’s something on the menu that you find to be more useful.

I like that the lens features both internal zoom and internal focus mechanisms, so the overall length remains fixed in all conditions. Not only does it avoid air (and potentially dust and moisture) being sucked into the barrel, but the constant center of gravity is a bonus when using a tripod or gimbal. The lens also features extensive weather seals and a moisture/oil-repellant fluorine coating on its front element.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Performance

The goal of any fast lens is the combination of good sharpness and clarity with smooth bokeh. The Sigma 28-45mm performs excellently on both counts. Sharpness is highly impressive across the entire image frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8, throughout the whole zoom range.

A common problem with fast lenses at their widest aperture is that they can be prone to axial color fringing, also known as ‘bokeh fringing’. This can show up around high-contrast transitions anywhere in the frame. The Sigma does brilliantly well to make this absolutely negligible. Bokeh itself is not only beautifully smooth but remains of excellent quality when stopping down a little, helped by a really well-rounded 11-blade aperture diaphragm.

Although the zoom range certainly isn’t extensive, the versatility of the lens is enhanced by a short minimum focus distance of 0.3m which, like the aperture rating, remains constant throughout the zoom range. This makes close-up photography a breeze and enables a useful maximum magnification ratio of 0.25x at the longest zoom setting.

Shooting against the light, ghosting, and flare is kept to a minimum but the combination of both Nano Porous Coating and Super Multi-Layer Coating, as well as a highly efficient petal-shaped hood.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Sample Images

The following gallery of images was taken with a Sony A7 II body at a range of apertures, including several shots at f/1.8 to demonstrate sharpness and bokeh when shooting wide-open. All of the interior and exterior shots were taken at the Bishop’s Palace & Garden in the Somerset city of Wells in the UK. For lab tests, we used the lens with a Sony A7R III camera body.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: 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:

Even shooting wide-open at f/1.8, levels of sharpness are excellent from the center of the frame right out to the extreme edges and corners. They genuinely match what we might expect from a set of prime lenses, throughout the entire zoom range. At some focal lengths, stopping down to medium apertures gives edge-sharpness that matches a number of top-quality lenses at the center of the image frame.

Fringing:

The lens exhibits superb control over both lateral and axial chromatic aberrations, the latter often being referred to as ‘bokeh fringing’. Color fringing is negligible at all combinations of zoom and aperture settings.

Distortion:

Barrel distortion can be a little noticeable at 28mm, while pincushion distortion gets progressively worse through the 35mm to 45mm sector of the zoom range. Even so, the amounts of distortion are much less than with many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, which rely entirely on automatic in-camera correction.

Sigma 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN Art: Verdict

Like many photographers, I feel that f/2.8 isn’t really a ‘fast’ aperture. I love that this Sigma has a truly bright aperture of f/1.8, delivered at all zoom settings. Sure, the actual zoom range of 28-45mm can feel a little limiting compared with, say, a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, but it’s a sacrifice I’m happy to make – even more so as the actual image quality produced by this lens is so absolutely fabulous. It really is like having three great-quality prime lenses in one zoom package and I love being able to switch between popular wide-angle and standard focal lengths in the blink of an eye, rather than having to continually change the lens on my camera. This Sigma is a real winner as far as I’m concerned, and great value at the price.

Alternatives

The Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 joins a growing range of Viltrox lenses that I’ve been hugely impressed with. I own quite a few, ranging from the low-budget but high-performance 13mm, 23mm, 33mm and 56mm f/1.4 primes to the more exotic but still very reasonably priced Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro. All of these lenses are for crop-sensor cameras, but I’ve also been impressed by the very compact, lightweight and unfeasibly inexpensive Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 and Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 for full-frame Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras. The 16mm f/1.8 is a more up-market full-frame compatible lens but still great value at the price, considering just how much Viltrox has packed into the design. As such, it aims to be one of the best lenses for Nikon Z cameras, best wide-angle lenses for Sony cameras and even one of the best lenses for astrophotography.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Specifications

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Price

At launch in 2024, the Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 for Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras had a list price of $549/£515, making it a standout bargain considering the highly impressive feature set and build quality. The closest own-brand equivalents are the considerably less wide-angle Nikon Z 20mm F1.8 S at $1,047/£1,059, and the wider-angle Sony FE 14mm F1.8 G Master lens at $1,598/£1,399. For Sony shooters as well as being available in an L-mount option, there’s also the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG DN Art at $1,599/£1,399.

Suffice it to say that the Viltrox only costs between a third and half the price of these competitors, and it’s equally great value in its subsequent L-mount version, launched at the beginning of 2026. Unlike the Viltrox, the more ‘ultra-wide-angle’ Sony and Sigma lenses have built-in lens hoods and no filter attachment thread, which can be a drawback especially in landscape photography where you might want to use circular polarizers or ND grads.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Design & Handling

So-called ‘trinity’ wide-angle zoom lenses are highly desirable but I feel they’re typically big, heavy and very expensive to buy. One of the attractions of my Nikon Z 6II and Sony A7II mirrorless camera bodies is that they’re reasonably compact and lightweight, and I feel the advantage is largely lost if I hang a relatively huge, hefty lens off the front of them. And let’s face it, many would argue that an f/2.8 aperture isn’t exactly ‘fast’. This Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 prime lens gives a still generous 105.6-degree viewing angle with a faster aperture, and I love that it’s relatively compact and lightweight, measuring 85x103mm and weighing 550g. For landscape shooting, I also love that it has a filter attachment thread, again unlike many wide-angle trinity zooms, and that thread has a modest diameter of 77mm, so filters aren’t massively expensive to buy.

The feature set is extensive, to say the least. There’s an onboard aperture control ring with a click/de-click switch, ideal for stills and video respectively. My only slight complaint is that there’s no locking switch to fix it in its Auto position for camera-driven aperture control. 

Back on the plus side, there’s an AF/MF switch for easily setting the focus mode without delving into camera menus. There are also two customizable Lens-function buttons, for the likes of autofocus-hold and more besides. Autofocus itself is courtesy of the now typical linear stepping motor arrangement, delivering fast performance for stills and smooth, virtually silent transitions when shooting video. 

A more novel feature of the lens is that it has a color LCD info screen at the top of the barrel. Given the lens’s suitability for astrophotography, it’s a genuine help when you’re working in the dark. It displays focus distance and aperture setting, and more besides. You can set A and B focus distances for automatically transitioning between the two. That can be really useful when shooting video. My first thought was that the LCD was a bit gimmicky but I quickly came to really appreciate it.

Naturally, no matter how sophisticated any lens is and how much handling exotica it features, the quality of the glass is the main event. The Viltrox doesn’t disappoint, with a complex optical path of 15 elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical elements and four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, aiming to boost clarity and keep aberrations to a minimum. HD Nano multilayer coatings are applied to minimize ghosting and flare, and the front element has a fluorine coating to repel moisture and greasy fingermarks, as well as making the element easier to clean.

I’m really impressed with the build quality of the lens. It has a sturdy metal barrel with extensive weather-seals, including a rubber gasket on its plated brass mounting plate. The mounting plate also plays host a USB C port for applying firmware updates, along with gold-plated electronic contacts for camera communication. All in all, build quality as well as the feature set are pretty amazing for a lens that’s so affordable to buy.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Performance

I had a thoroughly enjoyable time testing the lens with my Nikon Z 6II. Edge-to-edge sharpness wide open at f/1.8 is a big ask for such a wide-angle lens but the Viltrox proved very impressive. That’s a definite plus point for astrophotography and the likes of nighttime cityscapes when I want to avoid overly long shutter speeds. Another bonus in these scenarios is that the lens keeps a tight rein on coma, so pinpoint lights don’t appear as if they’ve grown comet tails nor take on more complex and irregular shaped ‘batwing coma’. Performance is very good in this respect, right out to the edges of the frame.

Stopping down a little, corner-to-corner sharpness really gets into its stride. Under low lighting conditions, for example when shooting architectural interiors, slower shutter speeds at less than wide apertures can bring the risk of camera-shake but I found that my camera’s IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) worked very well with the lens. I wouldn’t expect optical image stabilization in this type of ‘fast’ wide-angle lens, so wasn’t disappointed at the lack of it. I found that autofocus was not only fast and virtually silent, but also consistently accurate all of the time.

There’s noticeable vignetting at very wide apertures, which I’d entirely expect, but the auto correction for this in my Nikon camera gave an effective reduction. I actually quite like the option of having vignetting (or not) for creative effect, simply by disabling or enabling the in-camera correction.

I found that other aberrations were also kept well under control. There was very little evidence of color fringing, even around high-contrast transitions towards the edges and corners of the image frame. Distortion is also of a low order for such a wide-angle lens, again, even without relying on automatic in-camera correction. Overall, I’m really impressed by the image quality and all-round performance of the Viltrox 16mm. It looks, feels and performs like it should be a vastly more expensive lens.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Sample Images

The example shots in the following gallery were taken in the Somerset city of Wells in the UK, using a Nikon Z 6II. They comprise interior shots of Wells Cathedral and photos of the Bishop’s Palace & Garden, the latter in overcast conditions where the lens does well to maintain clarity and contrast.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Lab Results

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

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

Sharpness:

Center-sharpness is fabulous and edge-sharpness is very good, even shooting wide-open at f/1.8. Sharpness across the whole frame is really impressive for such a wide-angle lens, at apertures between f/4 and f/8.

Fringing:

Color fringing is absolutely negligible at wide apertures between f/1.8 and f/2.8. It still barely perceptible at narrower apertures, even without automatic in-camera correction.

Distortion: -1.08

It’s not quite a zero-distortion lens but, compared with many wide-angle lenses that I’ve seen for mirrorless cameras, barrel distortion is only very slight. That’s a big difference to all of the recent lenses that rely entirely on automatic in-camera correction. The Viltrox produces entirely usable results with no correction applied whatsoever.

Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8: Verdict

I’ve become something of a Viltrox convert. I’ve reviewed more lenses than I can remember but have been so impressed with several Viltrox lenses over the last couple of years that I’ve bought them to add to my permanent collection. The full-frame compatible 16mm F1.8 is pricier than most of its stablemates but still exceptional value for money, considering its superb image quality, refined handling and its host of features that even includes a color LCD display. For me, the lens is an absolute keeper.

Alternatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Canon has just dropped a bombshell on the world of cinema cameras with the Canon EOS C400 – its first full-frame RF mount cine camera, offering 12-bit 6K 60p, triple-base ISO (yes, really), Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus II and support for 180° VR video.

Fascinatingly, the Canon EOS C400 was first rumored a decade ago as a new model to sit alongside the C300 Mark III and C500 Mark II. While it technically sits below the C500 series, its specs are definitely streaks ahead of its older brother. 

Canon EOS C400 specs

The EOS C400 features a newly developed, back-side illuminated, full-frame 6K sensor. It's capable of RAW recording up to 6K 60p, 4K 120fps and 2K 180fps in Canon's 12-bit Cinema RAW Light format. 

It also offers Canon's own XF-AVC codec for uncropped 10-bit 4:2:2 capture up to 120p, oversampled from 6K, along with two new codecs: XF-AVC S and XF-HEVC S (with an "easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, while recording in the familiar MP4 format and preserving metadata").

Recording options aside, arguably the sensor's most amazing trick is the introduction of triple-base ISO – leapfrogging the conventional dual-native ISO technology seen in other video-oriented cameras. 

This enables the C400 to shoot at base ISOs of 800, 3200 and 12800 to offer an incredible dynamic range spectrum. 

With a full-fat CFexpress Type B slot and a standard SD card slot, the C400 enables you to record in RAW to the former while offering sub-recording and proxy options to the latter.

The 12-pin connection offered by the RF mount (the EF mount only had 8 pins) enables the Canon EOS C400 to take full advantage of broadcast and Cine-Servo lenses. 

It also boasts a full-size HDMI port, mini-XLR inputs, DIN connectors (for timecode, genlock and return video), 12G-SDI and 3G-SDI monitor outputs, ethernet connection and a variety of other in and output interfaces.

The camera also features integrated Wi-Fi connectivity along with support for video and audio IP streaming via SRT. Remote control is available via Canon's RC-IP100 or RC-IP1000 controllers, the Canon Multi-Camera Control app or browser remotes. 

All this signifies the company's full weight being thrown behind the RF mount when it comes to cinema cameras, following the baby steps taken by the Super35 EOS C70 and hybrid EOS R5 C. It's a brave but necessary step, moving away from the industry standard EF mount. 

The Canon EOS C400 will be available in September for $7,999 / £7,799 / AU$13,500 . Unlike other Cinema EOS cameras, which have been offered in PL mount, a dedicated PL to RF lens adapter is going to be sold for $1,599 / AU$2,600.

You might be interested in the best Canon cameras across all categories, including some of the best DSLRs and best mirrorless cameras.

TTArtisan has just announced a new 250mm manual focus full-frame prime lens, which already starts to sound farfetched but when you add the fact that it is a mirrored lens for the vintage M42 mount it passes farfetched and enters the realm of unbelievable! 

This week the TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Reflex lens was announced, available for M42 mount, a screw thread mount that harkens back to the days of retro cameras, in particular Praktica analog cameras of the 60s and 70s. However, TTArtisan states it is easily adapted for 'Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad cameras'.

Nowadays, besides being a motorway in the UK that connects Birmingham to Leicester, the M42 is an affordable method for manufacturers to create a universal lens where all you need to change is the camera-specific adapter. This is particularly effective when used with manual focus lenses that do not rely on electronic components. 

This is the case with the new TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 mirror lens, and in addition to its retro lens mount, it also has retro aesthetics and styling to match. Its diamond-shaped grip structure on the focusing ring looks straight out of the 1970s as it adds a vintage-styled grip for improved tactile usage. 

The lens is constructed of six lements in five groups, weighs 380g, and has a filter thread size of 67mm. Its all-metal aviation aluminum anodized body provides less weight than other lenses of similar specifications while remaining robust and durable for use in different environments. 

Like most mirrored lenses, the 250mm f/5.6 is more compact than typical lenses of similar focal lengths. The focal length enables the user to get close to the subject while creating a pleasing amount of compression in the out-of-focus areas. 

One of the defining features of mirrored reflex lenses is the spherical 'doughnut' bokeh produced when used with the lens' fixed f/5.6 aperture. The effect turns ordinary scenes into artistic painterly captures, and when used to capture rich colors, results in images that resemble abstract oil paintings.

Other notable features of the lens include a highly reflective metal mirror with a reflectivity of up to 98%, multi-layer ultra-low AR coatings, no vignetting on APS-C and full frame cameras, and a minimum focus distance of just 2m. 

Mirror lenses provide the user with a creative tool that captures everyday scenes in a new and innovative way turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. We haven't yet got our hands on the lens, TTArtisan has been making some great affordable lenses of late, so I imagine this will follow suit. 

The TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Reflex lens is available now directly from Pergear or from Amazon for $298 | £238 | AU $455. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best telephoto lenses, the best retro cameras, and the best portrait lenses. 

If you are on the hunt for a high-performance mirrorless camera, I've uncovered this incredible deal that could land you one of the best Nikon cameras while slashing a over £700 off the Nikon Z7 II, which can now be bought with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S kit lens at the lowest price we have ever seen it at..

With enhanced processing power, and expanded versatility, yet retaining its familiar design to the Nikon Z7, the Nikon Z7 II buillt upon the strengths of its predecessor, elevating its capabilities to new heights. Boasting a formidable 45.7MP FX-format BSI CMOS sensor and dual EXPEED 6 image processors, this camera is tailored for photographers who obsess over capturing every intricate detail.

While many other Nikon cameras are currently on sale, I believe this one represents the pinnacle of the prosumer of Nikon's range at the moment and is priced to suit the budgets of many users who want a camera that has high megapixels, good video capabilities and is a fantastic all-rounder for many photography genres. 

Sigma has just revealed a groundbreaking, world-first lens: the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art, which is the first full-frame zoom lens with a constant f/1.8 aperture, for E and L-Mount. 

This is exactly the kind of optic that the mirrorless revolution promised us: with larger throats and reduced distance between lens and sensor, lenses that were previously impossible are now achievable. 

Leave it to Sigma, the self-confessed "guinea pig of the lens industry", to deliver the 28-45mm f/1.8, which sets new standards for what we can expect of zoom lenses. Previously, the family of f/2.8 professional zooms (15-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm) were considered the "holy Trinity" because of their speed and coverage. 

While the new lens obviously covers a much shorter range, if those are the Trinity lenses then dare I say this 24-45mm f/1.8 promises to be the New Testament of what we can expect of performance optics. 

In addition to the constant f/1.8 throughout the range, the lens also boasts a constant size throughout the range – thanks to an internal zoom mechanism. So, while this 151.4mm / 960g lens isn't exactly small, it's incredibly compact for what it accomplishes – and, crucially, the balance remains fixed, making it perfect for gimbal use.

"The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art delivers sharpness and clarity comparable to that of a prime lens throughout its entire zoom range," claims the manufacturer, promising that it "rivals prime lenses for clarity and definition."

This is thanks to an elaborate optical formula consisting of 18 elements (including 5 super-low dispersion and 3 aspherical) in 15 groups, with Nano Porous Coating and Super Multi-Layer Coating meaning that flare and ghosting are "largely eliminated". 

In addition to its fixed size being a boon for videography, the lens also suppresses focus breathing and the dedicated aperture ring can be declicked – making it a powerful tool for filmmaking. 

The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art goes on sale June 20, for L-Mount and Sony E mount, priced £1,349 / £1,299 / AU$1,599. 

You might be interested in the best Sony lenses for E mount bodies along with the best L-Mount lenses for Leica, Panasonic and Sigma cameras.

Panasonic is no stranger to releasing small interchangeable lens cameras, and cameras like the Lumix LX100 II or Lumix GX85/80 previously featured highly on our list of the best travel cameras. However, these cameras seemed to have fallen out of favor at Panasonic, with 2019’s Lumix GX9 the last of its kind to be released as Panasonic has been busy promoting the very well-received Lumix S5II and S5IIX.

But when a quick glance at the sales figures for the Ricoh GR III, Fujifilm X100VI, or Sony a6700 shows that small but well-spec’d cameras are hotter than ever right now, it is clear which way the winds are blowing. And surprise – Panasonic is refreshing its compact interchangeable lens cameras with the Lumix S9.

However, this is no sequel to one of those aforementioned Lumix cameras, Panasonic has made a few key changes from any previous Lumix incarnations. First and foremost, the Lumix S9 boots the MTF sensor for full-frame one and has removed the viewfinder. No longer meeting the criteria to be a rangefinder, yet not a full compact, there is nothing else quite like the Lumix S9 currently on the market.

Panasonic is maneuvering this camera for the social media crowd, with a push of its in-camera LUT features and its ‘shoot to share in 30 seconds’ marketing, this might be the most influencer-targeted camera yet.

LUTs have been featured in previous Lumix cameras but have never been as prominent as they are with the S9, which is the first camera to feature a dedicated LUT button, while the camera will launch alongside the Lumix Lab app for creating and transferring LUTs. For the uninitiated, LUT stands for ‘Look Up Table’, which is a term for a predetermined set of parameters that affect the overall look of a photo or video by affecting the balance of color. It is similar to color grading, which is perhaps the more familiar term.

Panasonic has always been a master at balanced hybrid cameras, but the Lumix S9 is something new. Can this model serve photographers and videographers equally? Or is it just one for the 'gram?

Panasonic Lumix S9: Specifications

Panasonic Lumix S9: Price

Panasonic has already shown an appetite for some pretty enticing prices when it comes to Lumix cameras, but when the pricing was first revealed I was a little taken aback. The S9 comes in at just $1,499 / £1,499 for the body only, or $1,799 / £1,799 with the Lumix S 20-60mm lens.

Compared to its closest rivals this puts the camera at a whopping $700 / £850 less than the Sony ZV-E1, or $700 / £600 cheaper than the Sony a7C II. Both these cameras are not identical propositions but do feature a full-frame sensor and a pretty similar design.

However, there is a serious amount of competition in this area. The Lumix S9 is just $100 / £70 more than the APS-C Sony a6700 or $200 / £250 more than the Fujifilm X-S20. I could go on, with Canon and Nikon also having compelling options, but as you can see, it was wise for Panasonic to be aggressive on pricing.

But price and value are two different things, and the S9 does offer up value that is hard to resist.

Panasonic Lumix S9: Design & Handling

The Lumix S9 is an impressively small camera, especially when you consider it's packing a full-frame sensor under the hood. This is not quite the smallest full-frame camera out there, with the adorable Sigma fp still taking that mantle. But the camera is marginally larger in width and height than the Sony a7C or ZV-E1, but not quite as deep.

However, the Lumix S9 comes up against some of the same criticisms I leveled at the Sony a7C II. As soon as you attach a lens to the S9 it becomes very front-heavy, and with its very minimal grip, I found my hand (especially my pinky finger) aching using the camera one-handed. Panasonic has launched a Lumix S 26mm manual-focus fixed f/8 aperture pancake lens to go with the camera, but there aren’t any other good pancake options for L-mount right now. The additional size of a Lumix S 35mm or Lumix S 20-60mm lens, (the latter of which is sold in a kit with the S9), kind of undermines all the strengths of being such a small camera.

Size matters aside, the Lumix S9 is a very nice-looking camera, and will surely catch a few eyes when out and about, especially in its funky colors. The S9 takes after previous Lumix cameras like the Lumix GM5 or Lumix GX85, and like those cameras, it incorporates some retro-inspired rangefinder tropes, like a strip of faux leather across the front of the camera, but doesn’t go in for the full vintage look in the same way as Fuji or Olympus (OM Systems). It is another nice Lumix design, although it doesn't push the boundaries, in black, I am not sure I could pick the S9 out of a Lumix lineup.

As mentioned, there are some optional colors for the front strip of faux leather for a little individuality – Night Blue, Crimson Red, and Dark Olive. Cards on the table though, I don't really like colored cameras, but I don’t find these colors too offensive, and I almost like the green. I know many many others (including DCW’s Editor) love a colored camera so might be far more enthused than I am. The camera also comes in discreet Jet Black, which – call me boring, but would be my choice.

The Lumix S9 construction is good, the plastic construction feels solid enough but the buttons and dials also don't quite have the same quality feeling as other Lumix cameras like the S5II. The majority of the buttons are just a little flat and mushy whereas the S5II’s rounded buttons have a nice bounce, it's a very minor complaint, but it makes the camera feel slightly less premium. The Lumix S9 is not weather-sealed for dust and moisture resistance, which is a shame for a camera that will likely be used a lot while traveling, but again is understandable to keep the construction costs low.

The most notable addition to the rear of the camera is the new LUT button, which when pushed, opens the camera’s library of preloaded LUTs (but more on that later). Otherwise, the S9 features the usual staple controls most people will need, with key settings like focus mode, ISO, white balance, and drive modes on the rear control wheel under your right-hand thumb. The mode dial is up top, along with the shiny Lumix-red record button, exposure compensation button, and the shutter surrounded by a second control dial. It’s a tried and tested system that’s not dissimilar to many other brands, so most people should be able to just jump right into using this camera.

Panasonic's decision to not include an EVF is a curious one. Early marketing is not coy about the purpose of the S9 as an extension of your phone for social media, which I guess encourages you to use the screen. I'm sure missing out on the EVF also helped Panasonic meet the competitive price it wanted.

For video, where I would rely on the fully articulating screen, this is fine. However, as a photographer – I think not having the EVF hurts the camera considerably and kind of marks the camera as not for serious photographers.

My first day testing the camera was a very bright sunny day, and only having the screen to rely on was challenging. All I wanted to do was put the camera up to my eye to get a clearer picture of what I was shooting. This is even more relevant when we come in to talk about LUTs, where needing an accurate reference of your grading is fairly essential, and I struggled to see subtle differences between LUTs on the screen outdoors.

Panasonic Lumix S9: Performance

With a sensor essentially the same as the one featured in the excellent Lumix S5II (Panasonic suggested it's not exactly the same sensor), I was expecting the same great performance that I love from its big brother, and I was not disappointed. The Lumix S9 looks set to continue Panasonic's domination of hybrid video cameras, with some seriously impressive video chops like open gate 6K30p, Cinema 4K, and 14+ stops of dynamic range in V-Log.

The S9 features Panasonic’s latest Phase Hybrid AF with 779 AF points, which I found quick and accurate in testing, especially locking onto human faces and eyes. The S9 is also capable of tracking animals, birds, cars, and motorcycles. I have been impressed when previously testing the S5II and Lumix G9 II, so expecting the same performance here, although I haven’t had the chance to fully put it through its paces in my short time with the camera so check back in for the full review.

The S9 has 6.5 stops of 5-axis Dual I.S. 2, which matches the S5II performance. A lot of numbers are thrown around when it comes to IBIS ratings that don’t always reflect reality. But Panasonic has consistently impressed me with its stabilization tech more than any other brand. Its algorithms produce the most gimbal-like performance yet. On my initial tests, the S9 footage looks just as steady as its other cameras.

For stills photography, the S9’s 24MP isn’t quite as headline-grabbing as some rival cameras, but 24MP is still enough megapixels today, especially when the S9 is geared towards sharing images on social media and online where ultimate image resolution is not paramount. If you do need larger images, the S9 can perform Panasonic’s useful trick of Handheld High-Res, which combines several shots in-camera to output a 96MP image without the need for a tripod. However, this shouldn’t be relied on for every image as it is not suitable for moving subjects and generates some hefty file sizes.

Panasonic is also introducing a brand new feature called Crop / Hybrid Zoom with the S9 which might beat LUTs to be my favorite S9 feature. Crop Zoom, as the same suggests, applies with a digital crop to the JPEG image giving the impression a longer lens was used. I tested the camera with a 24mm prime lens, which I could digitally “zoom” to around 75mm, which gave me a 1920x1080 (~2.7MP) pixel image. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but is perfectly fine for social media. If you shoot in RAW+JPEG, you can also fall back on the uncropped RAW image if you find you don’t like the crop later.

The zoom doesn’t just jump between different crop factors though, instead, you can smoothly slide through every millimeter of the crop zoom range. If you can avoid looking at the lens, it does feel like a compact camera zoom camera. Hybrid Zoom functions in a similar way, but it combines the optical zoom of a lens with a digital crop as you manually twist the lens, for example, the Lumix S 20-60mm lens becomes a 20-187mm lens.

I really enjoy using digital zoom with fixed-lens cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI and Leica Q3, although both those cameras have more megapixels to play with, as sensors get better, it is great to see digital crops become more viable. Panasonic’s implementation is superb though, and I am really hoping this comes to other Lumix cameras via an update.

Moving onto the feature that everyone will be talking about with the S9 – Real Time LUTs. Is the sudden prominence of LUTs a direct response to the popularity of Fujifilm’s film simulations and film recipes? Maybe, but, LUTs are a bit of a different beast. While Fuji’s simulations are based on trying to accurately recreate film stock in a digital way – LUTs have a more wide-ranging scope to be creative with color for better or worse (although, yes, you can also use a LUT to try and recreate film stock). I am not going to wade into saying one is better than another, it really depends on how you want your images to look.

The way the S9 integrates LUTs is excellent. Hitting the LUT button allows you to cycle through all the LUTs you have loaded onto the camera, and they affect the live-view image in real time. You get 39 slots to load LUTs into via the companion Lumix Lab app, which is frankly more LUTs than I think I could even keep track of, and plenty of scope for playing with different styles.

The Lumix Lab app is also very well designed, linking the camera took a few attempts, but the process couldn’t have been more straightforward, it was also so simple to find a few LUTs I liked and load them onto the camera. I have hit a few connection bugs along the way, but I am using a pre-release version of the app, so hopefully, these will be ironed out.

At the end of the day, your enjoyment of LUTs comes down to how you like to edit. If you already have a library of Lightroom or Premiere presets, or you love an app like VSCO, then in-camera LUTs are far from essential, you can just apply image presets and LUTs in post-production and keep on truckin’.

But having this in-camera is hard to beat for speed and simplicity, two essential things for content creators with tight turnaround times. LUTs can cut out the tedious process of importing files into editing software to apply a filter before exporting them again. When it comes to video, while you might still want to crop videos and overlay text and graphics, this can be done in simpler mobile apps. Social is just going to keep growing, and LUTs are a big step towards the future of photography.

Panasonic Lumix S9: Lab results

For our lab data comparison we compared the Lumix S9 to another entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R8. We've included the Sony ZV-E1 as another example of a small, full-frame camera targeted at vloggers, and the latter also applies to Fujifilm's X-S20, which costs about the same as the S9, though it packs a smaller APS-C sensor.

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

With their identical 24.2MP resolutions, the Lumix S9 and Canon EOS R8 resolve identical levels of fine detail throughout our tested sensitivity range. Despite its slightly higher megapixel count, the X-S20 struggles to match the full-frame cameras for outright detail at higher ISOs due to its smaller APS-C sensor being more prone to moiré. Inevitably, the 12MP ZV-E1 was never going to excel in this test.

Dynamic range (EV):

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

The S9's dynamic range isn't quite class-leading at lower sensitivities, but it manages to outperform the Canon and Fujifilm cameras at high ISOs. But the combination of a large sensor and a (relatively) low pixel count makes the ZV-E1 unbeatable for dynamic range in low light.

Signal to noise ratio (decibels):

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

The S9 manages very low noise levels throughout the tested sensitivity range, and almost manages to match the ZV-E1 at high ISOs. This in spite of the S9 having much smaller individual pixels, which in theory could have made it more prone to generating noise.

Panasonic Lumix S9: Verdict

The Lumix S9 has been introduced at the perfect moment to cater to the growing demand among creatives for compact cameras that don't compromise on capability – and the S9 is an impressively small camera, despite housing a large full-frame sensor. However, this size advantage is somewhat negated once you attach a lens, with even some of the smallest L-Mount prime lenses being front-heavy, disrupting the balance and handling with the S9’s very minimal grip.

To maintain its compact dimensions, the S9 also forgoes an electronic viewfinder, a decision that will very likely detract from the experience for traditional photographers who enjoy composing shots with a viewfinder. I really missed the viewfinder here, and I think this will be the make-or-break factor for a lot of photographers when considering this camera.

But this raises the question of whether the S9 is actually a photographer's tool or is it just for content creators. The Lumix S9 positions itself as a versatile camera that bridges the gap between traditional photography and modern content creation. I am not sure it achieves that, but it certainly does a wonderful job at the latter.

The promotion of built-in LUTs to a dedicated button will appeal to social media creatives who need to quickly post polished photos. The new LUTs button, alongside the Lumix Lab app, makes this functionality incredibly simple to use. Additionally, the new crop/hybrid zoom function enhances the S9’s versatility when you only have a single lens or don’t have time to change lenses.

One of the most compelling aspects of the S9 is its aggressive pricing, but competition in this area is also very strong, with Sony, Canon, Fuji, and more offering notably similar cameras. However, the triple threat of compact size, incredible video features, and its full-frame sensor set the S9 apart at this price. For content creators working on social media and YouTube channels, the S9 is definitely a camera to check out.

Alternatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was the camera that started a revolution... well, at least for Fujifilm, the company that made medium format cameras cheaper and smaller. The Fujifilm GFX 100S successfully packs a whopping 102MP large-format sensor into a DSLR-like body, making it a little easier to handle than the bigger, more unwieldy models that were best suited to studio work.

In my Fujifilm GFX 100S review, I said that it had a "relatively affordable price tag" and that was at launch in 2021 when it cost AU$9,499. Three years on and just hours after the second-generation Fujifilm GFX100S II was announced, you can pick up the mark I model for less than the cost of a premium full-frame camera.

Head to Diamonds Cameras where the GFX 100S body is down to a record-low price of just AU$,5899! That's a huge saving of AU$3,600 on its launch price and AU$2,200 off its current list price at the retailer. You'd better hurry, though, as stock might be limited.

There was a time when the team here at Digital Camera World considered the GFX 100S the best medium format camera, but it's now been replaced by the Mark II model that's just been announced. That said, it's still our pick of the best affordable 100MP medium format camera.

More than just a megapixel beast, this camera liberates medium format photography from the studio and even makes it a viable street photography camera, thanks to its amazing stabilization. And between the 102MP on tap for stills and 4K/30p video, it's not a bad option as a hybrid, although if video is your main priority, you'll find better elsewhere.

Like I've said previously, medium format photography isn't meant for fast-paced environments like the sports arena or for wildlife shots – it's best for landscapes, portraiture, architecture or anything else where you can take your time to think about your shot. And in that, the GFX 100S excels. 

The results this camera produces is just stunning and you get a bunch of film simulations too. 

What you do miss out with the GFX 100S is subject detection and the speedy autofocus from smaller sensor formats. If that doesn't bother you, this will be a very nice investment if you've been holding off on getting into medium format photography.

Take a look at the best Fujifilm GF lenses to accompany the GFX 100S 

Many of the best cheap camera deals you can find are on older models… Trusted cameras that have been on sale of a few years - but now discounted to prices that make them bargains. And today, we have spotted best-ever price for the Panasonic S5  - with a body-only deal from Amazon for £799.

If you want a lens, the best deal is one with its Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom, which is  just £849 also from Amazon.

Launched four years ago, the S5 helped turn Panasonic into a major player in the full-frame mirrorless camera market - thanks to its great price. And now with its successor, the Panasonic S5 II now on the market - the OG has dropped to what is a seriously tempting price for those looking for a full-frame bargain.

Well-rounded and fairly lightweight, the Panasonic Lumix S5 combines capable video and photo functions with a portable design. Featuring a full-frame 24.2MP CMOS sensor that's capable of recording UHD 4K at 60p (with 10-bit internal recording), offers dual native ISO in various codecs, and a wide 14 stops of dynamic range. For stills it caters to a versatile range of applications, with 7fps continuous shooting, native ISO from 100-51200, and can even produce 96MP images from its High-Res Shot mode.

In terms of physical design, the S5 borrows elements from the larger S1-series of cameras, but has a smaller footprint and lightweight profile for improved portability. The S5 incorporates a 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a free-angle 3.0" 1.84m-dot touchscreen LCD. It also has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity to devices, and offers dual SD memory card slots for extra file flexibility. 

It has a fully articulated screen, which makes it perfect for shooting video overhead, at the hip, or recording yourself. The screen can also be flipped to face you, making it perfect for vloggers who want a high-quality stills camera.

Its video capabilities are impressive, and even more so if you hook it up to an external recorder such as the Atomos Ninja V. Internally, it can shoot 4K 60 10-bit 4:2:0 with a 30-minute record limit and a max data rate of 200Mbps. When filming with an external recorder, it can output 5.9K raw at 12-bit 4:2:0.

All in all, the price-to-performance ratio with this amazing deal is hard to pass up!

Check out what you might miss out on in our Panasonic S5 II vs S5 guide, and see our choice of the best lenses for the Panasonic S5

Released all the way back on October 09 2018, the original Canon EOS R was the company's first full-frame mirrorless camera – and saw the debut of the firm's innovative RF mount. This mount paved the way forward for Canon's mirrorless cameras and steered away from the DSLR cameras that the company had been so heavily invested in up until this point.

I was an early adopter of the milestone EOS R, but while we've had no less than 10 new RF-mount Canons since – including the entry-level EOS R100, current flagship EOS R3, and even 2020's EOS R6 which since was quickly replaced by 2022's EOS R6 Mark II – we still haven't had a replacement for the OG. In fact, it was the R6 Mark II that finally caught my eye and tempted me to upgrade, as I could twiddle my thumbs waiting for an EOS R Mark II no longer.

After talking to Canon's imaging product marketing lead at Canon EMEA, David Parry, at this year's Photography & Video Show, he said that while he couldn't confirm anything he did think that a Canon EOS R Mark II was "very unlikely".

Even though I have now 'upgraded' to the R6 Mark II, it still feels in many ways like a downgrade from the EOS R. 

I'm over the moon with modern conveniences such as a stabilized sensor, twin SD card slots, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, blisteringly fast 40fps shooting (12fps with the mechanical shutter), 4K 60p video, Canon's latest multifunction shoe and finally a joystick at the rear that replaces the inferior multi-function bar that I could never get on with (Canon has thankfully now done away with it).

But the original EOS R had some very desirable features, including a top LCD screen to show you useful settings – and this is something that most of the new RF-mount models omit. Then there's its very respectable 30.3MP full-frame sensor, favoring clarity and resolution over high burst speeds. 

Lastly, its price point was a little more budget-friendly costing $2,299 at launch – that's $200 less than the R6 Mark I and Mark II at their respective launches.

At the moment, the only 'true' successor to the debut EOS R in my mind is the EOS R5 – which has all the modern conveniences you'd want the EOS R to have, but it's also nearly twice the price costing a whopping $3,899 at launch!

So I guess it's time to suck it up and accept that Canon's EOS R5 is the closest we'll get to a proper named successor to the EOS R. The original R was a bit of an oddball for its time, as most of Canon's new cameras have followed on from their DSLR counterparts: the Canon EOS 6D Mark II was replaced by the R6 and R6 Mark II, the 5D Mark IV was superseded by the R5 and so on.

There's still a question mark over whether Canon's EOS R3 is to be the company's flagship camera, or whether we'll see an EOS R1 ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics to fill the shoes of Canon's EOS-1D X Mark III (which was the company's flagship DSLR). But the EOS R didn't replace anything; it was its own new exciting thing, all by itself.

July will mark the fourth year of Canon's EOS R5, now widely regarded as one of the best full-frame mirrorless cameras ever produced. So will we now get the arrival of the much-awaited R5 Mark II this year, and finally see second-hand prices of the R5 come down to more affordable levels? Only time will tell, but you might see me trading in once more for an EOS R5 if they do!

Take a look at the best Canon cameras in the R system right now, along with the best Canon RF lenses to pair with them. 

Viltrox has just released one of its best lenses for astrophotography for the Nikon Z mount after having seen success with this prime lens on the Sony system. 

Viltrox is a third-party lens manufacturer that has recently been making some of the best budget lenses on the market, and last year it released a modern super-wide prime lens in the form of the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for Sony E mount. This full-frame lens has now been released for mirrorless Nikon users to enjoy on the Z mount. 

In addition to offering a fast super-wide prime option, the lens has been recognized for its great build quality and modern features, making it a fantastic video and stills lens. 

The Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 is optically constructed of 15 elements on 12 groups, including 4 ED lenses and 3 aspherical lenses, delivering high image quality with great precision. The addition of the ED and aspherical lenses helps with combating aberration suppression and rendering light sources. Limiting these unwanting artifacts is especially important in astrophotography, a genre of photography where this lens would shine. 

AF is relatively new to modern lenses developed by budget third-party Chinese lens manufacturers, but despite being a recent addition, the AF performance has been well received. The inclusion of an STM and lead screw-type stepping motor means that the AF should be quick and efficient, and eye focus makes tracking simple. 

Viltrox has thought about the user when designing the 16mm f/1.8 as there are many elements that welcome ease-of-use functions in what Viltrox calls its operating system. The 'operating system' is essentially the control design features that enable the user to have greater 'efficiency' when shooting.

The lens features a 0.95-inch LED panel that shows distance, depth of field, and aperture information on the top of the lens, making it easy to see in low-light environments such as when shooting astrophotography. Two custom function buttons, a click on/off switch, and an AF/MF switch complete the quinumvirate.

The click / de-click approach option for modern lenses makes them more versatile for both stills and video. Reducing the clicks reduces the motion that may interfere with long exposure or video captures. Having a separate aperture ring also enables greater control and flexibility, and is becoming more common since the success of Fujifilm's iterations. 

Other notable features include a 77mm diameter filter thread, a dustproof structure, HD multi-layer lens coating, and a USB-C port for future firmware updates. 

This lens looks great for landscape and astrophotographers, and I would say it also has a place in the kit bag of videographers. 

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z mount is available now for just $549 | £440 | AU $799 - an absolute steal for the features included in this lens. 

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

For me, the focal length of the Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 neatly bridges the gap between a 50mm standard prime and a moderately wide-angle 35mm lens. I find it gives an ideal perspective for street photography and walkabout shooting, and that its compact, lightweight build makes it very easy to live with. Naturally, you can also use the lens on APS-C format Nikon Z or Sony E bodies, where it gives an ‘effective’ 60mm focal length.

I’m not one to be fooled into thinking that ‘cheap’ Chinese lenses are second-rate. I actually own all three of the compact yet fast, metal-bodied Viltrox AF 23mm F1.4 Z, Viltrox AF 33mm F1.4 Z, and Viltrox AF 56mm F1.4 Z primes, plus the slightly larger Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 Z and the faster Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro, both of which are also metal-bodied. They’re all APS-C format lenses which I use on my Nikon Z fc and I’m continually delighted with them, one and all. Following on from the recently released Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8, the new AF 40mm is full-frame compatible and aims to be one of the most affordable of lenses for Nikon Z and lenses for Sony E.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: What's changed?

Viltrox is a well-established brand for photographic lighting and other accessories, and has more recently been ramping up its production of lenses in various mount options. Thus far, most of the lenses released by the company have been for crop-sensor cameras and feature aperture control rings. The AF 40mm is a more pared-back lens without an aperture ring, ideally suited to full-frame Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Specifications

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Price & Availability

Availability of the Nikon Z-mount version of the full-frame Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 lens is from the end of April 2024, with the Sony E-mount version due to follow a month or two later. The APS-C format 23mm, 33mm and 56mm APS-C lenses all have a faster aperture of f/1.4 and cost around £249/$299 each. The AF 40mm lens needs to produce a larger full-frame image circle but has a slower f/2.5 aperture rating and lacks an aperture control ring. It has a rock-bottom selling price of around £165/$158, similar to that of the companion Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Design & Handling

I’ve always felt that a key advantage of any ‘interchangeable lens’ camera system is that I can fit the right tool for the job to the camera body. I often think that f/2.8 zoom lenses feel big and heavy, especially for relatively compact system cameras compared with hefty DSLRs. I like being able to carry two or three small and lightweight prime lenses, which often have a much faster aperture. I can’t really say that about the Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5, which is only one-third of an f/stop faster than an f/2.8 lens, and it’s actually two-thirds of an f/stop slower than the competing Nikon Z 40mm F2 prime. For Nikon Z camera owners, it’s an interesting comparison.

The Nikon lens is nearly half an inch shorter than the Viltrox but only 10g lighter in weight, despite having a plastic mounting plate, whereas the Viltrox has a metal plate. The Viltrox also comes with a petal shaped, bayonet-fit hood, whereas Nikon only offers a screw-in hood as an optional extra. And the Nikon lens is considerably more expensive to buy, with a list price of around £259/$297. Both lenses have a 52mm filter attachment thread.

Handling feels very similar to the competing Nikon Z 40mm lens. There’s no AF/MF switch, so you need to dip into camera menus to make the change. The lens also lacks the aperture control ring that’s featured in the APS-C format Viltrox lenses I mentioned earlier. Personally, I don’t mind that. While the de-clicked aperture ring in the other lenses is handy when shooting video, there’s no firm click between the Auto setting, in all but the 27mm Pro lens, and I find it’s all too easy to nudge it accidentally from its Auto position to a really narrow aperture setting.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Photo Performance

You’re unlikely to go for a compact, lightweight, cut-price lens if you’re in the market for ultimate image quality and all-round performance. However, the Viltrox is nice and sharp across most of the image frame, even wide-open at f/2.5, only dropping off towards the extreme edges and corners, where I’d still rate it as entirely acceptable. Corner-sharpness is actually better than from the competing Nikon Z 40mm f/2 lens, although the Nikon picks up better for corner-sharpness at apertures of f/4 and narrower.

Color fringing can be quite noticeable towards the edges and corners of the frame but are effectively eliminated by in-camera corrections in both Nikon and Sony cameras. There’s a touch of barrel distortion but I didn’t feel the need to apply in-camera or post corrections for the example shots I took while testing.

The linear (lead-screw) stepping motor for autofocus is fast and typically near-silent. In my tests with a Nikon Z 6II, I found that autofocus worked well with face/eye detection and was well able to keep pace with moving subjects in continuous autofocus mode. Manual focusing via the electronically coupled control ring is smooth and precise. In both AF and MF focus modes, the lens can focus down to a minimum distance of 0.34m, giving a maximum magnification ratio of 0.14x.

The combination of 40mm focal length and f/2.5 aperture enables a pretty tight depth of field when shooting close-ups. Bokeh is quite smooth and bokeh disks from defocused lights remain well-rounded when stopping down a little, despite the aperture diaphragm only having a modest  number of seven blades. Again, for the sake of comparison, the Nikon lens has a nine-blade aperture diaphragm.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Sample Images

This gallery of example shots was taken on an overcast morning in and around the floating harbor at Bristol, UK.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: 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:

Our lab tests revealed excellent levels of sharpness across most of the image frame, from wide-open at f/2.5 down to f/11. Sharpness at the extreme edges and corners of the frame aren’t so impressive but still perfectly acceptable.

Fringing:

There’s a little color fringing towards the edges and corners of the image frame that remains of a fairly consistent level throughout the aperture range. In practice, it’s eliminated by the automatic in-camera correction of Canon and Nikon cameras.

Distortion: -0.44

Unlike many compact lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, there’s almost no reliance on in-camera correction for distortion. There’s a touch of barrel but it’ll generally go unnoticed even when shooting architectural subjects with lots of straight lines.

Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5: Verdict

I’m a sucker for a bargain, which is why I already have so many Viltrox lenses in my personal collection. The AF 40mm f/2.5 is the first full-frame lens from the company that I’ve used. Handling is relatively basic, without an aperture control ring, but it’s nice and small and lightweight. Image quality and all-round performance are very respectable, making it standout value for a full-frame lens at the incredibly affordable asking price. 

Alternatives

This was one of the best Black Friday deals last year - but now we have spotted another big discount on one of the best-value full-frame mirrorless cameras around.

The Sony A7 II is a great mirrorless camera from a great family of mirrorless cameras. This full-frame model is the second generation A7  - and this is a particularly good deal as it gets Sony's built-in image stabilization, as well as the large sensor - at an incredible price. 

The Mark II is a serious step on the original Sony A7, but the A7 II is a completely different proposition, with Sony’s 5-axis in-body stabilization, improved autofocus and enhanced video.

The A7 II has a full-frame 24.3 megapixel sensor, hybrid contrast/phase-detection autofocus improved ergonomics and an ISO 50-25,600 ISO range. It doesn’t shoot 4K video, but it can shoot full HD at up to 60/50fps. The A7 II also has Wi-Fi built-in and a tilting rear screen. It may be an old camera - succeeded by the Sony A7 III and the Sony A7 IV, but at this price it is a real bargain - as a budget route into full-frame mirrorless photography - or as a second back-up body.

Read more

• Sony A7 vs A7 II vs A7 III: How do they compare?

• These are the best mirrorless cameras you can buy right now

• How to choose the best Sony camera

• Best lenses for Sony A7 II

Blackmagic Design is announcing its new line-up of products for ahead of the NAB trade show - and we are here to report on what the Australian professional video gear specialists have in store. You can watch the whole presentation, which lasted over two hours, on the YouTube link below.

Key announcements were:

• A new flagship cinema camera - the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K. This has been built from the ground up with a new full-frame sensor offering 16-stops of dynamic range, and offers much more adaptability than has been possible with previous Ursa model. It uses an Arri PL mount - but ships with a Canon EF mount if that's what you prefer. It has 8 terabytes built-in as standards. It will cost $14,995.

• A new box camera - the Blackmagic PYXIS 6K. An interesting thing about this full-frame cine camera is that it is available with three different lens mounts - L-mount, Canon EF mount, or the industry-standard PL mount. It has dual CFexpress Type B card slots, and can record in Blackmagic RAW. It will cost $2,995, including DaVinci Resolve 19.

• Major updates to the DaVinci Resolve 19 video-editing software. A summary of the main ones is:

• Ability to edit timeline content based on source clip transcription.
• AI-powered UltraNR noise reduction for spatial denoising
• Film Look Creator 
• AI Defocus Background isolates foreground with blur
  

Also , dropped in almost as an aside in the 20 new hardware products announcements, Grant Petty told us that they are working on the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K - which will have a massive 65mm sensor with 17,520x8,040 pixels designed for shooting IMAX. The camera would use the larger LPL and Hasselblad lens mounts.

The live stream of the press conference started for those in Los Angeles at 9 AM PDT, in New York at 12 PM EDT, in London at 5 PM BST on April 12 – and in Sydney at 2 AM AEST on April 13.

The NAB 2024 exhibition kicks off in Las Vegas this weekend - running from April 13-17 -  and as usual we expect Blackmagic Design to bring us a range of product announcements. In its teaser, it says, "Join us to learn what's new in broadcast, post-production, and cameras!". 

Blackmagic is highly secretive, and unlike most other camera manufacturers, new products rarely leak ahead of its online press conferences—and as such, we don't really know what we have in store. But let's hope for new additions to its Ursa and Pocket Cinema Camera ranges and to its highly regarded video editing software, DaVinci Resolve.

Last year, the company announced its first full-frame L-mount camera the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K - and as a member of the L-mount Alliance, it will be interesting if it launches more camera using this lens mount that it also used by Panasonic, Leica and Sigma for some of its cameras.

Are you all set for the Blackmagic announcements - the music is playing, and the YouTube link (above) is now live…

Sadly, Blackmagic has disable comments on the YouTube page - so we can't report on what everyone is wanting to see. However, over 2,500 viewers are currently online, and that is going up as we type...

And we are off… with a rundown of some of the movies Blackmagic gear has been involved with. So great films there…

Some big camera news! So that will be the highlight - as we had hoped... But that will doubtlessly come at the end of the video, so stay patient

First up a new VideoHub router using 12G SDI
$12,995
Shipping in about five weeks

Next up...
ATEM 2 M/E Constellation 4K - adds an Ultra HD model to Blackmagic's range of video production switchers.
$3,795

Next…
ATEM 1 M/E Constellation 4K
Another switcher - for HD and Ultra HD
$1,795 and available now

New low-cost studio switcher is up next for desktop use with software control…
ATEM Micro Panel
$675
Available in July

Blackmagic says it want SMPE 2110 to be available to more people...
so has come up with a new codec Blackmagic IP10 Codec to make it easier for use

But also has a family of converters so that you can bring 2110 into your workflow

Now a studio monitor with 2110 compatibility, for use in rack systems.
$1265 - same price as previous model, coming in next few weeks

Next some news on DaVinci Resolve 19

AI tools
There's a really neat audio editing feature where the speech is captured as text, and then you can edit the video by simply removing that section of dialogue

7 channel color mixing
Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Skintone - each color can be adjusted individually

New film look creator panel

A defocus background feature uses AI to throw things in the distance out of focus

AI Music Remixer allows you to change music to mke it fit your video better - turning a song into an instrumental 

Another neat effect is being demonstrated that makes it easier to pan the audio across the sound field to match the action.

New features in the Cut page - allowing it to catch up with advances Blackmagic has made to live video capture that are made possible with Blackmagic Cloud. This work was apparently slowed down by having to rewrite DaVinci to allow for Apple's M1, M2, and M3 chips.

DaVinci Resolve Replay Editor
costs $495
New live video editing console for DaVinci, offering improvements over the existing Speed Editor

Allows you to synchronize two videos you are using using the timecode, putting them in the right relative position on the editing timeline

We are an hour into the presentation now - and we are still expecting a big camera announcement (in fact, that's what we have been promised). 

Lots of new DaVinci Resolve 19 updates - all available for free, which is pretty good news

At last the cameras…

First, we get the Ursa Cine 12.
This is an money-no-object version of the existing Ursa Mini Pro 12K - but with a totally redesigned body to make it more suitable to high-end movie makers, who need a fully-modifiable set-up.

Most importantly, it has a newly designed - and bigger - 12K full-frame sensor.

It has a PL-mount as standard, but comes supplied with a Canon EF-mount plate.

This is a serious beast - and apologetically they say that its price is to match. But for what we can see, we think the $14,995 asking price is pretty reasonable - and comes supplied in a Peli case. It will be available from April - but only to selected partners, so not expect to see it available online for a while. 

A kit with the new electronic viewfinder (one of a number of accessories that are being made for this camera) will cost $16,500.

Next it is more portable models, and it is a box camera

The PYXIS 6k camera has a full-frame open-gate. sensor, with a 13-stop dynamic range. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum. Records to two hot-swappable CFexpress Type B memory cards. 

The asking price starts at $2,995. There are three different models - L-mount, EF-mount or (the more expensive) PL-mount. It will go on sale from June.

Next, we get the DaVinci Resolve Micro Color Panel with three trackballs that can connect to your computer via Bluetooth, and has a slot to hold an iPad, if you are editing on a tablet. It costs $495 and is available now.

And now we get the news that Blackmagic gets an immediate $200 dollar price reduction on both the 3G and 12G Blackmagic Video Assist lineup. So that makes the 5inch 3G model just $325 - which is pretty impressive for a on-camera monitor.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV will go down in history as one of the best DSLR cameras ever - and it remains one of the most popular DSLR cameras still in production. We have just noticed that Currys has just slashed the price of this full-frame workhorse - making it over £400 less than you can buy it at other UK retailers (and £573 less than it was earlier in the week at Currys)

Quite simply, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is one of the most well-rounded and complete DSLRs we've tested. From landscapes and intimate close-ups to sports and wildlife, it'll perform superbly in any situation – and is still widely used by professional photographers who haven't taken the mirrorless jump.

It has a mighty full-frame 30.4MP full-frame sensor for starters, while the noise and dynamic range performance, AF system, and touchscreen are all distinct improvements on previous models in the DSLR market.

We instantly felt at home with the EOS 5D Mark IV when we came to review the camera, and if video's your thing, you'll be happy to hear that it also offers DCI 4K video capture. Not bad for a camera that will be eight years old in September! But old doesn't mean dated, and while it has a mirror these specs are still up there with the best mirrorless cameras – now at a fraction of the price!

Check out the best lenses for the Canon EOS 5D Mk IV

7Artisans is a company that was formed by a number of Chinese camera enthusiasts back in 2015. By the time its first lens went into production, seven people remained from the original group, hence the company name. 

7Artisans makes a number of lenses in a variety of mount options and I’ve been impressed in the past with its full-frame compatible 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05 and 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye, both of which I’ve tested in Nikon Z-mount editions. I actually liked the fisheye lens so much I bought one. I’ve also reviewed the recently released ultra-wide-angle but rectilinear 7Artisans 9mm F5.6 which is a good option among Sony E-mount lenses.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: What's changed?

Most 7Artisans lenses including the 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05, 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 Fisheye and 7Artisans 9mm F5.6 are fully manual lenses with no built-in electronics. You therefore need to focus manually as well as setting the aperture via the lens’s control ring, rather than from the camera body. 

This AF 50mm F1.8 for Sony E-mount cameras is the first 7Artisans lens to feature autofocus and, while it has an aperture control ring, it also includes all the necessary electronics for camera-driven aperture control, so you can shoot in the full range of PASM modes. 

Note: Since we reviewed this lens, it has now also become available in Nikon Z and L-Mount options.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Specifications

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Price & Availability

The lens is available to buy from a variety of photographic retailers as well as from the 7Artisans online store, which operates in various world regions.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Design & Handling

Whereas the older (and faster) 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05 manual lens has a metal barrel but a plastic mounting plate, the new ‘AF’ lens has a fully metal construction, apart from the plastic petal-shaped lens hood that’s supplied with it. The mounting plate also features a USB-C port, for applying firmware updates if and when needed. The lens certainly looks and feels a lot more sophisticated than the own-brand Sony FE 50mm f/1.8, but it’s also a lot larger and more than twice the weight.

The optical design is based on 11 elements in 9 groups and includes two aspherical elements, and ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HRi (High Refractive index) elements. The overall aim is to ensure good sharpness, contrast and color accuracy with the minimum of unwanted aberrations like color fringing and distortion.

The aperture diaphragm is well-rounded, based on 11 curved blades rather than the more usual nine. The narrowest available aperture is f/16 and the aperture can be controlled from the host camera body or via the onboard control ring. I like that the aperture ring is de-clicked for shooting video, whereas I find camera-based control more appropriate for shooting stills. What I don’t like is that there’s no locking switch nor a firm click to disengage the aperture ring from its Auto position. I found it all too easy to nudge the ring from its Auto setting to a narrow aperture accidentally while handling the lens.

As with most current and recent lenses for mirrorless cameras, autofocus is driven by a linear stepping motor. Again, I think that’s a good choice as it delivers speedy performance for stills and smooth, virtually silent autofocus transitions when shooting video.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Photo Performance

Sharpness gets off to a very good start when shooting wide-open at f/1.8 and becomes excellent at apertures of between f/2.8 and f/8. It drops off at narrower apertures of f/11 to f/16, due to diffraction.

One of the plus points of a fairly fast prime lens is that you can gain a tight depth of field for isolating the main subject in a composition by blurring the background. The quality of bokeh at f/1.8 is nice and smooth and remains so when stepping down a little, thanks to the well-rounded 11-blade aperture diaphragm. However, defocused lights and bright points in scenes tend to have a clearly visible ‘onion ring’ effect in the resulting bokeh disks. Typical of many lenses, bokeh disks also take on an elliptical rather than circular shape, away from the central region of the image frame.

Lateral chromatic aberration can be clearly noticeable towards the edges and corners of the image frame, for example around high-contrast edges like dark tree branches against a bright sky. On the plus side, automatic in-camera correction can fix this aberration. Axial chromatic aberration or ‘bokeh fringing’ can also be noticeable at wide apertures, with red and green fringing around high-contrast edges in front of and behind the plane of focus. This isn’t fixed by automatic in-camera correction.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Sample Images

This gallery of sample images includes shots taken at Bristol Harbour in the UK, under direct sunlight and in shade, using a variety of aperture settings.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Lab Results

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

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

Sharpness:

Center-sharpness is very good when shooting wide-open at f/1.8, even better at f/2 and excellent at apertures between f/2.8 and f/8. Sharpness towards the edges and corners of the image frame holds up well at f/1.8 and, again, is excellent between f/2.8 and f/8. From f/11 to f/16, sharpness drops off due to diffraction.

Fringing:

Lateral chromatic aberration can be clearly noticeable towards the edges and corners of the image frame, getting worse as you stop down through the aperture range. In practical terms, it’s not a real problem as it can be taken care of by automatic in-camera correction. However, axial chromatic aberration or ‘bokeh fringing’ isn’t corrected and can be noticeable at wide apertures.

Distortion: 0.01

The 7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8 is essentially a zero-distortion lens, as indicated by its practically perfect lab-results for this facet of image quality.

7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8: Verdict

To me, the 7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8 is the company’s first ‘fully digital’ lens, as all previous lenses have lacked any electronics. I like the swift and practically silent autofocus and the way I can control the aperture from the camera or via the built-in control ring. I also like that the control ring is de-clicked for video shooting but I wish it had a firm ‘Auto’ position click or a locking switch, as it’s easy to nudge from its auto position accidentally. Overall performance and image quality are very good, as is the build quality. There’s a noticeable ‘onion ring’ effect in bokeh discs and a little axial chromatic aberration but it’s a very sharp lens. All in all, it’s a fine prime.

Alternatives

Nikon has announced a new full-frame superzoom for its Z-mount mirrorless that sets a new range for an all-in-one zoom lens. The Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR offers a phenomenal 14.2x zoom ratio - which beats all other contenders for its reach.

The lens is designed for use on full-frame cameras, but its size, weight and price means that you will also be able to used on APS-C DX Nikon cameras, such as the Z50 and Zfc. On these DX models, the effective focal range becomes 42-600mm.

Superzoom lenses offer an all-on-one lens solution, that offers wide-angel and telephoto focal lengths in the one zoom. With this lens, anyone can effortlessly capture the finest details and facial expressions of distant subjects, opening up new possibilities for your photography or filmmaking. The longest range superzoom previously available for Nikon cameras was the Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD - but that could only be used on Nikon F-mount DX-format DSLRs.

Whether you're shooting sporting events, amusement park attractions, or parade shows where the subject's distance varies continuously, this lens allows anyone to adapt to any situation with ease. Its versatility means I could rely on just this one lens to capture a wide range of scenes, eliminating the need to switch between multiple lenses.

What's more, the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR excels in close-up photography, with a minimum focus distance of just 0.2m at the widest angle and 1.2m at the maximum telephoto position, while also offering a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.35x. It therefore promises to be able to can subjects in exquisite detail, whether it's delicate plants or intricate tabletop scenes.

Despite its impressive telephoto reach of up to 400mm, this lens maintains a very compact and lightweight design, weighing only approximately 725g / 1.59 lbs this portability makes it the perfect lens for travel and everyday use, allowing you to carry it wherever you go without feeling weighed down - making this the perfect lens for content creators wanting to shoot video while out on location.

Additionally, the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR features a stepping motor (STM) for fast autofocus drive, ensuring quick and accurate focusing on moving subjects, Its vibration reduction function provides the equivalent of a 5.0-stop increase in shutter speed, minimizing blur and allowing for sharp handheld shots even in challenging conditions.

The lens supports linear manual focus operation, making it easy to focus precisely on your intended subject during video recording, enhancing the quality of your videography no end.

I'm excited about Nikon's commitment to pushing the boundaries of optical performance and meeting the evolving needs of photographers or filmmakers like myself. With the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, Nikon is not just providing a lens; they're empowering users to explore new possibilities. 

Nikon already has two superzooms in its ever-expanding Z-mount lens range - the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for full-frame cameras, and the  Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR for APS-C models.

I can see this being a very popular lens with many beginners, content creators, and anyone in between who just wants one lens to cover a vast array of distances whenever the mood or situation strikes. Also, filmmakers will be thrilled, as I think this lens could be used in any situation and again cover so many different scenarios that this lens might just be on their camera forever, with no need to change it - and I like that!

Pre-order and Pricing

The Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR will go on sale from mid-April for $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,199 - and will come with a rectangular lens hood.

Pre-order at B&H (US)
Pre-order at Adorama (US)
Pre-order at London Camera Exchange (UK)
Pre-order at Wex (UK)
Pre-order at Ted's Cameras for a special price (AU)
Pre-order at CameraPro (AU)

Those who are keen filmmakers using the best 8K and 6K cameras should take note of the latest from Viltrox, who are teasing a Viltrox 30-300mm T4 Cine Zoom. I have to say that's an amazing feat of engineering that challenges the likes of Arri and Cooke - an achievement all on its own. But if I know anything of Viltrox, this lens will also be excellent on price.

If you're looking for a "do it all" lens that you can use for your whole career on commercials, indie projects, heck, even Hollywood productions then I can see this lens being a great asset to many filmmakers and cinematographers out there.

This massive constant T4 lens is believed to be available in Sony-E, Leica-L, and Arri PL-mounts. However, this lens has also been seen with a Fujifilm X-H2 camera, which could suggest a Fujifilm mount in the future.

This new lens appears to be the first zoom lens within the company's Luna series. The lens will be entirely manual focus, which is common for a cinema lens. 

Apart from its vast room range and constant T4 lens, another fantastic fact is that it has a huge 46.5mm image projection circle. This means the lens can even be used on cameras such as Red Digital Cinemas equipped with XL-sized Red VistaVision sensors.

While no official pricing has been released, we can expect this to cost a bit more than your standard zoom lens for your camera system, but I expect it to be far less than rival Cooke $50,000 plus zoom lenses.

Panasonic is at it again – hot off the heels of making the record-breaking-ly compact Lumix S 100mm Macro lens, Panasonic is shrinking down yet another lens to create the world’s smallest and lightest 7x zoom full frame lens – the Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro O.I.S.

The Lumix S 28-200mm lens weighs in at just 413g and has a total size of 77.3 x 93.4mm. Like Panasonic’s prime lens range, the 28-200mm also has the trick of matching the rough size and weight of the Lumix S 20-60mm making swapping the lenses in and out easier during video production. The lens also shares the same 67mm filter thread so filters are easier to swap out – not to mention cheaper to collect.

Interestingly, while Panasonic managed to make some big space savings in the Lumix S 100mm macro lens with its newly developed Dual Phase Linear Motor – Panasonic isn’t actually using this motor in the 28-200mm lens. Instead, Panasonic’s lens team is simply employing good old-fashioned engineering experience to get this lens down to a more diminutive form. Still, even without this new motor, Panasonic has claimed in their testing the 28-200mm lens will focus from near-to-far distances faster than competitor lenses from other brands.

In a further little lighthearted rivalry, Panasonic has pointed out that its Lumix S5II camera, plus the Lumix S 28-200mm lens, plus one of its Lumix S prime lenses – weighs less in total than just the Sony A7 IV and 24-240mm lens.

The new 28-200mm lens also has half-sized (0.5x) macro capabilities, with an impressive close focus distance of 14cm (5.5in) from the sensor, and just 3cm (1.18in) from the front of the lens. This is at the 28mm end of the lens though, which isn’t the ideal focal length for macro, but can make for an interesting perspective. 

It also blows the Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS and Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM out of the water with their 50cm closest focus distance, although in all fairness, neither claims to be a macro lens.

Optically, the lens has 17 elements in 13 groups, and the lens has 9 aperture blades which should make for a more rounded bokeh than the 7 blades found in most rival lenses. The lens is also weather-sealed for braving the elements – a pretty essential feature as this will undoubtedly be a popular travel lens for Panasonic shooters.

Superzoom lenses are often overlooked lenses despite being one of the most useful lenses you can have in a kit bag – and most photographers at some stage are likely to own one. There is a certain stigma around the lenses for being lower in quality to achieve their ambitious focal lengths, although this has been proven wrong time and time again, with lenses like the Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD or Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM we found very impressive in their category – and I am looking forward to fully exploring Panasonic’s latest.

The Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro O.I.S. will be available in April in the US and UK, from May in Australia, and will cost $899 / £899 / AU$1,599. The lens will come with a petal lens hood in the box.

For more check out our top picks for the best Panasonic camera and best L-mount lenses

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Laowa, a lens manufacturer that has been pushing boundaries since its beginning, and to celebrate, it is releasing a one-of-a-kind lens. Its AF 10mm f/2.8 will not only be the company's first autofocus lens, it will also be the widest non-fisheye wideangle for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Laowa lenses are unique in many ways, and they offer specialty options that often appear in our guides to the best macro and the best cine lenses. Laowa has several different lens lineups to cover all photography and video needs, all of which have been manual focus - until now!  

I wrote about the rumors of the new Laowa AF lens last month, and we now have further details and an official sneak peek. Laowa has given us a glimpse at the new lens in a 10th-anniversary promo video which shows how Laowa lenses have made their mark on the imaging world. The Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF lens will be officially unveiled on Feb 20 and will not only be its first AF lens but the world's widest full-frame rectilinear lens.

As written previously the lens will be available for Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L mount, but may only provide AF options for Z and FE mounts. There has been no comment on this by Laowa, but if the case it would be a shame for Canon users as this lens looks to feature fast AF and eye-tracking capabilities.

The Zero-D part of the name refers to the lens' ability to produce zero distortion even when shooting wide open. This will excite architecture, landscape, and astrophotographers alike, as distortion is often the number one battle when shooting as wide as 10mm.

The lens design will feature the 10th-anniversary logo in addition to a newly redesigned lens body that looks incredibly sleek and modern, and much like other Laowa lenses, it will come in the classic black and blue colorway.

We are expected to hear more with the official announcement scheduled for next week, on Feb 20, 2024. 

Laowa will also be making an appearance at The Photography and Video Show next month at The NEC in Birmingham, UK ,which may provide the first chance to get hands-on with the new lens. Tickets for the show are available now and can purchased on the show website.

You may also be interested in our guides for the best lenses for landscape, the best tilt-shift lenses, and the best lenses for astrophotography. 

In January 2024, Nikon's flagship full-frame mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z9, was sent to NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to aid in research and documenting life among the stars. The Z9 was provided to 'capture iconic and breathtaking images of Earth and space in stellar quality and clarity'. The Z9 certainly has the ability to do that job, as not only is it one of the best Nikon cameras, but it is among the best mirrorless cameras on the market. 

This marks a significant landmark in Nikon's history, as it is the first Z series, Nikon's mirrorless range, that has been used by the space station crew. The advancement in the Z9's mirrorless technology means that it will replace the existing inventory of Nikon D5 and D6 digital DSLRs previously used aboard. The shipment saw 13 Z9s along with 15 of the best Nikon Z lenses shipped via SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, along with several Nikon FTZ II adapters, for use with the current inventory. 

Recently we reported on NASA testing the Nikon Z9 for use on on next Moon landings, with the Artemis III mission which is due to land on the south pole of the Moon in 2025.

For more than 50 years Nikon cameras and lenses have been used by NASA for space exploration on shuttles, ever since the Apollo 15 mission in 1971 and since 1999, they have been used aboard the orbiting laboratory of the ISS.

The Nikon Z series of cameras and lenses launched in 2018, and has been growing in popularity due to its rapidly expanding lineup. Constant firmware updates keep the best Nikon cameras fresh and future-proof, often adding boosts to performance and functionality. An example is a recent major update for the Nikon Z8 that enhances AF and pixel-shifting capabilities.

The Nikon Z9 has established itself as the flagship camera of the company, offering ' an extremely robust build, unwavering reliability for professionals, and next-generation technology'. It ranks extremely highly in our guide to the best mirrorless cameras and is a major workhorse for professionals and enthusiasts alike. The Z9s that have been sent to the ISS are physically unmodified, meaning that the one you can pick up off of the shelf is physically the same as those in space - a testament to its build quality!

Although not physically different, there is a significant change to the software. A custom dedicated firmware has been created by a collaboration between Nikon engineers and NASA to better serve the astronaut's workflow in space. Nikon states, "This includes expanding noise reduction to faster shutter speeds to account for the constant bombardment of cosmic radiation that the crew and gear are subject to about the space station. Additional changes have been made to the file naming sequence, as well as default settings and controls that are optimized for life aboard the orbiting laboratory and when enclosed in the protective covering for exterior missions. Changes have also been made to the in-camera FTP and transfer protocol to simplify the astronaut's workflow, increase efficiency, and reduce power consumption when sending images from space to Earth". Hopefully, non-space-based users can enjoy some of these extended features through a future firmware update!

Overall this is a superb accolade for the Nikon Z series and a testament to its flagship full-frame mirrorless camera.

When it comes to prime lenses for portraiture, 85mm is a perennially popular focal length, when using a full-frame DSLR body. Established fast, faster and fastest choices include the budget-friendly Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, and the pricey Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM (£1500/$2000). One thing lacking in all of these lenses is optical stabilization, which has never been available for a Canon EF-fit 85mm prime lens – until this Tamron came along in 2016.

Specifications

Mounts Canon EF or Nikon F

Full-frame compatible Yes

Image Stabilizer Yes

Minimum focus distance 0.8m

Max magnification factor 0.14x

Filter size 67mm

Iris blades 9

Weather seals Yes

Dimensions (dia x length) 85x91mm

Weight 700g

Handling

Some might say that you don’t need stabilization in a ‘fast’ lens that enables quick shutter speeds under low lighting conditions. We beg to differ, and you might too if you’ve ever tried shooting indoor portraits with a short telephoto lens, like an 85mm. It’s equally true that you might want to use your posh prime at narrower apertures, to retain its sharpness and relatively distortion-free optical characteristics while gaining greater depth of field and reducing vignetting. In this case, optical stabilization becomes even more desirable.

It’s interesting to see that, while Sigma has a range of high-end ‘Art’ lenses with a fast f/1.4 aperture, Tamron has gone for a slightly narrower aperture of f/1.8 while adding stabilization in its recent up-market primes. These include the SP (Super Performance) 35mm and 45mm f/1.8 primes, and now this new 85mm lens.

Another neat addition that’s lacking in Sigma Art lenses is that the Tamron primes are weather-sealed, which will no doubt be appreciated by wedding photographers on rainy days. Meanwhile, Tamron has played catch-up to the Sigma Art lenses by launching an optional USB console, via which you can apply firmware updates to the 85mm lens when attached to a computer.

Performance

The Tamron lens delivers great sharpness and contrast, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. Sharpness in handheld images really does benefit from the VC (Vibration Compensation) system, which proved to worth about four stops in our tests. Vignetting is somewhat noticeable at this aperture, but pretty much disappears by the time you reach f/2.8. Autofocus is fast and very quiet, with the typical full-time manual override of ring-type ultrasonic systems.

Beautiful bokeh (the quality of defocused areas) is retained even when stopping down a little, thanks to a well-rounded aperture based on a nine-blade diaphragm. Both lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberrations are very well controlled, while Tamron’s eBAND nano-structure gives good resistance against ghosting and flare. Overall performance and image quality are nothing short of excellent. 

Sample images

For all you filmmakers out there who dream of one day owning, or even just using a RED digital cinema camera then recent news might see some of your best cinema cameras drop in price. At the same time, Red makes room for new 8K-sensor equipped RED V-Raptor [X] and V-Raptor XL [X] cameras, both offering global shutters - but you'll have to have some pretty deep pockets to pick either of them up, as the RED V-Raptor [X] starts at $29,995, with its bigger brother costs an eye-watering $44,995.

The V-Raptor [X] and V-Rraptor XL [X] systems also offer increased exposure times, a further optimized optical cavity, and improved audio performance over their predecessors. The [X] sensor capabilities recreate the frame-rate performance levels of the V-Raptor line even with the global shutter readout. 

Able to shoot in 8K at up to 120 frames per second, or 150fps at a 2.4:1 ratio, while also being able to shoot in 6K up to 160 fps (200fps at 2.4:1), and if those speeds aren't enough fans of slow-motion can now recording 2K at a massive  600 frames per second!.

Like all of the company's cameras, these new additions harness the power of Red’s proprietary REDCODE RAW codec, which allows users to capture stunning 16-bit RAW and leverage Red’s latest IPP2 workflow and color management tools to eke out the best option image form every scene.

RED Digital Cinema President Jarred Land had this to say at the announcement:
"Ever since our sensor team cracked the code for a no-compromise global shutter sensor design in the original Komodo, customers have been pushing us hard to bring our global shutter technology to our large-format sensors, and today we are happy to deliver beyond our wildest expectations. We are very proud to not only be at the forefront of global shutter technology but also to be the first company delivering large format global shutter cameras to filmmakers.”

While these cameras are setting you back a massive house deposit on each, RED users who have the 'standard' models can opt-in for an upgrade program to get these new sensors in their existing and compatible bodies, but even then you are talking about laying down $12,500 - who said cinema is dead?

Pre-order Red V-Raptor [X] at B&H
Pre-order Red V-Raptor XL [X] at B&H

• What is a global shutter – and why is it so important?
• Canon announces its first full-frame global shutter sensor
• Sony A9 III can shoot at 1/80,000sec with full-frame global shutter

This was one of the best Black Friday deals this year - but now this budget-priced mirrorless bargain is being discounted again. It is not quite as low as it was in the Cyber Week sales, but with Amazon dropping the price by £270 overnight, it is still a superb deal for beginners, or for those wanting to trade up to full frame without spending a fortune.

The Sony A7 II is a great mirrorless camera from a great family of mirrorless cameras. This full-frame model is the second generation A7  - and this is a particularly good deal as it gets Sony's built-in image stabilization, as well as the large sensor - at an incredible price. 

The Mark II is a serious step on the original Sony A7, but the A7 II is a completely different proposition, with Sony’s 5-axis in-body stabilization, improved autofocus and enhanced video.

The A7 II has a full-frame 24.3 megapixel sensor, hybrid contrast/phase-detection autofocus improved ergonomics and an ISO 50-25,600 ISO range. It doesn’t shoot 4K video, but it can shoot full HD at up to 60/50fps. The A7 II also has Wi-Fi built-in and a tilting rear screen.

Read more

• Sony A7 vs A7 II vs A7 III: How do they compare?

• These are the best mirrorless cameras you can buy right now

• How to choose the best Sony camera

• Best lenses for Sony A7 II

Lumix had a fantastic 2023 – and according to Panasonic – Lumix is the fastest-growing full-frame camera brand. Wholly unsurprising when last year’s Panasonic Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIX are two of the best cameras the brand has released to date.

However, there are still holes to fill, especially when it comes to lenses – and one major omission to the Lumix roster has been the lack of a standard macro lens. 

Panasonic has finally plugged this gap with the brand new Panasonic Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens, launched at CES 2024 – however, in Panasonic’s usual style, it has done things just a little differently.

Thanks to a newly developed Dual Phase Linear Motor (the motor used for focusing), Panasonic has claimed the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame macro lens over 90mm with a 1:1 magnification. Not only that – the lens also has the world’s closest focusing distance for a macro lens (same 100mm and 1:1 caveats apply), with a minimum focus distance of just 20.4cm.

This incredible feat of engineering puts the Lumix S 100mm lens at less than half the weight of rival lenses from Canon, Nikon, and Sony, weighing just 300g compared to the heaviest – Canon’s RF 100mm at 685g, or Sony’s 602g FE 90mm – the lightest of the bunch. And at only 82mm in length, this also puts the Lumix S 100mm's total length at between 49-66mm shorter than comparative rivals.

In another remarkable feat of forward planning – the Lumix S 100mm also joins Panasonic's other Lumix S f/1.8 prime lenses in having an identical body size and filter thread, making changing lenses during video shooting smoother than ever, as gimbals shouldn’t need to be rebalanced or camera rigs realigned. Panasonic also claims that these lenses produce a unified performance across the board for smoother post-production editing.

To achieve this reduced size, there is a notable absence of any optical stabilization in the lens, which is unusual for a macro lens and sets it apart from rivals – although with Panasonic’s rock-steady IBIS in its latest cameras, this might well not be an issue. 

The lens also contains fewer total lens elements than other comparative lenses but still squeezes in 3 ASPH, 2 UED, and 1 ED element to match Panasonic's latest sensors' image quality and control over unwanted aberrations.

The lens features what should be a top-notch build quality, offering weather-resistant sealing around the lens, and freeze resistance down to -10ºC for any cold-weather adventurer.

Price & Availability

The Panasonic Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens will be available to purchase from January 24 and will cost $999 / £999 / AU$1,999.

This places it as more expensive than the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro, but around $50 cheaper than the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS and Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S, and a pretty substantial $400 cheaper than the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM.

Specifications

Focal Length: 100mm
Aperture: f/2.8 - f/22
Lens Construction: 13 elements in 11 groups, 3 ASPH, 2 UED, 1 ED
Aperture Blades: 9
Maximum Magnification: 1.0x
Closest Focusing Distance: 20.4cm
Focus System: Double Focus Dual Phase Linear Motor
OIS: B.I.S. only
Switch/Ring: AF/MF Switch, Focus Limiter
Weatherproof: Dust/Splash-resistant, Freeze-resistant (-10°C)
Filter Size: 67mm
Diameter/Length: 973.6 x 82.0 mm
Weight: 300g

Looking for more of the latest and greatest from Panasonic? Check out our top picks for the best Panasonic camera and the best L-mount lenses.

Finally, Blackmagic has gone full frame with the Cinema Camera 6K and dropped the name ‘Pocket’ which was always a misnomer as the camera is simply huge – as were the crop-sensor versions that came before it. 

It’s also the third lens mount as the original Pocket Camera used a Micro Four Thirds sensor and matching lenses, which was then upgraded to an APS-C – called Super35 by filmmakers – then a Canon EF mount fitted in the 6K Pro version. Now it’s gone full-frame 6K and there’s a Leica L mount. 

Not everyone has lots of these L-Mount lenses, but it means the camera can use an adapter to accept popular glass that cinematographers often use, like Arri PL/ LPL or Canon EF.

You could consider it as the successor to the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro but fitted with a larger sensor. In some ways, it is a serious upgrade which includes the addition of an Optical Low Pass Filter to combat moire. But in other ways, some of the spec has been downgraded. The built-in ND filters have been dropped, and also absent are the twin card slots of the 6K Pro – one for CFast cards and one SD. These are replaced by a single CFexpress type B card, although you can record to an external SSD via the USB-C port, as long as you’re not using the port to trickle charge the camera.

But the biggie is that the new 6K camera can only record in Blackmagic’s own Raw format – or BRAW for short. The 6K Pro also offered ProRes in C4K, 4K, or FHD which meant you have an edit-ready codec that needs no conversion.

The full-frame 6K model does record a folder of low-res 1080p proxy copies of the Raw files that can be used in a quicker workflow. But you have to use the large B-Raw files for final output, so you need to transcode these in DaVinci Resolve software which means more time in front of the computer for color correcting, grading, and adding noise reduction. There is also a lot more memory used in the camera and on your hard drives, too.

Resolve usually is a standalone purchase but is industry-standard for color grading and also great for editing, too. You get a free, full Studio version of Resolve bundled with the camera to allow you to use all its high-end formats. But there is a learning curve to getting the best out of it, as it is powerful yet complicated. 

The new camera has a very similar shape and size to the older 6K Pro version, including the Large, five-inch tilting rear screen, Sony-fit NP-F batteries, and the latest Blackmagic color science.

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Specifications

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Key Features

Blackmagic’s new 35mm CMOS sensor has dual native ISO and is the most obvious upgrade in terms of image quality and the formats the camera can shoot in. And there’s any codec you like, as long as it’s Blackmagic Raw.

The sensor shoots in 3:2 format in 12-bit Blackmagic Raw ‘open gate’ as it records from the full area of the sensor where the frame rate maxes out at 36fps. This is because the camera is largely designed to be shot in this way, and then the image is cropped in post to suit whatever size and format you need. From super-wide anamorphic to widescreen 17:9 and even 9:16 vertical for social media, all from one setting which is then cropped in post. There are lots of in-camera overlays to help monitoring. 

There are other options, such as DCI 6K, DCI 4K, Super 35 4:3, and 1080 HD. But in these settings, the sensor is windowed during shooting. So as there is a crop factor to the shot, the camera doesn’t have to scan the whole sensor which means there is an increase in frame rates.

In full-frame 6K the frame rate is 36fps, in DCI 6K widescreen it’s 48fps but with a 1.06 crop. At DCI 4K it speeds up to 60fps, but there’s a 1.57x crop and in FHD 1920x1080 you can go to 120fps but there’s a huge 3.3x crop. Of course, cropping into part of the sensor means image quality and resolution are reduced. 

The camera offers 13 stops of dynamic range and dual native ISO which bases at 400 and 3200, so it’s clearly a camera that likes a lot of light. As it’s all shot in Raw, there is no in-camera noise reduction so you need to add this to every shot in post. 

There is also the file size issue as you will need a lot of CFexpress cards to shoot in the best quality. But the camera allows you to select different Raw compression levels from 3:1 to 12:1 if you keep the bitrate constant, or four quality levels from Q0 to Q4 for consistent quality. 

The  Optical Low-Pass Filter effectively combats moire but with a large sensor and not the fastest processor, there are some rolling shutter issues. One clever way of reducing this is in DaVinci Resolve which uses the camera metadata to detect skewed verticals and then correct the image for it. This works surprisingly well, but there is a small crop which is something the camera could do without. The same technology also works to reduce camera shake, which is useful use as there is no built-in image stabilization.

Resolve is also the only place to process stills from the 6K camera. There is a separate shutter release next to the main video button, which takes a full-resolution still image. This is also in Blackmagic Raw format, so they have to be opened in DaVinci Resolve and worked on like a video file. So it’s decent for a thumbnail but is a long way from stills out of a conventional mirrorless camera. This is a camera for serious video only.

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Design & Handling

This pumped-up camera has lots of vents to help keep the sensor cool when it’s recording 6K video Raw files, so there is never an overheating problem. Add on the optional £492 EVF and £161 battery grip and the camera is a bit of a monster, though. The EVF has a 1280 x 960-color OLED display and the unit can swivel through a 70-degree range. There is an adjustable dioptre lens as well as a choice of eyecups. These do fall off easily, though.

The battery grip screws onto the bottom plate which accepts two additional NP-F batteries. In tests, we coaxed approximately an hour of shooting and reviewing per battery.

The left side of the camera has rubber covers over ports that include a headphone socket and mini XLR jacks. And there are good-quality internal mics and preamps, too, with on-screen audio monitoring. The screen tilts but does not swivel around, sadly.

On the back of the camera is an auto exposure button which gives a rough setting but isn’t particularly accurate. 

There is also the autofocus button which uses the contrast-detect AF system in single-shot only that often hunts around before locking on. Not only is the AF not a clever hybrid phase-detection system but it this is old-school, one-shot AF. There is no C-AF, subject tracking, face detection, or any mod cons. You really need to focus manually, which is decent as there is a punch-in focus button to zoom feature, and the screen is big. 

Like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro the new 6K full-framer has a carbon fibre composite body but it doesn’t feel premium or like it would take a significant beating.  

However, the controls are well-designed with a large Rec button and an obvious control dial on the front to adjust the aperture. There are clear buttons to change ISO and white balance, and three customizable function buttons ideal for false color, effect of the display LUT, and frame guidelines. 

The large touchscreen menu is clear and allows you to change settings including shutter speed or shutter angle. Once shooting, the main info is all around the outside of the screen or you can turn it off for a clear view. 

Compared to cameras with built-in ND filters, you need to use a variable ND or standard ND filter in a matte box. Maybe Blackmagic will launch a full-frame 6K Pro that includes NDs, or perhaps they are too hard to squeeze in because of the large sensor. 

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Performance

There is little to compare to the ultimate quality and flexibility you have when shooting Raw files. In the full 6K setting, even the most compressed files give superb results. The files are detailed and packed with colors to allow extreme grading, thanks to the Generation 5 color science. The hues are not oversaturated, even in the ‘video’ setting, which is relatively bold and punchy. The Extended Video has a wider dynamic range, and the Film setting has a more organic, filmic feel. Included LUTs can be used to normalize the monitor image while recording Log. And you can load your own LUTS, too. This ultimate control in image quality is what this camera is all about.

Yes, there are some rolling shutter issues that can be combated in Resolve, albeit with a crop. And you definitely need to add noise reduction, even at low ISO settings, as there is none applied in camera. But the ability to change white balance, push highlights and shadows, and change colors in post is a massive benefit thanks to those BRAW files.

Faster frame rates look good if you don’t mind the crop. But the 3.3x crop to achieve 120fps should be considered a get-you-out-of-jail card for occasional use rather than for serious-quality filmmaking. 

But to get the best out of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, you really need a decent amount of light as the sensor isn’t best at high ISO. The camera really needs to be on a tripod or motorized gimbal to take out the shakes and focus manually. The old-school AF and lack of image stabilization means it isn’t great for events or fast-paced work, either.

We found the sweet spot at DCI 4K with 5:1 compression, shot at 60p which allows for half-speed slow motion, and just put up with the 1.57x crop. Or shoot in 6K and you can crop in post anyway, but your frame rates are stuck at a maximum of 36fps. 

Once you get to grips with this camera, you will be rewarded with superbly sharp and cinematic images at a price nothing else comes close to.

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Video Sample

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Verdict

There is much more to a camera than simply its sensor and processor pipeline to get the images onto the card. But in the case of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, the new full-frame chip and full-on BRAW workflow it allows really are at the heart of what this machine will do. 

It’s about creating top-quality, wonderfully cinematic films that can be cropped and graded to taste, with a super-shallow depth-of-field if you want it.

Yes, it’s a big machine that makes it a bit awkward to use, with no built-in ND filters or fully articulating screen. The AF is poor, there are no edit-ready codecs in full resolution, the frame rates aren’t great and there’s a crop on everything except open gate 6K. 

But once you work on the files in DaVinci Resolve, you can’t fail but to be impressed at the results. And considering the low price of the camera body, you will forgive it all its quirks.

If you have the talent and vision to make stunning, filmic movies, this camera will help you deliver.  

Laowa has built a reputation for developing specialty manual focus lenses, with attention to extreme macro and cine lenses. It has now announced its first AF lens, set to launch in the coming weeks. 

The Laowa FF II 10mm f/2.8 C&D Dreamer is a full-frame ultra-wide prime lens, which will become available for Nikon Z, Canon RF, Sony E, and L mount. Laowa is renowned for creating excellent glass and this lens looks set to follow suit, with a great selection of features that place it amongst the best astrophotography and best landscape lenses. 

The lens is comprised of 15 elements in 9 groups, including extra-low dispersion glass and ultra-high refraction glass to combat excess aberration and distortion. This brings a weight of approximately 420g depending on the mount option, and despite its ultra-wide design takes a relatively-standard 77mm filter. 

The design of the lens is sleek and modern, much like other Laowa lenses, with one of the most stylish focusing rings I have seen. However, judging by the images, it does appear to lack a focus distance scale/gauge to accompany the focus ring.

The lens provides a large 130.4-degree angle of view and a minimum focusing distance of just 0.12m, enabling the user to get creative and push the limits whether shooting interior or portrait photography. Inscribed on the lens, next to the focal length and the aperture, states 'Zero-D'. This signifies that the lens provides zero distortion, even when shooting wide open.

The f/2.8 aperture promises 'outstanding low light performance', an important specification for those who photograph at night. This also aids in providing high resolution that remains constant from edge to edge.

Because this is Laowa's first AF lens, the autofocus is the most noteworthy feature, and without testing it ourselves we have to extrapolate information based on the released video and images. 

One thing of note that certainly caught my eye, however, was an illustration in the video that states that the AF mount is available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, while the Canon RF and L mount fall under the heading MF mount. This means that Laowa's first AF lens is limited to E and Z mounts.

The lens will go on sale in March for $799 and is now available for pre-order from B&H Photo.

You may also be interested in our guides on the best wide-angle lenses, the best camera for astrophotography, and the best cine lenses. 

About time too! That was our reaction to Nikon finally launching a prime Z DX lens. Naturally, you can use any FX (full-frame) Z-system lens on a DX (APS-C) format body like the Z 30, Z 50 and Z fc. The Z DX 24mm f/1.7 came as good news, however, as it’s comparatively compact and lightweight, and competitively priced.

Choice of wide-angle lenses for Fujifilm X-system cameras was extended in May. Fujifilm launched its widest prime lens to date, in the diminutive shape of the Fujinon XF 8mm f/3.5 R WR. Prefer the versatility of a zoom lens? There was also the launch of the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD, previously available in Sony E-mount but reborn in X-mount for Fujifilm cameras. 

With an eye on cost-cutting, we brought news of a 7artisans 24mm f/1.4 prime for crop-sensor Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon and MFT mirrorless cameras. Stepping up to full-frame, there was also a new Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 FE, company’s sixth autofocus lens for Sony cameras and the first with an LCD info display. And if info screens on lenses doesn’t strike you as strange, try the frankly bizarre AstrHori 18mm f/8 macro probe lens with built-in LED lighting array, for APS-C cameras.

The first lens through our test lab in May was the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM, which is also the first Canon telephoto lens in RF-S mount for APS-C format EOS R-system cameras. Indeed, it was still only the third RF-S lens, period. We followed that up with an AstrHori 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, somewhat going to the opposite extreme to the company’s macro probe lens that we reported in our news, as well as testing the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM pancake prime.

A sample of the new Fujinon XF 8mm f/3.5 R WR was quick to arrive, so we ran a full review of Fujifilm’s latest wide-angle prime. And finally for May, we tested the new Sigma 17mm F4 DG DN | C, Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC DN | C and Sigma 50mm F2 DG DN | C ‘Contemporary’ primes, being particularly impressed with the two 17mm and 50mm full-frame compatible lenses.

• 12 lenses of Christmas: April 2023
• 12 lenses of Christmas: March 2023
• 12 lenses of Christmas: February 2023
• 12 lenses of Christmas: January 2023

Panasonic's 2023 was a year of two halves. It kicked off in January with the launch of the Lumix S5 II and S5 IIX and then scored again in the second half with the new Lumix G9 II.

All three cameras ditch Panasonic’s long-running DFD contrast autofocus system, finally giving in to the widespread perception that the old depth-from-defocus autofocus, even though it became faster and more sophisticated with each new camera, just wasn’t as good at tracking subjects as phase detect AF, and had a tendency to ‘flutter’ during continuous autofocus.

For stills photography, this might not matter so much, but in a booming creator economy filled with solo shooters who can’t be both in front of the camera and behind it, AF performance for video has become a key buying decision.

Panasonic already had a strong reputation for good-value, high-performance hybrid cameras, even before people had invented that term. Even before the arrival of the new models, Panasonic was making some of the best hybrid cameras, the best cameras for vlogging and, with the Lumix S1H, BGH1 and BSH1, some of the best cinema cameras too.

So let’s see how Panasonic’s 2023 camera launches unfolded, what we thought of the new models and how they fit into the broader Lumix range.

January 2023: The Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIx are launched

It’s very early in the year – just January 6, in fact – when Panasonic announces its two new Lumix S models, the Lumix S5 II and the Lumix S5 IIx. For most users, the key differentiator between the Lumix S5 II and the Lumix S5 before it will be the introduction of phase-detect autofocus. This alone may tempt users into the Lumix ecosystem where they were uncertain before, particularly given that the Lumix S5 already offers strong still photography credentials and powerful filmmaking features at this price. So how much better IS the new Lumix S5 II than the old model. Our Panasonic Lumix S5 II vs Lumix S5 comparison has all the details.

But what about the Lumix S5 IIx? It has the same sensor, form factor and headline video features as the S5 II, so is it really an additional camera model or just a confusing ‘special edition’? Our Panasonic Lumix S5 II vs Lumix S5 IIx comparison digs deep into the specifications to find out. The bottom line is that the S5 IIx has more processing power, much higher maximum bitrates and the ability to record direct to SSDs – it’s a more advanced filmmaking tool. It’s not the biggest difference we’ve seen between two camera models, but that probably explains the relatively modest price difference.

There is, of course, an elephant in the room – the Panasonic Lumix GH6. True, this is a Micro Four Thirds camera rather than full frame, and it’s saddled with Panasonic’s older DFD autofocus system, but prices have plummeted and it’s a real video powerhouse that needs taking seriously. Our Panasonic Lumix S5 II vs Lumix GH6 comparison spells out the differences – and the similarities.

Panasonic wasn’t quite done with January! It also launched a new Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 ‘half macro’ lens. The variable maximum aperture marks this out as a ‘consumer’ lens rather than a top-flight pro optic, but it’s pretty cheap for an own-brand full-frame ultra-wide zoom – and the ‘micro-step’ aperture control and minimal focus breathing should make it ideal for filmmakers too.

March 2023: MFT rumors start to circulate

Just a couple of months after the first phase-detect full frame Lumix cameras are launched, we hear that Panasonic’s first MFT camera with phase-detect AF is coming soon. Is this an obvious technological progression or just wishful thinking? We would get our answer before the end of the year. 

That is not the only Panasonic rumour, though. We also hear that a new Panasonic Lumix SH1 II was on the way, with a resolution nearing 50MP and 8K video. We’d better throw phase-detect AF into that soufflé of dreams, too. The story at the time was that the new camera might arrive in just a few weeks. That didn’t happen. Oh, well, 2024 maybe?

If such a camera DID arrive, it might answer a troublesome question – what happened to the Lumix S1R? Either Panasonic lost interest and gave up, or it has been keeping its powder dry and getting ready for a high-resolution hybrid monster like the Lumix S1H II.

Also in March 2023 we finally got hold of a Lumix S5 II for review. Did we like it? You bet. Filmmaking maestro Jon Devo gave it a 5-star rating citing, amongst other things, its excellent stabilization, ‘film-like’ rendering, 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording and sheer value for money.

We didn’t manage to get hold of a Lumix S5 IIx until June, but our Panasonic Lumix S5 IIx review brought another 5-star verdict. The extra power of the S5 IIx and its SSD recording capability are key plus points, though its deliberately different black/gray styling made the button labels somewhat less visible.

August 2023: Two new lenses for the roadmap

It was a very quiet summer for Panasonic fans, though August brought the news of two new lenses for the Panasonic L-mount roadmap. One would be a new Lumix S PRO 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens and the other a Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-5.6 O.I.S superzoom lens. The L-mount lens line-up is steadily increasing thanks to the efforts of both Panasonic and its L-mount collaborator Sigma.

This was just the calm before the storm, of course.

September 2023: The Lumix G9 II is launched

September bring the announcement that had been powering the Panasonic rumor-mill for weeks. The Panasonic Lumix G9 II is launched, complete with the phase-detect AF system that everyone had been predicting and the latest Panasonic 25MP MFT sensor first used in the Lumix GH6. The G9 Mark II is an absolute speed demon, and a powerful hybrid video camera too. So powerful, in fact, that it kind of leaves the Lumix GH6 in the lurch.

So if you are a serious filmmaker, which of these two cameras should you buy? Our Panasonic Lumix G9 II vs Lumix GH6 comparison checks the specs to pick out the key differences, and it’s a pretty close-run thing.

This also begs another question which people are bound to start asking soon: if Panasonic’s 25MP MFT sensor can be equipped with phase-detect AF, how soon can we expect to see a new phase-detect Lumix GH6 II?

Our Panasonic Lumix G9 II review heaps praise on Panasonic’s new MFT flagship, but notes that it’s as big as larger-format rivals despite its smaller sensor. It also loses the top-plate status panel of the old Lumix G9, and we check this and other differences in our Panasonic Lumix G9 II vs Lumix G9 comparison.

Panasonic MFT fans get another boost with Leica-approved updates to two popular lenses, the Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 35-100mm f/2.8 Power OIS and Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 II Asph. Power OIS. The MFT lens ecosystem is particularly rich these days, and this is where the MFT format really shows its size (and cost) advantage.

Now, powerful as it is, the Lumix G9 II comes in at a fairly stiff price. You might argue that its specifications and features warrant it. Quite true. But it also happens to be extremely close to the typical retail price of the Lumix S5 II, a camera with a sensor 4x larger and its own highly impressive video capabilities. Tricky, huh? Our Panasonic Lumix G9 II vs Lumix S5 II comparison picks out the crucial differences.

However, earlier speculation about an 8K Lumix S1H II full frame camera are dealt a blow by Panasonic itself, saying it has no 8K plans right now as consumer demand is “not enough”. Well, look how long it said that DFD autofocus was fine. Just saying.

October 2023: Will there be a Lumix G100 II?

Now that is a good question, and we’re not the only ones asking it. Rumors begin to circulate that there will be a new Panasonic Lumix G100 II with phase-detect AF and the 25MP sensor from the Lumix G9 II.

That would certainly be an exciting camera. We’ve long been fans of the pint-sized Lumix G100 with its 20MP sensor, vari-angle screen, EVF and budget price point, but Panasonic’s DFD AF has certainly held it back, particularly amongst those who look to YouTube for their buying advice. The Lumix G100 has another weakness, though – no IBIS. Whether Panasonic can find room in its dinky little body for an IBIS mechanism is another matter.

November 2023: Firmware updates and questions

In November, Panasonic releases firmware updates for the Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIx cameras, adding high resolution modes, an AF-Point Scope feature to magnify the image under the current AF point, and improve manual focus assist with a 20x zoom.

We also hear that Panasonic’s new 100mm L-mount macro lens will launch in January 2024, and that a Lumix G100D variant has been launched in Japan – but this is just a very minor update and not the Lumix G100 II that we’re hoping for.

And that kind of rounds off what has been a sometimes exciting, sometimes confusing and occasionally strange year for Panasonic.

There’s no doubt that the Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIx have revitalized Panasonic’s presence in the hybrid camera market, and the Lumix G9 II is just the boost needed to refocus attention on the Micro Four Thirds format.

And yet Panasonic’s switch to phase-detect autofocus in 2023 raises lots of questions for its existing and highly competent contrast AF cameras, including the GH6, the still-worthy Lumix GH5 II  and its high-end Lumix S1H cinema camera. As for the original Lumix S1 and Lumix S1R, Panasonic never mentions them any more, and maybe we should prepare for the worst…

Brand new DSLR. Three little words I didn't expect to hear in 2024, but that's exactly what's happening: Ricoh has confirmed that it is working on the Pentax K-1 Mark III.

If you've been following the Ricoh / Pentax saga of late, this should come as no surprise. This is, after all, the company that could be launching four new film cameras in 2024, and the company that earlier this year released the Pentax K-3 Mark III – not just a DSLR, but a DSLR that only shoots in black-and-white.

And when you consider that our list of the best DSLRs includes three of the best Pentax cameras, there's no arguing that the manufacturer really knows what it's doing when it comes to old-school tech. 

So, news that a successor to the full-frame flagship Pentax K-1 Mark II is on the way probably shouldn't raise many eyebrows. And with Canon and Nikon having abandoned DSLR development, with the last non-Pentax body being 2020's Canon EOS Rebel T8i / 850D, it will have the market all to itself.

While no information on the camera is yet available, its existence was recently confirmed during a Taiwanese interview with Ricoh executives Tomoki Tanaka (general manager of the Business Division) and Takeo 'TKO' Suzuki (product designer / planner).

"In order to achieve higher accuracy, more time was invested than initially expected," they explained (via China's Xitek forum, machine translated). 

"Sourcing digital camera components has become more challenging than ever. However, rest assured it is currently in progress and please be patient for further news."

What could a Pentax K-1 Mark III look like? Well, the K-1 Mark II featured a 36.4MP sensor with a 33-point (25 cross-type) phase detect AF system, and a sensitivity of ISO100-819,200. 

Given that the K-3 Mark III featured a new image processor that facilitated a top ISO of 1.6 million, it's possible that this will make its way to the new camera – particularly given Pentax's propensity for astrophotography.

Indeed, the K-1 Mark III is almost certain to once again have in-body image stabilization (IBIS) – and not just for shake correction, but also to operate in conjunction with the GPS for streak-free astro shooting in Astrotracer mode. 

The previous model also used the IBIS system's pixel-shift capability to deliver an anti-aliasing simulation, giving the effect of an optical low-pass filter.

In short, despite its long-in-the-tooth DSLR technology, I expect the new K-1 camera to be pretty dang cutting-edge – and it might even manage to give the best mirrorless cameras a run for their money. 

See where things currently stand in the DSLR vs mirrorless cameras debate, and take a look at the best black-and-white cameras on the market if you love shooting in monochrome.

Panasonic's latest LUMIX S5II and S5IIX full-frame mirrorless cameras have revolutionized the way photographers, videographers and creators make their content and now for a limited time only you can get incredible savings on these remarkable cameras and lens bundle deals this holiday season.

If you're looking for a new camera and lenses this festive season you won't want to miss these incredible deals with savings of up to $1100 to be had! Until December 30th you can save $300 on the LUMIX S5II (body only or kit) or up to $1100 when you add S Series lenses to your purchase, and save $200 on the LUMIX S5IIX or up to $1000 when bundled with S Series lenses.

In our Holiday Gift Guide we run through three of our favourite Panasonic LUMIX mirrorless cameras that cover everything from micro four thirds to full-frame and fast pocket rockets like the LUMIX G9II to the full-frame video powerhouse that is the LUMIX S5IIX.

A content creator's dream: Panasonic LUMIX S5II

The Panasonic LUMIX S5II is the best mirrorless camera for those looking for a hybrid camera for both still photography and video. It boasts a large 24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor and uses the L-Mount making it compatible with a huge number of lenses from Panasonic, Leica and Sigma.

The S5II's class-leading Phase Hybrid Autofocus is both fast and accurate making it just as versatile for photos as it is for recording video.

To boot, blur is a thing of the past with powerful Image Stabilization with Active I.S. Technology is boasted for sharp shots at shutter speeds up to five stops slower than would normally be required.

The S5II comes with features that would make any videographer and content creator green with envy, including unlimited video recording, a 14+ stop V-Log/V-Gamut for high dynamic range footage with broad colors, a real-time LUT function to enable in-camera photo and video color grading and Open Gate to enable flexible framing for any social media platform.

Until the 30th December you can save $300 on the S5II (body only or KK kit) and save an extra $400 on selected lenses too. Offer valid for up to two lenses for total savings of up to a whopping $1100!

Full-frame video powerhouse: Panasonic LUMIX S5IIX

While the aforementioned Panasonic LUMIX S5II already packs in class-leading video features, the Panasonic LUMIX S5IIX goes even further for professional video use. It boasts all of the features that the S5II has to offer, in addition to RAW video recording in ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW to an external recorder over HDMI.

Lower compression also results in smoother video and enhanced image quality with more data to play with at the editing stage. The S5IIX has fantastic low compression capabilities with video formats: ProRes 422 HQ and All-Intra with USB-SSD support. Also on the spec sheet is support for both wired and wireless IP streaming.

Until December 30th you can save $200 on the S5IIX (body only or KK kit) and save an additional $400 on S Series lenses too. Offer valid for up to two lenses for total savings of up to a cool $1000!

Micro four thirds pocket rocket: Panasonic LUMIX G9II

The Panasonic LUMIX G9II is the best micro four thirds camera for outdoor photography making it a great fit for anyone planning to shoot landscape, wildlife and nature. It has great features like a 25.2MP Live MOS sensor with Panasonic's latest image processing engine.

It's the first-ever LUMIX G series camera to feature Phase Hybrid Autofocus for fast and accurate autofocusing - ideal for both still photography and recording video too.

Shoot at a blistering 60fps in three second bursts with continuous autofocus so you never miss the moment and use the G9II's  Powerful Dual I.S. 2 Image Stabilization which provides a shooting advantage of upto 7.5-stops to make camera-shake and blurry footage a thing of the past.

It also boasts enhanced monochrome photo styles with new LEICA Monochrome and REAL TIME LUT. The G9II is no slouch when it comes to video either, with the ability to record in 4:2:0 10 bit C4K/4K at up to 120p for incredible slow motion videos.

Much like its photographic lenses, 7Artisans has a great Cine lens lineup that offers great quality at an affordable price point – and it has just announced a new addition. 

The 7Artisans Spectrum 14mm T2.9 Cine Lens is a manual focus full-frame cine lens, available for the Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, and L mount. With 7Artisan's reputation for excellent build quality and an affordable entry point, this lens looks set to excite. 

The lens has an optical structure consisting of 13 elements in 9 groups, including 2 aspherical (ASPH) and 3 extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses. The 10 aperture blades coupled with the generous T2.9 transmission deliver pleasing background rendition and imaging performance.

The manufacturer states that the Spectrum Cine series keeps a "uniform color balance across different materials, ensuring consistent picture performance and reducing post-processing pressure."

The 14mm T2.9 is an ultra-wide angle full-frame cine lens with a field of view that reaches 114°. Its stepless focus gear design provides an ultra-long 270° focusing stroke, enabling precise and accurate focus. 

This can be exploited further with the use of follow-focus units, which this lens supports. All 7Artisans cine lenses have the same focus gear positioning and front lens diameter, which enables consistent shooting when switching optics. This is important, as it reduces the need for alterations to equipment such as gimbals and focusing devices.

Other noteworthy features offered by this lens include breathing-effect rejection, a de-clicked aperture, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.4m.

The 7Artisans Spectrum 14mm T2.9 Cine Lens will be available for purchase on December 12 at the price of $459 / £459 (approximately AU $700). If you are in the market for a new cinema lens, I would recommend checking out the 7Artisans range on its website for an affordable entry point that does not fail on performance.

Cinema heads might be interested in the best cameras for filmmaking, along with the best anamorphic lenses for filmmakers and the best video editing software.

The 7Artisans 9mm F5.6 is a full-frame compatible lens that comes in Canon RF, Leica L, Nikon Z and Sony E mount options. It has an astonishingly wide field of view for a rectilinear lens, pretty much as wide as it gets without going curvilinear, or ‘fisheye’. Speaking of which, 7Artisans also offers a highly capable 10mm F2.8 Fisheye and some other very desirable lenses including the super-fast 50mm F1.05. Like those two, the 9mm F5.6 is a fully manual lens with no built-in electronics, but that’s not really a setback, as we’ll come to later.

Specifications

Mount: Canon RF, Leica L, Nikon Z, Sony FE
Full-frame: Yes
Autofocus: No
Stablization: No
Lens construction: 16 elements in 11 groups
Angle of view: 132 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 5
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 0.2m
Autofocus type: Manual only
Filter size: N/A
Dimensions: 70x86mm
Weight: 463g

Key features

There are 132 degrees of key feature packed into this diminutive lens. Put your eye to the camera’s viewfinder and it gives an instant wow-factor. We’ve genuinely tried this with people and they’ve literally said ‘WOW’! It’s simply amazing how much you can squeeze into the image frame, making the lens ideal for sweeping vistas in landscape photography and cityscapes. It also plays into your hands when you’re shooting architectural interiors and simply can’t get enough into the frame even when your back’s up against the wall. The lens could potentially be great for starry night photography, although the modest f/5.6 aperture is a bit on the slow side for full-on astrophotography.

As a rectilinear lens, the 9mm aims to keep distortion to a minimum and give a natural view, unlike the notoriously extreme barrel distortion of the 7Artisans 10mm fisheye lens. Considering the small size of the lens, it’s surprising that 16 optical elements are packed into it, arranged in 11 groups. High-end glass includes two aspherical elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and three HRI (High Refractive Index) elements. The overall aim is to maximize sharpness, contrast and clarity, while keeping unwanted aberrations to a minimum. Coatings are also applied to reduce ghosting and flare.

Aperture control is based on a 5-blade diaphragm, which produces strong 10-point sun-stars when shooting into the light. As we mentioned earlier, the lens is fully manual and features no built-in electronics. There’s therefore no data communication between the lens and host camera body. As such, you not only have to focus manually, but you also need to set the aperture via the lens’s control ring, and no lens based EXIF information is stored in image files.

Build and handling

Considering the very competitive asking price, the lens feels very well made. It has a durable metal construction that extends to the barrel, mounting plate, hood and even the slip-over hood. That’s a lot of metal. As usual with ultra-wide-angle lenses, the hood is integral and can’t be removed, as it gives physical protection to the bulbous front element, which protrudes from the barrel. The only real downside is that there’s no filter attachment thread.

Compact and lightweight construction counts as a handling bonus. The lens measures just 70x86mm and weighing 463g. It certainly gives a bit of light relief if you’re used to big, hefty ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses for full-frame cameras.

The aperture control ring has full f/stop click steps, ranging from f/5.6 to f/22, with the addition of a half-stop click between f/5.6 and f/8. As a focusing aid, depth of field markers are printed alongside the focus distance scale for every full f/stop. The lens itself focuses down to a minimum distance of 0.2m, or 8 inches.

You might be put off by the lack of autofocus, but don’t be. When it comes down to it, the depth of field is so enormous that manual focusing needs little precision. In practice, we found that even at the widest aperture of f/5.6, we could set the focus distance to 3m and everything looked sharp from 1m away to infinity. The focus ring itself operates with a smooth feel and tactile feedback, while the forward position of the aperture ring helps to avoid unintended adjustments.

Another handling upside is that, as the lens is designed for mirrorless cameras with a live preview of exposure, there’s no darkening of the viewfinder when you stop down to narrow apertures. That can be a proper pain when using manual lenses on DSLRs. A final point on build quality is that the construction doesn’t include any weather-seals but that’s not surprising, considering the very affordable asking price.

Performance

When you’re cramming such an epic viewing angle into such a small lens, something has to give. But it’s surprisingly little in this case. The 7Artisans 9mm might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but it’s able to resolve a lot of fine detail in its huge field of view. It can’t do ultimate justice to a 45 megapixel image sensor but we certainly got acceptable results with our 45MP Sony A7R III. As you’d expect, sharpness in the central region of the frame is more impressive than at the edges and corners, but it still holds up pretty well at the extremities.

Being a fully manual lens with no electronic communication, it’s on its own in various other areas of performance, without automatic in-camera corrections being available. Bearing that in mind, distortion is remarkably minimal for such an ultra-wide-angle lens and color fringing is well controlled. A kind of distortion that you certainly can get is that the incredibly wide viewing angle lets you really exaggerate perspective and stretch the distance between foreground and background areas within a scene. Again, automatic correction for vignetting is off the menu, and the drop-off in peripheral illumination can be noticeable at f/5.6.

The very short focal length enables you to use fairly slow shutter speeds in handheld shooting without suffering the effects of camera-shake. A further bonus is that, despite the lack of electronics, you can dial in the focal length and/or aperture of the lens manually with many full-frame mirrorless camera bodies, making in-body image stabilization available.

All in all, performance, build quality and handling are very convincing for such an ultra-wide-angle lens, especially at such a competitive selling price.

Sample images

Lab results

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

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

Sharpness:

In our lab tests, sharpness looks very impressive at the center of the frame but pretty dire towards the edges. Bear in mind though that the extremely wide viewing angle of the lens requires shots of test charts to be taken from a very close distance, which makes edge-sharpness look worse than it really is in ‘real-world’ shooting.

Fringing:

Color fringing can be noticeable towards the edges and corners of the frame under laboratory conditions. This is due to how close the lens has to be positioned to our test chart in order to maintain correct framing, which in turn creates an extreme angle between the lens and the corners of the chart. However, as with edge-sharpness, we didn’t find fringing to be a major problem in our real-world tests.

Distortion: -3.65

The closer you get, the more noticeable distortion becomes so, again, ultra-close-range results for our lab tests look unflattering. In more typical shooting conditions, barrel distortion certainly isn’t obvious and, either way, the 7Artisans produces much less distortion than we’ve seen in many other lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, which rely heavily on automatic correction.

Verdict

This conveniently compact and lightweight lens nevertheless bears some heavyweight credentials. It’s a rectilinear rather than curvilinear (or fisheye) lens, shoehorning an epic 132-degree viewing angle into its small build, and with a solid metal construction that stretches to the integral hood and slip-on metal cap. It’s a fully manual lens but focusing is quick and easy, thanks to the enormous depth of field, 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. We’re really rather keen on it!

Read more:

• Best camera lenses to get
• Best Canon lenses
• Best Nikon lenses
• Best Sony lenses

If you've been waiting to upgrade from full frame to medium format, but have been holding off for a great deal then it is time to get out your checkbook as this $1,000 discount on the Fujifilm GFX 50S II making this awesome 50MP camera the same price as its mere pro-grade full-rame equivalents is a steal of a deal, and what sweetens it up even further is that you can get this price at  Adorama, B&H, and Amazon

Offering the perfect mix of accessibility and flexibility, the Fujifilm GFX 50S II is a unique medium format mirrorless camera that is wonderfully compact and portable. 

Featuring a stunning 51.4MP CMOS sensor paired with an improved X-Processor 4 image processor, this camera produces files with extensive dynamic range and high resolution and offers an extended sensitivity range of ISO 50-102400 for working in difficult lighting conditions. The sensor's large form factor also achieves a unique three-dimensional look with especially smooth tonal and color transitions.

This is a remarkable camera that is on the wish list of many photographers, and in the hands of some of the best photographers in the world - for good reason too!

I think a $1,000 discount and a price tag of just $2,999 put's it in contention with pro full-frame mirrorless cameras, You get more resolution, better dynamic range, and a camera that looks stunning - I know which I'd pick in a heartbeat!

Of all the Cyber Monday camera deals we have seen so far, some of the most impressive have been the ones from Panasonic. 

The Lumix range of mirrorless cameras splits into two different camps. There is the Micro Four Thirds G range, that employs Micro Four Thirds lenses. Then there is the full-frame S range that uses L-mount lenses. And we have seen great discounts on both sets of cameras – these are some of our favorites that are on offer right now…

Panasonic UK – lens cashback deals

Panasonic is offering some interesting cashback deals on its Lumix S5 II and Lumix S5 IIx full-frame mirrorless cameras, and a selection of lenses. You can see the full terms and conditions on Panasonic's site.

Winter cashback runs until: January 8, 2024 Claims must be made by: February 8, 2024

Panasonic S 50mm f1.8 £379 at Wex after £50 cashback

Panasonic S 24-105mm f4 OIS £899 at Wex after £200 cashback

Panasonic S Pro 50mm f1.4 £1,749 at Wex after £250 cashback

Panasonic S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 OIS £799 at Park Cameras after £100 cashback

It's not very often you can pick up a mirrorless full-frame autofocus f/2.8 lens for this price, but Viltrox continues to expand its lineup offering great value for money with a new $160 prime.

The Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 wide-angle has been released for the Sony E mount, and according to Viltrox, the Nikon Z mount will follow within the next couple of months. The Viltrox lenses are exceptionally well priced for the performance they can produce, often reviewed very highly, and featured in guides such as the best Sony E mount lenses. 

The lens is specifically tailored for astrophotography, landscape, and architectural photography, providing an expansive 91.6-degree angle of view in a lightweight and compact lens body. Weighing just 157g it is designed for portability, providing a wide angle option for those on the move. Comprised of 8 groups of 10 optical elements, including 2 ED lenses, 1 lens with high refractive index, and 2 aspherical lenses, this 20mm combats aspherical and chromatic aberration. 

A maximum aperture of f/2.8 enables the camera to perform well in low-light situations. The seven-blade diaphragm that Viltrox states, "enhances your visuals, contributing to a mesmerizing bokeh quality." 

Unlike many of Viltrox's lenses, this 20mm f/2.8 has AF, and a fast and precise one at that with the inclusion of an STM motor. Eye and face AF are also features, enabling fast focus locking and tracking when used for both stills and video. Viltrox has also made sure to future-proof the lens by providing a USB port, allowing quick and easy firmware updates in order to keep up to date with any advancements. 

Other noteworthy features include a minimum focusing distance of just 0.19m (7.5 inches) allowing you to capture wide-angle macro worlds, and HD Nano multilayer coating reducing flare and ghosting.

We haven't had a chance to test this particular lens, but we have tested the APS-C siblings of this lens – the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 and the Viltrox AF 23mm F1.4 – both of which scored top marks and offered great performance and value for money. 

This lens looks set to continue this theme and would make a great wide-angle option. The lens is available now for the Sony E mount, but you will have to wait a little longer for other mounts. The price is $158 / £132 / AU$247 , a huge bargain for any full-frame AF lens! 

If you are interested in landscape, architecture, or astrophotography, see our helpful guides for more information: best lenses for landscapes, best tilt-shift lenses, and the best lenses for astrophotography. 

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS|Sports lens is finally here - and this professional telephoto zoom is a lot cheaper than we'd dare imagine.

The new lens has been developed exclusively for full-frame mirrorless cameras and will be released for the L mount and the Sony E mount. The 70-200mm f/2.8 is a staple in any photographer's kit list, and this new lens release has been greatly anticipated as it will provide full-frame mirrorless users with a more affordable option, without sacrificing quality. I'm calling it now, this lens will feature highly in our guides to the best Sony lenses and the best L-mount lenses!

Sigma's lenses are renowned for offering exceptional performance, for a more affordable price than native lenses, and this new release is no different. It will be released at an enticing price of $1,499 / £1,499 when compared to the native Sony E mount equivalent of $2,599/ £2,599, a saving of over $1,000! 

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS|Sports will be the go-to tool for sports, wildlife, weddings, and live events offering exceptionally sharp detail. Designed using ultra-high performance low-dispersion glass, which includes six FLD and two SLD elements the lens's image quality is consistent throughout the zoom range, even wide open at f/2.8.

This lens falls into the Sports category of Sigma lenses, and with the performance features it's easy to see why. Designed for use by both professionals and enthusiasts alike, the unique floating focusing system is designed to keep up with the most fast-paced action, whether wildlife or sports. A combination of two HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors and Sigma's OS2 optical stabilization algorithm, Sigma states, " the lens is able to deliver fast, accurate and near-silent autofocus".

The aforementioned OS2 optical stabilization algorithm enables the user to shoot handheld in low light with ease. It provides a 7.5 stop advantage at 70mm and a 5.5 stop advantage at 200mm. Two OS modes, adjustable from a switch on the lens, provide the ability to flick between normal shooting and smoother AF for panning shots, regardless of orientation.

Personally owning and using the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports lens (the DSLR version) for many years, Sigma's attention to detail in regard to not just performance but build quality is exceptional, and this lens looks to follow suit. The lens's compact yet robust configuration is able to tackle challenging conditions with its weather-resistant design - a must for sports, wildlife, and outdoor events. The lens' optical and mechanical design uses materials resistant to dust, moisture, and temperature changes, increasing its durability.

The only issue I had with the DSLR version of this lens was its weight, and this has been improved upon with the mirrorless version weighing considerably less at 1,345g, and having a more compact form factor of 90.6 x 205mm.

The features that are packed into this lens are nothing short of impressive, and so much so that I can't cover them all! However, other notable features included are the internal zoom mechanism, a professional feature set to customize the lens to your style, a tactile aperture ring that offers de-clicking enabling smoother transitions for photo and video, and a newly developed Arca-swiss compatible tripod socket.

In my opinion, Sigma is at the top of the lens game. It offers exceptionally professional glass at a price point that enables not just professionals, but enthusiasts to benefit from it. I made a career by using the Sigma Sports line of lenses, and it is exciting to see this lens, in particular, available for full-frame mirrorless.

The lens is scheduled for release on December 7, 2023, at the price of $1,500 | £1,500 | AU $2,864.

The Sony A9 III has just been launched at will feature the first full-frame global shutter on a professional mirrorless camera. It has a top shutter speed of 1/80,000sec - and can shoot at 120 RAW frames per second.

The global shutter will ensure that video is will give distortion free footage, with no rolling shutter effect.

Other features include

• 24.6MP BSI CMOS sensor

• Flash sync up to 1/80000sec, thanks to the global shutter, that reads all the photosites simultaneously

• 9.4 million dot EVF

• 6K video in 60p, or 4K 120p with no crop

• 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log 3 / S-Cinetone

• 759 focusing points covering 95.6% of the image sensor

• Flicker free shooting with no banding

• 8-stop 5-axis in-body image stabilization

• Dual Bionz XR processors

The Sony A9 III will launch in spring 2024 for US$5,999.99 / £6,100 (Australian price and availability TBC).

Breaking story - see our live blog of the Sony launch here to see our ongoing coverage of the event

Also: At last! Sony finally launches 300mm f/2.8 GM lens

See the current best cameras for sports photography, and our choices for the best cameras for professionals.

Just when I thought the days of cheap AF lenses had gone, Viltrox hits us with one of the cheapest autofocus lenses I have seen in a long time. 

The Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 FE lens is a lightweight, autofocus lens designed exclusively for Sony full-frame E mount (FE). Designed for travellers, vloggers, and those on the move, this lens weighs in at just 157g enabling you to capture beautiful images without the burden of carrying heavy equipment. The E Mount has a long list of great  Sony lenses, however, this one may be one of if not the lightest. 

Aside from its minute form factor the best selling point of this lens is the price. This lens comes in at just $158!! For a full-frame autofocus wide-angle prime with an aperture of f/2.8, you will be hard-pushed to find one cheaper!

Although cheap, this lens looks set to pack a punch being made up of 10 elements in 8 groups including 2 ED lenses, 1 lens with a high refractive index, and 2 aspherical lenses. It is hard to imagine that with this much glass, the lens is so light! The optical design of the lens keeps vignetting, spherical, and chromatic aberration to a minimum.

Although short and compact this wide-angle prime is not a pancake lens like the Sony E 20mm f2.8 (APS-C E mount). The Viltrox 20mm is 65 x 59.5mm and weighs just 157g. The closest native lens equivalent for Sony full-frame FE is the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G, which is notably heavier, larger, and much more expensive - although it does have the nice advantage of being a f/1.8. 

Other third-party manufacturers have also made a 20mm for the full-frame E mount such as the Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD Macro and the Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN I Contemporary, but still both are almost double the Viltrox's weight.

As well as weighing less than a mobile phone, the lens also has a number of attractive features for those wanting to shoot both stills and video on the move. It comes with eye/face autofocus, allowing you to track focus automatically when using video or stills. This is the case for both humans and pets, with Viltrox stating that it ''can efficiently and accurately lock to a subject'.

Other notable features include a minimum focusing distance of just 0.19m, an STM stepper motor, and a USB-C interface for updating lens firmware straight to the lens without having to do it through the camera body. 

This seems like a nifty little lens that can easily be carried around in your bag with little to no notice, for both video and stills purposes, and the best part is the price. This lens is available to pre-order now for mid-November release at the bargain price of $158 | £130 | AU$250. 

Reviews of other Viltrox lenses:

It’s been rumored ad nauseum that the Sony A9 III will be announced in early November (likely at Sony's Creative Space event in New York), alongside a Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens. 

Since Sony registered two new cameras in China, we have been weighing what they could be. While an upgrade to the Sony A9 II makes perfect sense, considering it’s now four years old, A Sony A7S IV or a Sony A1 II (although less likely) could also be in the running. 

Sony has not officially made any announcements regarding what will be revealed at the event, but Sony Alpha Rumors has shared some supposedly leaked specs. And the site's owner, Andrea Pizzini, has just released a video outlining what we could see in the new Sony A9 III:

Although he admits the information hasn’t come from his most reliable sources, it’s the first we’ve heard of any leaks and gives us some food for thought. We can’t be disappointed if the following isn’t true (after all, it is a rumor) but, according to Pizzini, the Sony A9 III will look and feel very much like the existing Sony A1, with the same lefthand dial. 

It is likely to have a 33-36MP stacked sensor, developed specifically for the new camera. When in continuous burst mode, it’s said to be able to shoot 12-bit RAW images at 40fps and 14-bit RAW images at 30fps. 

While he reiterates that he's not 100% sure about the details, he is bullish on the stacked sensor and its readout speed. "All I know form [sic] trusted sources is that the A9III uses a new stacked sensor to make it the world’s fastest FF camera." (The Nikon Z8 and Z9 both shoot at 120fps, so they are faster cameras, though they only output low-res JPEGs at that speed.)

Primarily designed to be a sports camera, the Sony A9 III won’t feature 8K video as there is really no need for it – speed, resolution, and autofocus accuracy are the main concerns.  

Alongside the launch of three possible products, Sony could also release new firmware for the Sony A1 on the same day – and we are hoping it will add some significant upgrades (something Sony firmware updates haven't done much of). With Creative Space fast approaching, it won’t be long before we can stop fantasizing and start giving you some solid facts on what exciting releases Sony has up its sleeve. 

We see the Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens fast becoming one of the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife – find out what other lenses are top-rated.

The Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM is the full-frame mirrorless successor to the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM for DSLRs, which was launched back in 2015. 

Far from just a quick mirrorless update, the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM makes full use of the RF mount – which enables the rear element to sit much closer to the camera sensor, opening up a realm of innovation in optical engineering. Indeed, this is the world's first rectilinear zoom lens with a 10mm focal length and autofocus – making it, on paper at least, one of the best wide-angle lenses for those who work at the extreme end. 

We were able to compare our beta sample to the EF 11-24mm that it replaces, and looking at them side-by-side the new lens is considerably more compact and portable with a much neater cylindrical footprint (the older EF lens has a more awkward shape, which could be more difficult to load into a kit bag). 

Weighing just 570g it’s also considerably lighter, yet packs in new features like a Control Ring, custom button, and all-new tech like Peripheral Control Image Stabilization – impressive!

The new lens only zooms to 20mm at the long end, rather than 24mm on the prior model, though it does go slightly wider to 10mm rather than 11mm. This is a welcome tradeoff, as most people looking to buy this optic will likely have access to a 24mm focal length (with a lens like the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L or Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L). Having a slightly wider focal length and cutting down on size and weight is a smart choice.

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: Specifications

Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM: Key Features

Thanks to the advantages afforded by Canon's RF mount, it's been possible to improve the RF 10-20mm in pretty much every conceivable way over its EF predecessor. It has been made much lighter and more compact, while also being able to squeeze in the latest tech, like its 5-stop Image Stabilizer, Peripheral Control IS technology, a Control Ring and a custom button.

It's also Canon's first L-series lens to feature a stepping motor (STM), known for its smooth and quiet operation, making it ideal for recording video. In another first for Canon, it's also the company's first optic to use an STM positioning sensor. This means that the STM autofocus motor doesn't have to reset all the way, each time the camera is turned off, which makes it faster to get up and running with little delay. 

A filter holder on the rear element is featured for mounting 35 x 20mm gelatine filters, which we'll come back to later. The lens also boasts a built-in plastic hood, and comes with front and rear lens caps and a soft case for storage.

On the lens barrel you'll find the large focus ring for full-time manual focusing, a Control Ring that can be set to adjust a number of key settings, an AF/MF switch, and a custom button. There's also a switch to engage the optical Image Stabilization (IS), which offers five stops of stabilization on its own or six-stops when used with a compatible EOS R body with in-body image stabilization (IBIS).

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: Build & Handling

One of the most notable differences between the new lens and its predecessor is its portability and compact design. Weighing just 570g, it is 610g lighter – that’s a weight reduction of over 50%! And with dimensions of 83.7 x 111mm, it’s also about 35% smaller in footprint – an astonishing improvement!

This is a welcome change and makes it much easier to fit into a camera bag, as ultra wide-angle zooms are generally quite awkward shapes and can take up a lot of space. 

Due to the lens being a slimmer design and much better balanced (the old EF 11-24mm feels really front-heavy by comparison) we can see the RF 10-20mm being a much better choice when it comes to video, lending itself to gimbal use nicely such as on the DJI RS 3 Pro Combo. It could even be a good choice for drones (if yours is powerful enough to support a full-frame mirrorless body and a lens).

Handheld video should be impressive too, though it wasn't something we were able to extensively test in our short time with the beta model. When shooting handheld, users will be able to take advantage of the new peripheral Image Stabilization which corrects for wobble at the corners of the frame caused by the IBIS system when capturing video. In short, Canon has created an algorithm that calculates the amount of distortion occurring at the sensor level; the lens IS is then employed to compensate for it.

The autofocus stepping motor (STM) should be a boon for video use, too, as these motors are notably smoother and quieter during operation. It also means that focus whirr shouldn't be recorded by your internal or external microphone. In our testing we found the autofocus to be both very quiet and snappy.

Despite being smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the Canon RF 10-20mm squeezes in lots of new physical features. Many of these are found on the lens barrel, such as the Control Ring (for fast access to exposure settings like ISO), a custom button and a switch for the Image Stabilizer. That said, the focus distance window found on its predecessor has been omitted this time around.

The rear gelatine filter holder is a welcome addition, though it's fairly basic and limiting. While neutral density and color filters could be handy to rear-load for video use, filters like ND grads, variable NDs and polarizing filters will be more tricky.

Lee Filters make a specialist SW150 filter holder and series of filters designed for ultra-wide lenses, such as the EF 11-24mm and other ultra-wide optics like the Sigma 14mm f1.8 DG Art. While Lee has yet to announce any plans to make its SW150 system compatible with the new Canon lens, it seems likely given time. This would enable a full range of filters to be used, opening up more options for landscape photographers.

Canon RF 10-20mm: Photo Performance

When it came to autofocus the STM impressed as focusing was quick, smooth, and quiet, making it ideal for both stills photography and video. As you'd expect from one of Canon's top-flight L-series optics, all the rings on the lens barrel felt smooth and the switches clicked nicely into place – and they were also easy to find and engage when you have an eye to the viewfinder.

When it comes to image quality the Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM boasts an advanced rectilinear optical design. You'll usually find lenses with an ultra-wide focal length of 10mm (full-frame) to be a fisheye with bags of barrel distortion. 

A rectilinear design, however, makes this optic special, as vertical lines of buildings should remain straight, making it a good choice for architecture and landscape photography. Of course, you pay a premium for this, with Canon's new lens costing $2,299 compared to a lens like the 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 manual focus fisheye which costs just $139.

While a focal range of just a 10mm difference doesn't sound all that impressive on paper, you might question if this is worth it over just a super-wide prime. However, when you can actually see the difference it makes in photos and video then it is much more apparent how big of an effect this small focal length can achieve. Below are the same images shot at 10mm and 20mm to show the full range of the lens.

One issue I did note with our sample was that there was a strong vignette present in the corners of RAW files when shooting at the widest 10mm setting, though this was corrected with the in-camera JPEGs. 

There is a lens profile to correct this in Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom, and Canon Digital Photo Professional, so it isn't really an issue, but I think this is something that we can expect on all wide-angle lenses going forward as lenses get smaller and digital corrections get much better. In Lightroom looking at the RAW images, I could not tell that any corrections had even been applied.

I don't remember the vignetting or curvature of straight lines to be notable when I was framing up, so the in-camera software is likely correcting this to make the live view display look more like the processed JPEGs. These corrections should also hopefully be applied to any video footage.

Below you can see the RAW file from our R5 on the left and the in-camera processing in the JPEG hard at work on the right, to pull and stretch any vertical and horizontal lines to make them straight. It also pulls the most egregious vignetting found in the RAW file out of shot. 

The lens is very sharp, I tested this at the same time as the considerably cheaper Canon RF-S 10-18mm lens and the results were incredible, with the 10-20mm lens being clearly visibly superior. Unsurprising when the 10-20mm lens features sixteen elements in five groups, with three glass-molded aspherical (GMo) elements, one of which is UD, as well as a Super UD element to boot. It also boasts Super Spectra, Air Sphere (ASC), and Sub Wavelength (SWC) coatings.

How does this compare to the previous EF version of the lens though? Well, to find out I set up on a tripod and shot an identical scene at f/8 with both the Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM and the old Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM to see how they compared. While only a 1mm difference at the widest setting, the RF 10-20mm does squeeze significantly more into the frame.

Results at f/8 we found to actually be quite similar, although the newer RF version had a slightly better level of sharpness across the entire frame, with just better edge and corner clarity in the new RF model.

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: Sample Images

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: Video Performance

Video performance was very impressive with 4K footage shot using the Canon EOS R5 looking so sharp and clear. The autofocus throughout was also whisper quiet and very very fast, paired with Canon's excellent subject recognition and tracking algorithms I really didn't have to think much about the focus at all in the moment, and when checking through footage everything was pin sharp.

Image stabilization is especially good, even more so when combined with Canon's in-body image stabilization in the EOS R5. Only the R5 running the latest firmware will be able to make full use of the new Peripheral Control Image Stabilization function at launch. This is a clever bit of algorithmic technology that promises to eradicate the "Jell-O"-like wobble at the corners of the frame, which is often the result of using ultra-wides with in-body image stabilization systems.

Footage was smooth in panning and static shots, and even walking wasn't horrendous, although still not close to the level of a gimbal, it is better than a lot of other Canon lenses I have tried. The super wide angle of this lens also means using Canon's active image stabilization and its cropped footage is a lot more reasonable. 

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: 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 is excellent, at all tested focal lengths, even wide open at f/4. Corner sharpness appears much softer, however ultra-wide lenses need to be positioned very close to our large, flat test chart in order to maintain correct framing. This means the corners of the chart are much further away from the lens relative to the center, causing them to fall outside the lens's focal plane, thereby reducing the corner sharpness scores.

Fringing:

Fringing is noticeable at all focal lengths and apertures, though it's not severe.

Distortion:

Canon seems to have abandoned any efforts to reduce optical distortion in its RF-mount ultrawide lenses, instead relying on in-camera firmware corrections. With this turned off, the RF 10-20mm f/4 exhibits catastrophically bad barrel distortion at 10mm, and it's still pretty awful at 12mm. Thankfully this is very effectively ironed out by enabling in-camera distortion correction - an option which really shouldn't be turned off.

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: Verdict

The Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM improves on the EF 11-24mm f4L USM in every way possible – and while I won't go as far as calling it affordable, but it won't cause such a big dent in your wallet either. If you were considering buying the older EF version, getting this new version is a no-brainer, and for those who are considering upgrading, it is well worth it.

While our sample did show some vignetting at the wide end throughout the aperture range in the RAW photos, Adobe Camera Raw will be able to correct this effectively and it shouldn't be an issue. This is also negligible with in-camera JPEG processing stretching it out of shot when correcting the vertical and horizontal lines. The camera can also impressively relay the corrected image in the viewfinder, so I could frame my shots perfectly.

The RF 10-20mm lens is notably sharper across the board compared to its predecessor, I tested the Canon RF-S 10-18mm at the same time as this, and it is night and day between the quality of the two, so you definitely are getting what you pay for here! Its impressive results extend into video as well, with solid image stabilization even at full width, and great 4K footage. 

If you are a pro who needs the widest angle possible, then this is the best Canon wide-angle lens so far!

It's been 10 years since Sony first launched the A7 and A7R, the first full-frame mirrorless cameras that led the revolution and reshaped the photography landscape. 

Where has the time gone? It feels like only yesterday that Sony came out with the very first iteration of full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Sony A7 and the A7R pioneered the changing of the guard from mirrored to mirrorless. 

• Take a look at the best Sony cameras on offer today

Many in the photography community saw it as a fad that would never take off but, over the past ten years Sony has proven the naysayers wrong, leading the migration to mirrorless. 

The early focus on mirrorless camera systems thrust Sony atop the hierarchy of manufacturers, and during the last decade it has continued to develop new bodies and features for mirrorless systems. 

The ability to house the same specs as a top DSLR in a smaller and more lightweight body was the first key factor. Sony's camera systems offer top-of-the-market video and stills, and it has become one of the best hybrid camera manufacturers around today. 

During the last ten years, Sony has pushed the boundaries of photographic technology by introducing new full-frame mirrorless lines, each specializing in different areas. 

From the A7s series, which has a main focus on video and low light, to the A9 (and now A1) line that focuses on fast-paced sports and wildlife, Sony has covered all bases, providing new and exciting technology for all. You only have to take a look at these milestones to appreciate Sony's commitment to innovation:

Key milestones:

• 2013: The photographic landscape was revolutionized with the introduction of the world's first mirrorless full-frame cameras – Sony’s A7 and A7R. These pioneering models marked the start of an ongoing evolution for the Alpha series.

• 2014: In less than a year after, Sony introduced the 'S' variation, setting new standards for low-light performance at high ISO settings and 4K video recording.

• 2015: The A7R II, featuring a groundbreaking 42.4MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor, continued to redefine photography standards.

• 2017: The A9, launched in 2017, offered blackout free continuous silent shooting at an impressive 20 frames per second, giving sports photographers a competitive edge over their DSLR-shooting counterparts.

• 2020: Sony announced the A7C – the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera. Uncompromised performance in a compact design

• 2021: The A1, the world’s first full-frame mirrorless camera to combine a high-resolution 50.1MP sensor with 8K video recording capabilities and much more, groundbreaking for both photographers and videographers and marked a new era in professional imaging.

• 2022: The A7R V, the first Alpha camera with an AI processing chip for autofocus. The state-of-the-art AI processing uses detailed information about human form and pose estimation to dramatically improve recognition accuracy beyond systems that only detect face and eye, also includes several subject types such as animals, vehicles, and insects.    

To celebrate this decade of innovation, Sony has produced a flickbook of images that showcase how far it has come as a manufacturer of photographic equipment. They exude quality and give an example of how Sony considers its users, covering all conceivable genres. Images from Sony cameras have always felt deep and rich, with great color and sharpness. 

There is no denying that Sony has become a dominant force in the camera industry, with no signs of slowing down, and I am excited to watch how it continues to push boundaries. Happy Birthday, Sony full-frame mirrorless!

Check out the best Sony lenses, including the best Sony wide-angle lenses and best Sony telephoto lenses.

A new super-wide-angle 9mm lens to be released by 7Artisans for full-frame mirrorless cameras. 

Full-frame mirrorless cameras are to receive yet another new 9mm super-wide angle lens, this time from 7Artisans. The manual focus 9mm f/5.6 lens will be available for Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and L mounts. It shares a list of features with the new best wide-angle lenses and looks to be an exciting option for super-wide shooters. 

The 7Artisan 9mm f/5.6 is a fully manual lens, designed for full-frame cameras. Its ultra-wide angle gives a huge view of 132 degrees, ideal for landscape photography and astrophotography. An angle of view this wide can enable the user to capture more of the scene and provide a creative perspective. Despite the focal length, the angle of view does not fall into the fish-eye territory and instead, thanks to two aspherical lenses, provides quality image edges and controlled distortion.

This lens has a smooth all-metal design that makes it more durable but does not stop it from being conveniently lightweight and compact. Weighing in at 463g and with a lens length of 78mm, this lens can be used by photographers on the move, who require a lighter kit.

Another increasingly desired feature, that up until recently I had not been aware of, is the sunstar ability. This lens creates 10-point sun stars by way of its 5 aperture blades, allowing for a pleasing symmetrical light flare. The aperture itself can be used from its minimum of f/5.6 through to its max of f/22.

Other notable features include a 20cm minimum focusing distance, 70mm lens diameter, 2 ED lens elements to suppress chromatic aberration, and a de-clicked aperture ring. The de-click option for the aperture ring has been increasing in popularity, especially with manual focus lenses. It allows a smoother aperture switch when videoing reducing camera shake.

The 7Artisans 9mm f/5.6 Full-frame Wide-angle lens will be officially released on October 13, 2023, at the price of $479 | £459 | AU $749.