Not much has changed in the world of large format film photography for decades, but the team behind the Smartflex SLR 4x5 camera believes it’s time for an update. Its newly designed large format SLR, recently funded on Kickstarter, claims to offer improved portability and versatility in a format traditionally associated with tripod-bound setups.

In recent years, Intrepid Camera has been the main manufacturer driving innovation in large format film cameras, producing lightweight and accessible cameras that have brought the format to a new generation of photographers. However, Smartflex aims to push the boundaries further with a newly portable SLR design that incorporates modern materials and features.

The Smartflex SLR 4x5 features a body crafted from lightweight yet durable 3D-printed materials from Germany, hand-polished and painted for a bespoke finish. Carbon fiber baseplates and side panels add strength while keeping the overall weight to just 2,150 grams. The rear focal plane, made from CNC-machined aluminum alloy, is engineered for consistent performance, even at ultra-wide apertures.

Portability feels like a key focus for Smartflex. Promotional materials show the camera being carried with a neck strap, a not-often-seen feature for a 4x5 camera, suggesting it can be used in more spontaneous and versatile ways than many of its predecessors.

The Smartflex SLR incorporates a Graflok-compatible back that supports both landscape and portrait orientations without obstruction, and can accommodate medium format backs for added flexibility. The segmented mirror system, inspired by the Bronica D, is designed to overcome the challenges of short-flanged distanced lenses while maintaining flash synchronization.

A standout feature is the large 5x5" TTL viewfinder, which Smartflex describes as one of the brightest available, offering an immersive and enjoyable shooting experience. And for those new to large format photography, compatibility with Instax Wide film offers a more affordable and accessible way to enjoy the medium.

Each camera is handmade to order, with early Kickstarter backers securing a camera and lens bundle for $2,900 (around £2,300 / AU$4,600) but post-campaign the price has risen to $3,400 (£2,700 / AU$5,400). While this craftsmanship and innovation are clear selling points, the cost is on the higher side compared to Intrepid’s offerings, which have long been celebrated for their affordability and accessibility.

While Intrepid Cameras has laid much of the groundwork for bringing large format photography into the modern era, Smartflex is making a bold move with its SLR design and emphasis on portability. More details on the project can be seen on the Smartflex Instagram where it also documents the development of the camera.

Whether it will meet the expectations of large-format photographers remains to be seen, but the combination of innovation and classic film aesthetics has already captured the attention of the photography community. The project was successfully backed by 120 supporters, who pledged a combined $327,880 / £262,825 / AU$519,411.

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Check out our guides to the best medium format cameras and the best film cameras.

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

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

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

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

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

The Brenizer method

1. Select a fast lens 

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

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

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

2. Set a consistent white balance  

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

3. Frame your image 

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

4. Camera settings 

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

5. Switch to manual focus 

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

6. Capture a 'bokeh panorama'

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

Blend a 'bokeh panorama'

7. Open your sequence in Camera Raw 

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

8. Set the color temperature

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

9. Import your sequence into Adobe Photoshop

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

10. Blend your 'bokeh panorama'

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

11. Crop your blended image 

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

6. Flatten and finish 

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

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

Intrepid Camera is a specialist manufacturer of large-format film photography equipment, and it has almost single-handedly resurrected the medium, developing retro analog cameras with modern features.

Surfing the wave of the film photography resurgence, Intrepid is among the few manufacturers that offer new large format cameras with 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 options. Users would ordinarily need to source an existing vintage lens to use with the camera, but a new Kickstarter has just launched for the first Intrepid Camera lens and electronic shutter.

Intrepid's fifth Kickstarter launches today, marking the company's tenth anniversary – and its most ambitious product development yet, with two new product lines: the Intrepid I-0 Shutter and the Intrepid 150mm f/6.3 Lens.

The Intrepid 150mm f/6.3 Lens is a compact and portable optic that has a Cooke triplet design. Its focal length and maximum aperture may not sound that wide, but in full-frame terms that equates to 35mm at f/1.8.

The Cooke triplet design is vital in correcting for the main optical aberrations. Shooting above f/11 provides excellent sharpness throughout the image, and when used wide open at f/6.3 it creates a smooth bokeh that is accentuated by the nature of the larger format camera.

"We went through so many design variations and so much research before settling on this lens," says Intrepid. "We are so happy with the results. It really is a beautiful little lens with a classic character we know you are going to love".

In addition to the lens, and 18 months in the making, the Intrepid I-0 Shutter is an electronic shutter that enables the user to dial in settings via the controller instead of manually, and is described by Intrepid as "a super smart cable release with a screen".

Compatible with all Copal 0 size lenses, shutter speeds from as long as you want to 1/125th, and a self-timer it provides live EV readings so you don't ever have to waste another sheet of film again.

When it comes to large-format film photography, one of the main concerns is getting the settings wrong and throwing away film – especially if you're new to the format. The new shutter provides enhanced security so that what you see after development is the same as when you tripped the shutter.

The shutter is also compatible with flash via the 3.5mm jack, and it can be controlled by PC / Mac.

I have been a huge fan of Intrepid Camera's approach to creating new and accessible film cameras, and launching these products is a stroke of genius. Now users, most importantly new users, can purchase every aspect of the large format shooting experience from Intrepid without having to source and take a risk with an expensive, older, second-hand lens.

The Kickstarter campaign is live now, and you can head over to show your support and get an earlybird discount of 10% off RRP. The lens and shutter combo is priced at $575 / £429, just the lens at $215 / £159, and just the shutter at $385 / £289 (US pricing has been converted from the UK price, Australian pricing to be confirmed).

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

You may also be interested in our guides to the best film cameras and the best medium format cameras.

Blackmagic Design has announced the pricing and availability of its latest cinematic powerhouse (and rival to the legendary Arri Alexa 65), the Ursa Cine 17K 65. Officially launched at IBC 2024 in Amsterdam, this revolutionary large format digital cinema camera is set to retail starting at a jaw-dropping AU$45,000 (US$29,995).

Which is a lot of money, no doubt, but not when you think of large-format cinema. Featuring an unprecedented 65mm RGBW sensor, the Blackmagic Ursa Cine 17K 65 is designed to deliver breathtaking image quality and unparalleled integration into post-production workflows – specifically with DaVinci Resolve.

With its large format sensor boasting a resolution of 17,520 x 8,040 and 16 stops of dynamic range, the camera is poised to become a go-to for high-end cinema production. 

The RGBW architecture ensures accurate color reproduction by providing equal amounts of red, green, blue and white pixels, resulting in stunningly rich and detailed images. Offering compatibility with PL, LPL and (weirdly) Hasselblad lenses, the camera's versatility caters to a wide array of creative preferences.

The Ursa Cine 17K 65 also includes a massive 8TB of built-in high-performance storage, along with high-speed networking capabilities, allowing for efficient media uploads and real-time syncing to Blackmagic Cloud. With 12G-SDI outputs, 10G Ethernet and USB-C, the camera provides extensive connectivity options, while industry-standard Lemo and Fischer connectors enable seamless integration with external accessories including lens motors and focus controls.

In terms of usability, the camera is built with a lightweight yet robust magnesium alloy chassis, making it ideal for dynamic on-set work. A fold-out five-inch HDR touchscreen monitor and an assist station, with a secondary display, further enhance the production workflow, ensuring that crews can monitor and control the camera from multiple angles without the need for external monitors. For filmmakers requiring perfect focus, a dedicated focus puller mode adds to the camera's appeal.

The Ursa Cine 17K 65 also features Blackmagic RAW, optimized for 17K editing, with built-in tools for media transfer via the Blackmagic Media Dock. This ensures rapid post-production workflows and real-time editing within DaVinci Resolve, making the camera an all-in-one solution for filmmakers aiming for high-quality production from capture to post.

While the 17K 65 might be a massive stretch for most of us, it is remarkable to hear that such a camera is able to compete with the likes of the Arri Alexa 65 – which until today held the distinction of being one of the only 'real' production models that solo users could purchase in this format.

Indeed, with the Alexa 65 costing well in excess of $100,000, the $29,995 price tag of the Ursa 17K 65 makes it an 'affordable' option for those few solo filmmakers that want large format output – not only for feature films but also the capability to crop in-post after the fact. We are witnessing history in the making!

Pre-order at B&H (US) for $29,995

You might be interested in the best Blackmagic cameras, which are among the best cinema cameras you can buy. 

It has not yet been a year since Harman launched its first-ever 35mm color film, named Phoenix. Now response to the rising demand for analog photography, Harman Technology - the manufacturers of Ilford and Kentmere film - has announced an additional expansion of its Phoenix 200 color film range, which is now available in the 120 format.

This latest offering allows medium-format film photographers to immerse themselves in the distinct qualities that have made Phoenix film a favorite among film enthusiasts. Known for its textured grain structure and designed for those with a creative flair for experimentation, the Phoenix 120 film opens up new avenues for artistic expression. 

Following the success of its 35mm counterpart, the launch of Phoenix 120 provides photographers with enhanced versatility and more creative possibilities. The larger format is ideal for those who value the exceptional depth, resolution, and detail that medium format cameras are renowned for. 

The film is distinguished by its pronounced grain, delivering rich, vibrant colors, including bold greens, striking reds, and vivid blues, which together provide a unique visual signature that sets it apart in the world of analog photography.

I'm sure there are many photographers out there who have been waiting for this announcement, and it's wonderful to see Harman push the boundaries of film in the modern age and offer a new color film to the analog community shooting medium format film.

The new 120 film is now on sale for $11.99/£10.99 a roll.

See our full Harman Phoenix 200 35mm film review 

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

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

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

Film bokeh camera settings

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

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

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

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

All about the aperture…

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

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

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

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

… Well, and the lens

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

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

Distance matters, too

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

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

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

Bokeh camera settings… the cheat code!

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

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

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

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

I must put my hand up in the air and say I had never heard of David Burnett until the 2012 London Olympics, when I saw his amazing work with this Graflex Pacemaker 4x5 Speed Graphic film camera. And for those that don't know what that is, it's a massive sheet film camera that was used by old press photographers in the 1940s.

But this camera has been David's signature piece since the mid-2000s, and he has proceeded to produce outstanding work with it for the International Olympic Committee for no fewer than four Olympic Games!

Since finding out about David and his work, I checked out his Instagram – and then I saw it, the Eiffel Tower background in all its glory with the Volleyball pitch in the foreground. I know that everyone is talking about that Olympic surfing photograph, which equally deserves recognition, but for me, as a film shooter, this is the Olympic image that has won over my mind, heart and soul.

Below you can see the rich swing of the 4x5 camera image on David's Instagram account in full motion, offering a dreamy effect towards the center of the image with the volleyball pitch in peak focus.

On Instagram David had this to say about his image, accompanied by a fellow sports photography legend:

"Ran into Bob Martin, the inventive and unstoppable sports shooter at Beach Volleyball again this morning. Between us we have about 25 [Olympic] games – photographed with both film and digital. The mechanics have changed (no more peering at a camera whose counter is on 26, and wondering and calculating if you better change film NOW – before something happens) but the exhaustive search for great pictures never slows down.

"What's wonderful about the Games (as in life, I suppose) [is] the events and things which you might not be most enthused about often bring the best pictures. So you can never let up. Sitting with Bob Martin today high up in the photosphere facing la Tour and the exquisite Beach Volley court, we voted on, and agreed that this locale might just be THE most iconic view of Games & Location in all the years, and hemispheres, we’ve been shooting. It’s a sight to behold!"

I mean, what a story. Two renowned sports photographers, sitting up high in the stands watching it all going on, David Burnett equipped with his Sony A9 III (I think) attached to the unique vintage Zenit Helios lens, and Bob Martin with a Sony A1 – and David Burnett still has time and composure to capture the action on his 4x5 camera. 

As an old pro sports photographer, I find it remarkable and humbling that these two are still giving it their all to produce outstanding images for us all to enjoy!

They're not as large as large format, but the best medium format cameras still offer supreme image quality. And make sure to take a look at the best film cameras if you feel inspired by Burnett's artistry. 

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 

Fujifilm has just announced the Fujifilm GFX 100S II, a digital medium format camera with an all-new 102MP sensor. 

Many thought that the GFX 100S line would be retired after the extremely popular release of the Fujifilm GFX 100 II last year – especially with its size reduction. However, Fujifilm had other ideas, announcing the new GFX 100S II camera at X-Summit Sydney 2024. 

In what is now its lightest 100MP camera, the GFX 100S II packs a lot more punch than its predecessor in a compact and mobile body. It is widely accepted that the GFX system revolutionized digital medium format photography, breaking the larger sensor camera out of high-end studios and into the hands of the masses. 

The GFX 100S II makes a point of this with Fujifilm stating that it is designed for both professionals and hobbyists wanting to get into larger format photography. 

While that latter statement might be a stretch, as it still holds a steep price point for a hobby camera, the abilities and features included in the GFX 100S II are significantly improved – offering similar stills performance to the powerful GFX 100 II.

It incorporates a newly developed GFX 102MP CMOS II sensor with the superfast X-Processor 5, a mighty combination that brings breathtaking resolution and outstanding image quality. 

The new sensor has an improved pixel structure, enabling the use of ISO80 as the standard sensitivity, reducing noise and improving dynamic range. It also has new microlenses, developed to increase light use efficiency, further improving image quality and AF capabilities at the sensor's edges – a significant upgrade on the previous model. 

Image quality has always been the strongest attribute of the GFX system. As the resident DCW GFX shooter, I can attest to the outstanding performance and detail consistent throughout the lineup. Where it has previously fallen short, however, is in AF capabilities – which, although a bit sluggish, were understandable due to the nature of the format. 

Any worries for future models have now been quashed, though, as Fujifilm has created one of the fastest-focusing medium format cameras on the market. 

The AF performance of the GFX 100S II offers high speed, high precision and accurate continuous shooting performance. "Algorithm advancements" have seen an improvement in face and eye AF, in addition to AI-based subject detection developed with deep learning technology. This means that detecting and tracking animals, birds, cars and motorcycles is a breeze, even in high-speed environments.

The sensor and processor combination also improves the previous model's readout speed and shutter drive, reaching a continuous shooting performance of 7fps. Although this is nothing compared to the Sony A9 III's 120 fps, for a medium format camera 7fps is fast – and honestly you rarely need more than that. This aligns with Fujifilm's statement of wanting to develop the GFX system to be able to capture sports and wildlife photography. 

In this same vein, the IBIS (in-body image stabilization) has been greatly improved, now achieving up to eight stops of shake compensation thanks to "a meticulously designed IBIS unit and a combination of gyro and acceleration sensors that accurately capture even the slightest movement, along with the use of image information to detect shake and improve correction precision".

Another area in which Fujifilm wanted to improve the GFX system is video, and in comparison to the original GFX 100S it has done just that. Although not as advanced as the GFX 100 II, it is now capable of 4K 30p 4:2:2 10-bit video recording for high-quality video production. The sensor also enables an even lower base level of ISO for video, improving image quality yet again. 

The improved AF and IBIS are both vital for video performance, too, enabling stable tracking of subjects just by tapping them via the touchscreen. The GFX 100S II is also equipped with Fujifilm's F-Log2, offering 13+ stops of dynamic range, enabling the capture of extreme details. Support for F-Log2 has also been added to Atomos monitors, which are compatible with the GFX 100S II via HDMI connection. BlackMagic Raw and Apple ProRes are also supported via HDMI. 

Other notable features include 20 Film Simulations (among them the new Reala Ace), Pixel Shift Multi-Shot for image captures of a whopping 400MP, a Bishamon-Tex grip for enhanced camera grip strength, a high-magnification 0.84x OLED EVF with 5.76 million dots of resolution, Frame.IO connectivity, a 3.2-inch 3-way tilting LCD screen, and an optional hand grip (MHG-GFX S) for use with larger lenses and tripod stability. 

With all of these additional features on its predecessor, one might expect a larger and heavier body – but the Fujifilm GFX 100S II is actually lighter, weighing just 883g! 

As a Fujifilm and GFX user, I am extremely excited by this announcement as it improves upon the 100S line making the camera more versatile for both stills and video. It also offers a great alternative to the more expensive Fujifilm GFX 100 II, providing an appeal to many new shooters wanting to test out medium format. 

The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is scheduled to go on sale in June 2024 for $4,999 / £4,999 / AU$8,699. 

Take a look at the best Fujifilm cameras, which obviously covers some of the best medium format cameras. Don't forget to check out the best Fujifilm GF lenses, too.

While the recently released Lego Polaroid camera was cool, it didn't actually take photos. Now, however, we have a camera made out of Lego that produces real photographs – and it's large format, too. 

Earlier this month, Alternative Process Photography reposted the result of a passion project made by Cary Norton – a self-described “photographer, tinkerer, and general dweeberist.”

Back in 2009, Norton created the Legotron Mark I, a fully working 4x5 camera constructed almost entirely from Lego bricks. After realizing he wasn’t getting on with the Lego Builder app, he borrowed a ton of Lego bricks from his friend Gregory and set to work building the Legotron.

After rebuilding the main body to accommodate a film holder – “a part I’d forgotten to plan for,” Norton says on his website – his dedication resulted in a fully functioning camera, complete with a 127mm f/4.7 lens purchased on eBay for $40. 

Despite not knowing how many bricks he used, the Legotron’s dimensions are roughly 7 x 6.5 x7 inches and consists of a main box, internal box, film holder and ground glass slot, lens board and lens. The camera is focused by sliding the internal box back and forth. 

With a focus range of three feet to eighteen inches, Norton explains on his website that his homemade camera is good for portraits “but certainly can’t focus to infinity.”

The ground glass is plexi sanded down, and is held in place with a film holder with the aluminum center cut out. It’s a tight fit with a line of liquid nails along it. 

The Legotron was made in six or seven days over the course of about a year, as Norton spent time in the evening “tinkering” on his creation that he insists was just for fun. And plans for a Legotron Mark II are (or at least, were) in the works. 

“I have a lot more knowledge now and can probably design more accurately in the LEGO app. I'm also going to do a lot of measuring to make sure I have a better focus range (on this version, I just started building on a whim). 

“I'm sure lots of other little tweaks will find their way into the Mark II, but for now, I've got to shoot this guy as much as I can! I'm working on a cohesive project theme to shoot around. I'm open to suggestions too.”

If you're a Lego fan, you might be interested in the best Lego minifigs with cameras. And if you love shooting large, take a look at the best medium format cameras.

If you're a fan of color film and love shooting some of the best film cameras, then you would have heard of CineStill and their new color film, CineStill 400D, which is a ISO400 daylight-balanced print film.

When they originally announced the 35mm and 120 400D roll films, CineStill also suggested that 4x5 sheets could be available if the analog community showed enough support. 

Well, today is that day as CineStill announces a significant milestone for the company over its 10-year history. CineStill 400Dynamic in 4x5 format is now available for retail for the first time, fulfilling the company's promise to the community made during the 400D FILM MAKER Crowdfunding Campaign to bring this C41-process emulsion to photographers working with 135, medium-format, and large-format film cameras.

CineStill 400D, celebrated for its exceptional versatility and cinematic aesthetic, has been a beloved choice among photographers since its debut in 2022. Known for its fine grain, broad exposure latitude, and vivid colors, 400D has become indispensable for both professionals and enthusiasts. 

It offers a new ISO400 daylight-balanced alternative crafted to the highest quality standards and finished in specialized manufacturing partnerships. Whether capturing landscapes, portraits, or fine art, photographers can now bring the distinctive CineStill look to their large format projects using 25-sheet boxes of this new 4x5-inch film.

Image samples

Steve Carter, Head of Marketing & Outreach at CineStill has this to say about the announcement:

"After years of development and anticipation, we're thrilled to bring CineStill 400D to large format photographers, the launch of CineStill 400D in 4x5 format is a testament to the incredible support we received during the 400D FILM MAKER Campaign in 2022, where the community rallied behind the idea of bringing a new 400-ISO color film to large format, as well as the standard 35mm and 120 formats.

 This expansion of our product line not only meets the demands of the passionate film community but also invites new photographers to explore the creative possibilities of large format photography with CineStill's unique characteristics."

CineStill 400D in 4x5 format is now available to purchase immediately on the CineStill website and soon after through photo retailers worldwide, enabling photographers to explore the distinctive characteristics of CineStill on a larger canvas. A box of 25 sheets costs $109.99.

See our guide to the best sheet film available today

Every year I get here early, and every year I buy something cool. 

This is the Aladdin's Cave of camera gear – better known as the Disabled Photographers' Society stand at The Photography & Video Show, which kicks off today and runs until Tuesday at the NEC in Birmingham, England.

The stand – stand C503, if you're coming to the show – is effectively a bazaar of photography equipment. In the UK we call it a "bring and buy"; to raise funds for its mission to make photography inclusive and accessible to those with disabilities, the Society invites attendees to donate working photographic equipment. And, of course, to buy it! 

Each year at The Photography & Video Show, the stand is host to some oddities, rarities and just plain cool stuff. There's the mint condition Toyo View Large Format Field Camera, for starters, with its original flight case, accessories, and a selection of Schneider Kreuznach lenses. 

Away from large format, there's plenty of classic 35mm SLRs as well, from Asahi to Zenit, Praktica to Petri and of course Canon to Nikon. And there's all manner of lenses for all manner of mounts, too, whether it's vintage soviet character glass to tasty Biotar optics to a gorgeous 300mm Minolta in its velvet-lined case. 

There's plenty of modern mirrorless fare as well – including some lovely Sony Alpha bodies and plenty of premium pro lenses. If you're looking for a bargain on a film camera, a mirrorless camera, a lens, a set of filters, camera bags… pretty much any bit of photographic paraphernalia, you'll find it here. And all the money goes to a good cause. 

On the last day of the show, the Society sells off gear "by the bag" – you pay £10 for a bag and whatever you can fit, you can take! 

Visit the Disabled Photographers' Society online to find out more about the great work it does, and visit stand C503 to pick up some goodies and chat to the lovely volunteers. 

The Photography & Video Show is open 10:00-17:00 from today until Tuesday at the NEC in Birmingham –  check out the website for full information. 

If you're reading this, you're probably interested in the best film cameras, along with the best film for cameras and best film scanners. You might want to take a look at the best retro cameras, too!

Forget about Letter-sized prints or even A3 blow-ups - Canon's latest large format inkjet printers offer huge, huge prints that can be up to 60 inches wide. Aimed at professional photographers who sell their prints, the trio of new printers offer a new ink formulation, that will see your prints outlive you, your children and your children's children - with an incredible 200-year longevity. 

The new additions are additions to Canon's highly successful imagePROGRAF Pro large format printers - a 60in (imagePROGRAF PRO-6600), 44in (PRO-4600), and finally a 24in (PRO-2600). These three new models will replace the imagePROGRAF PRO-6100, PRO-4100, and PRO-2100 respectively. Each offers a new 12-color pigment ink set (Lucia Pro II) to produce the highest quality prints available from any imagePROGRAF offered by Canon.

Launching this new series of large format printers addresses market demand for greater image durability and light resistance to help increase long-term print storage and offers new environmental benefits over previous models.

The new Lucia Pro II ink set also allows users to futureproof their print output as the new inks provide substantially improved scratch resistance on photographic papers, to make handling, mounting, and finishing easier, such as for fine art printers (PSPs). In contrast, a very light-resistant pigment in the ink set dramatically increases color fastness . This in theory enhances their value, as photographic and fine art prints can now be produced in even higher quality with the new series of large format printers and be preserved for up to 200 years without the colors fading.

This new series also focuses on environmental considerations, for instance, complying with Canon’s goal of reducing the environmental footprint of its products and operations by using resources responsibly, minimizing waste, increasing efficiency, and supporting innovation.

 To co-inside with those goals Canon has reduced the amount of expanded polystyrene packaging material used with the new imagePrograf Pro series – for example, the company says it uses 89.5% less polystyrene foam for the PRO-4600 than for its predecessor. In addition, its reduced power consumption – using 85W or less during operation and 2.3W or less during standby.

“We’ve raised the bar for print quality as well as significantly increasing image robustness in terms of light and abrasion resistance, which is crucial for fine art printers and professional photographers", comments Canon Europe's Mathew Faulkner. 

The new imagePrograf Pro series will be available from March 2024 either directly from Canon or through one of its accredited resellers.

It's been a while since we’ve welcomed a new large-format photo printer and the Epson SureColor P5300 series inkjet introduces a new high-capacity ten-colour pigmented ink set called UltraChrome PRO10. 

Known as the P5370 in the USA, the P5300 in Europe and P5360 in Australasia, the pro  printer comes in high-capacity 200 millilitre cartridges and includes a new color – Violet Ink – which is designed to give an extended range of blue hues. Additionally, there are dedicated channels for the photo and matte black inks, so there’s no need for ink switching which not only saves time, but also reduces ink waste. 

The P5300/P5360/P5370 is a 17-inch format printer which means that it can print up to A2 size (17x22in) on cut sheets, but it will also accept paper rolls for panoramas. 

The printer has an updated version of Epson’s  ‘Micro Piezo AMC’ print head which uses the company’s ‘Variable Sized Droplet Technology’ (VSDT) to give a maximum resolution of 5760x1440 dpi, ensuring the finer detailing delivered by the higher-resolution digital camera can be accurately reproduced. VSDT also gives smoother tonal gradations. Additionally, there’s a ‘Carbon Black’ mode which increases the DMax value, giving richer blacks and enhanced contrast when printing on glossy papers. The print head employs 180 nozzles per color.

The SureColor P5300 series also incorporates the Epson Media Installer which is a software application designed to help control the parameters for printing on a variety of media, including the thicker fine-art photo papers.

Other notable features include a large 4.3in color LCD touchscreen control panel; Ethernet, USB and WiFi connectivity; built-in roll paper cutter and the Epson Print Layout software for easier and more efficient print production.

The Epson SureColor P5300/5370/5360 is priced at £2035 / $2,095 / AU$3,495 and is due to go on sale from this month.

The 200ml UltraChrome PRO10 ink cartridges for this model are priced at $96/£70/$169 each (note that the printer only comes with 80 millilitres ‘starter’ cartridges). 

Ilford HP5 Plus, a stalwart in the realm of black-and-white film, has certainly stood the test of time, ending up on many a best films list over its history. With its roots reaching back to 1989, this film has undergone refinements over the years, culminating in the celebrated HP5 Plus we have today.

The "Plus" in its name isn't just marketing – it represents an upgrade to the film's grain structure and tonal range over previous versions. The result – HP5 Plus has earned a reputation as one of the most versatile companions for photographers who love to shoot across varied lighting scenarios and subjects, from portraits to landscapes, bustling street scenes, or fashion.

Over thirty years later since it was first introduced, does HP5 Plus still stand the test of time, and does it deserve its stellar reputation?

Ilford HP5 Plus: Specifications

Ilford HP5 Plus: Price & Availability

Ilford HP5 Plus can be bought in rolls of 36 or 24 exposures, although the 36-exposure rolls are much more commonly found. HP5 Plus is a bargain, with the 36 exposure rolls available for just under $9 per roll, and $7 for the 24 exposure. While the price of many films has fluctuated wildly over the past few years, HP5 Plus has stayed pretty steady and also in stock, so is a reliable film to go back to time and time again.

Ilford HP5 is also available in different formats, with 120 roll film costing around $9/£9, or large format sheet film is currently retailing around $55 for 25 exposures. You can also buy disposable cameras preloaded with 35mm rolls of Ilford HP5 Plus. Check out some of the latest deals on all these formats below.

One small thing to note is developing black and white film at a lab is often more expensive than color film, so you do need to figure this into your overall budget. 

Ilford HP5 Plus: Performance

I don’t shoot tons of black-and-white, so I had not used HP5 Plus extensively before going into this review – I knew much of this film's stellar reputation, but I was still unsure what to expect when I got down to studying the finer details of every frame. And I have to say, I am very impressed, so impressed that I have added a few extra boxes to my film collection. 

Across each roll I shot, the consistency between frames was outstanding, I barely got a single frame with any unintended exposure or defects leaving it destined for the cutting room floor. I shot my test rolls at the recommended 400 ASA, although HP5 has a reputation for coping well with being pulled and pushed, and you can even mark on the canister what you shot the roll at so the lab is aware during development. 

HP5 Plus is impressively versatile, the wide exposure latitude of the HP5 meant that the film coped really well under a range of conditions whether I was shooting inside under artificial lighting, or outside in the changeable British winter weather. I was convinced in some shots that the highlights or shadows would be unrecoverable, but I am so grateful for how forgiving HP5 has proven. I got so many frames that I wanted to keep and use that cutting it down to ten or so for this review was a bit of a challenge.

The grain – one of the most discussed things about any film, and the HP5 Plus grain is really nice. It has enough grain that it definitely ticks off that ‘classic film’ look that everyone loves, but the grain isn’t distracting or too heavy that I lost detail. Even at night and in very low light the film performed very well.

While the contrast I found to be naturally quite balanced, it is a great catch-all-film that is sure to please a wide variety of photographers. Although can be tweaked slightly in making prints or scanning/editing if you prefer something with a heavier look.

Ilford HP5 Plus: Sample Images

These images were all captured using Ilford HP5 Plus shot at the box speed of 400 ASA. I shot these images over a few cold wintery weeks in the UK using my Pentax ME Super with a Pentax SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7 lens attached. The outside weather was very changeable between overcast and blue skies with a low sun.

Ilford HP5 Plus: Verdict

Overall Ilford HP5 Plus deserves all the reputation it has built up over the years. The film is incredibly versatile, being forgiving in all manner of shooting conditions, whether indoors or outdoors, with a wide exposure range. The film is also remarkably consistent, so you can keep going back roll after roll. 

Ilford has also managed to maintain a great price for the quality of film you are getting in each canister of HP5 Plus, with many popular films being gouged in price in recent times, it is a relief to know I have a black-and-white staple film.

Ilford HP5 Plus Alternatives

Landscape photography comes in various forms, however, in this list of 10 landscape photographers I have included those who photograph the natural landscape - I'll leave urban landscape for another story! 

The photographers below represent a combination of mediums, styles, and approaches, so there is something for everyone. The great thing about social media is you can often gain a better insight into how the photographer has created an image, often showcasing you don't need the best camera for landscape photography to make an epic image.

These are 10 photographers who influence and inspire me and I hope that they can do the same for you, after all, that's what social media is best used for! 

Adrian Vila

Adrian Vila, a.k.a AOWS, is a Portuguese photographer who travels the world photographing unique landscapes in his signature square black and white style. Vila has documented many of his photographic excursions on his YouTube channel, showing his approach, as well as his editing techniques. He has provided many helpful tutorials and following his social media has provided consistent inspiration.  

Daniel Kordan

Daniel Kordan has built a huge following on social media, capturing beautiful saturated land and seascapes. A beautifully curated social feed showcases a combination of draw-dropping traditional and drone shots.

Awoiska van der Molen

Awoiska van der Molen is a Dutch artist photographer who captures stunning and surreal black-and-white analog landscapes. Her work has been exhibited all around the world, and has three published books, the latest being The Living Mountain which was released in 2020.

Daniel Casson

Daniel Casson creates painterly landscape photographs of rural scenes. The use of golden hour shooting illuminates the British landscape with a warm glow and transports the viewer into the scenery. 

Sam Laughlin

Not your conventional landscape photographer, Sam Laughlin photographs intimate details of nature with an old 4x5 camera. His recent body of work titled 'Spinning Away', has been created by using extremely long exposures in moonlight, capturing the ebbs and flows of the River Severn in the UK. 

Mads Peter Iversen

I first discovered Mads Peter Iverson's work via his YouTube channel, where he has several tutorials on capturing landscapes. His social media is chock filled with masterfully composed images, captured during his many travels. 

Chris Burkard

More than likely the most famous name on this list. Chris Burkard is one of the world's leading landscape photographers, featured countless times in National Geographic and holding exhibitions of his work around the globe. Burkard's new book, The Oceans is filled with awe-inspiring seascapes as well as an insight into Burkard's inspirations and early beginnings. 

Paul Hart

Primarily using a black-and-white analog process, shooting with large and medium format film cameras, Paul Hart captures the ever-changing British landscapes with a focus on the many different waterways. He has several published books with the newest one, Fragile, scheduled for release in Spring 2024 and published by Dewi Lewis - one to keep a look out for!

Zay Yar Lin

It is not often social media algorithms provide noteworthy recommendations but the work of Zay Yar Lin, a photographer from Myanmar, was just that. His landscapes and use of colors are incredible, and the incorporation of people provides scale to the grand vistas.  

Isabella Tabacchi

Isabella Tabacchi is recognized worldwide for her dream-like landscapes. Her social feed is an incredible resource of inspiration, featuring drone, Astro, landscape, and wildlife photography, all of the highest caliber. She is also a Hasselblad heroine, using the Hasselblad X1D II for many of her captures. 

Having only recently started shooting landscape-type images, I have a new sense of admiration for these photographers. A genre that may sound easy to create images for is extremely difficult to get right. By studying the work posted on social media and the tutorials on YouTube, these photographers have provided great insight into how they get the epic shots you see on their feeds - well worth a follow!

See our guides for more information on the best lenses for landscapes, the best camera for astrophotography, and the best tripod for photography. 

The Canon EOS R50 isn’t the cheapest camera in the EOS R system range. That accolade goes to the Canon EOS R100. But spend a little more on the R50 and you get a massively better camera with a newer-generation image sensor and processor, a more advanced autofocus system, and a fully-articulated touchscreen instead of a fixed screen with no touch-sensitivity. Long story short, I think they’re both ‘beginners’ cameras but the R50 has the features, finesse and downright power to grow with you on your photographic journey.

Picking out the best lenses for the EOS R50, I’ve gone for high-performance glass that’s also compact, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. You won’t find any of Canon’s ‘L-series’ glass on this list. My chosen lenses are ideally matched to the camera in terms of image quality, overall performance, handling, balance and budget. So, where to start? The chances are that if you actually are a beginner (and even if you’re not), you probably bought your R50 complete with its kit RF-S 18-45mm lens. I think this zoom is a perfect fit and that the body and lens are literally made for each other. To stretch the camera’s versatility, I’d put a telephoto zoom and a wide-angle zoom next on my shopping list, but there’s also a lot to be said for an all-in-one superzoom ‘travel’ lens.

Canon also makes some seriously good (and seriously small) prime lenses that really enable you to stretch your creative wings. The ones I’ve picked are all ‘RF’ full-frame compatible primes but they work perfectly on the EOS R50. Another bonus is that if you do eventually outgrow the camera and want to trade up to a full-frame EOS R system body, you can keep using all these primes without being limited to the APS-C ‘crop’ shooting mode. Let’s crack on with the hit list.

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R50 

Best starter lens for the R50

This is the standard kit lens for the Canon EOS R50, so if you've bought this camera, you probably have this already. But if you've yet to buy and you're still weighing up the options, you probably want to know whether this lens is any good or not. Well, it is!

As a compact companion to the R50, or Canon's other APS-C EOS R models for that matter, the RF-S 18-45mm is a fantastic option for everyday stills and video shooting. It's obviously not going to give the same performance as L-series or even mid-range glass, but it still delivers solid image quality, along with with fast autofocus and solid stabilization. Best of all, I like that it's really compact and light.

Read more: Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

Best telephoto lens for the R50

If you're interested in longer-range sports or wildlife photography, you can fit any of Canon's full-frame telephoto zooms straight on to the EOS R50. But that's a pretty expensive option, especially when you've got this much cheaper telephoto option designed specifically for the smaller format.

This telephoto zoom is entirely in keeping with the compact, lightweight theme while adding serious reach, equivalent to 88-336mm in full-frame terms. That’s no mean feat for a lens that weighs in at just 270g (9.5oz) and fits in the palm of your hand. It has fast autofocus and highly effective optical stabilization, the only real downsides being that it has a fairly ‘slow’ aperture rating and pretty basic handling.

Read more: Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM review

Best wide-angle lens for the R50

A wide-angle zoom was a missing link in Canon's RF-S lens line-up for some time, but the launch of the RF-S 10-18mm means the EOS R50 has an affordable option for shooting interiors, landscapes and buildings. The wide angle of view also makes this a great option for vloggers.

The 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM delivers sharp, high-contrast photos, although it does exhibit heavy distortion, especially at the widest setting. Fortunately, this is covered by automatic in-camera correction, which can't be disabled in menus. The lens's narrow aperture can be a limitation in low-light situations.

Read more: Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

Best general-purpose lens for the R50

The regular Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM kit lens is a great general purpose kit lens, but what if you want a longer zoom range? The RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is a bigger and more expensive alternative, but it does give you the equivalent of a 240mm telephoto at its longer focal length. You may see this lens as a bundled option for the EOS R50, but it's more likely you'll have to buy it separately.

You might think that no lens with a focal length this broad is ever going to produce sensational image quality, but the Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM nevertheless performs very well for a superzoom optic. It's a great all-purpose, all-in-one lens for Canon APS-C cameras, and ideal for when I want to take a single lens for the journey.

Read more: Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review

Best wide-angle prime for the R50

This is really a popular lens with full-frame Canon users, because it offers a really wide angle of view and a really low price! It works really well on the smaller-format EOS R50 too, with a slightly wider angle of view than the kit lens and a much wider maximum aperture. Despite its pocket-sized build, this lens delivers impressive image quality and boasts a speedy, unerringly accurate autofocus system.

When you use this lens on full-frame cameras, the definition drops away somewhat at the edges of the frame, but the advantage of using it on the R50 is that you're only using the central part of the lens, where any lens performs at its best.

Read more: Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM review

Best portrait photography lens for the R50

A cheap 'nifty fifty' is a popular first buy for camera owners building a system, but while this is a full-frame lens, it's equally useful on the smaller-format EOS R50, where it can take on a completely different role. The smaller sensor means that this lens has an effective focal length of 80mm – and this, combined with the fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, makes it a great portrait lens for the EOS R50.

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is quite simply an essential lens for every camera bag; small and light enough to go anywhere, fast enough to shoot in low light and snap into focus in a heartbeat, and silent and smooth enough to be used for video work.

Read more: Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review

Best macro lens for the R50

Here's another full-frame Canon prime lens that's well worth a look. This one is a little more expensive because it has a couple of extra features. The first is in-built image stabilization, which is really useful on a camera like the EOS R50 which doesn't have IBIS, and the second is a 'macro' capability that offers up to 0.5x magnification. That's not quite as much as a genuine 1x macro lens, but it still lets you get very close to small subjects.

I've seen some price variations, so that this lens can be significantly more expensive in the UK than the US, for example, but you're getting a lot for your money in terms of a wide maximum aperture, image stabilization and that 0.5x close-up capability.

Read more: Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM review

Best compact lens for the R50

This is another full-frame Canon RF prime lens, and one of the newest. What's interesting about this one is that it's a super-compact 'pancake' design, so that if you fit it to the EOS R50, which is pretty small itself, you've got a combination you can just slip into a coat pocket. The 28mm focal length gives you an effective 45mm angle of view on the EOS R50, so this could be a great general-purpose 'standard' lens.

The Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM has really captured my heart. It's pocket-friendly in terms of both size and price, but doesn't compromise on performance.

Read more: Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM review

Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. It’s no real surprise that the two full-frame compatible prime lenses in the group score the highest for sharpness, although it’s pretty good across the board. The RF-S 10-18mm relies particularly heavily on automatic in-camera correction for distortion, while results for color fringing are broadly similar.

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

How to choose the best lens for the Canon EOS R50

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 is 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

Most people have the need to escape. Escape to a part of the world where time slows until things become still. But what happens when you get there? Laura Pannack's new book, Youth Without Age and Life Without Death, explores this conundrum. 

The book is a visual re-interpretation of the Romanian folktale of the same name. Over five years, photographer Pannack journeyed frequently to Romania in response to her desire to escape and to slow down time. In doing so, she discovered a place where time seemed to exist differently, a place in between reality and fantasy, and captured it with one of the best film cameras, a 6x6 Hasselblad. 

Through Pannack's exploration of this location in Romania and her connection to time, a collection of timeless images was created, resulting in Youth Without Age and Life Without Death. Combining large format photographs, Polaroids, drawings and notes, Pannack provides us with a window into this place that seems to be devoid of time, capturing portraits, landscapes, and still lifes without a specific source. 

Without any context to set the images in any particular time period, the work creates a sense of voyeurism, in an almost fantasy-like setting, much like the folklore the book is named after. 

In summary the Romanian tale, collected by Petre Ispirescu, "follows the protagonist encountering challenges to reach the palace where there is everlasting youth and life without death, but then he becomes homesick. The moral of the tale is that life outside of linear time does not cure our desire to control it. The value of how time is spent and who it is spent with outweighs the value of its longevity."

As well as the varying photographic mediums, the book also includes handwritten notes and sketches. It provides a great example of how you can use different art forms to enhance the narrative of a project, something that is not often considered. Typically we see ourselves as one thing or another, photographer or painter, but if it calls for it, combining them can often produce a more well-rounded project. 

The book is filled with exceptional photography, and Pannack's ability to create a narrative with her images is extraordinary. You really get a sense of peaking into this unknown place where time ceases to exist, making you feel both a sense of wanderlust and hesitation. 

Laura Pannack is a photographer based in London, UK, and whose work has been exhibited internationally and at the National Portrait Gallery, Houses of Parliament, Somerset House, and the Royal Festival Hall in London. Youth Without Age and Life Without Death by Laura Pannack is published by Guest Editions and is currently available for £40 (approximately $49 / AU$77) and a special edition with print is available for £135 ($165 / AU$259).

Take a look at the best books on photography, including the best coffee table books on photography for stunning showcases of imagery. 

The Canon imageFORMULA DR-M1060II performs scanning on a bigger stage. Let’s face, most printers these days have scanners built-in, often with an ADF for automating the process of scanning multi-page documents. The downside is that they can typically only scan pages up to a maximum of A4/letter size, and that’s often true for the scanners built into large-format A3 printers.

This purpose-built A3 scanner can accommodate everything from small business cards to A3/11x17-inch documents and beyond. Designed for a busy business environment, it has a suggested daily duty cycle of up to 13,000 scans with plenty of options for single-sided and double-sided documents, folded sheets, artwork and bound media, made quick and easy by fast scanning speeds and good supporting Windows software.

Specifications

Scanner type: CIS
Max resolution: 600dpi
Max speed: 120ipm (duplex)
Auto document feeder: 80-sheet
Light source: RGB LED
Operating system: Windows 8.1 onwards
Interface: USB 2.0
Power supply: AC 100-240V
Dimensions: 424 x 246 x 120mm
Weight: 6.1kg

Key features

Space is nearly always at a premium in the office environment and it can often be difficult to find a home for new kit. Measuring just 16.7 inches wide, 9.7 inches deep and 4.7 inches tall in its retracted state, the imageFORMULA DR-M1060II is remarkably compact for an A3 office scanner, or what Canon bills as a ‘departmental scanner’. It can therefore easily fit into small spaces and doesn’t take up much more room even with the front input and output trays extended.

Scanning for regular paper thicknesses utilizes a U-turn path, so the motorized transport system feeds the paper in from a tray or the 80-sheet ADF at the front, and then flips it over and outputs it into a tray that’s higher up at the front of the machine. The only catch is that, for thicker paper, card and anything else that you don’t want to be bent over, you’ll need to use the straight scanning path, which outputs the  media at the rear. In that case, you’ll need to leave more room behind the scanner. More on that later.

The scanner has a maximum optical resolution of 600dpi but 200dpi will often suffice for document scanning. At this resolution, output speeds are around 60ppm (pages per minute) for single-sided A4/letter pages, and 120ipm (impressions per minute) for double-sided pages. That’s because the scanner can scan both sides of a double-sided page in a single pass, effectively doubling the speed. Either way, you can fill the ADF to nearly its full 80-sheet capacity and scan big multi-page documents in around one minute flat.

Build and handling

Looking at the compact size of the scanner, the first thing that surprised us was how heavy it was to lift out of the box. Suffice it to say, it’s built very strongly from mostly metal parts on a sturdy chassis, with a real high-quality feel throughout.

Switching between straight-path and more regular U-turn scanning is set by simply opening or closing the rear paper tray, respectively. The front input and output trays hinge open for operation and can be extended as needed for scanning larger paper sizes.

Onboard controls are pretty rudimentary, but effective. You can set up to nine different custom setups for various types of scanning and assign them to job numbers. These are shown on a small and basic, illuminated alpha-numeric display, and you can cycle through the nine presets by repeatedly pressing the ‘Job’ button just beneath (if you can remember what they all are). Just below that, there’s a ‘DFR’ button. This Double Feed Release feature enables you to scan multiple pages that are bound together, or envelopes, or pages with sticky notes attached, without the scanner registering it as an error caused by multiple sheets being fed simultaneously by mistake.

Further handling benefits, from a productivity perspective, include auto size adjustment, deskew correction, text orientation sensing and automatic switching between mono, greyscale and color scanning. A neat touch is that you can also set a color to be ‘dropped out’ of the scan, so anything on the original document in that color will be blanked out.

Performance

Scanning quality is naturally a vital element of any purpose-built scanner, whose only purpose in life is to scan things. The imageFORMULA DR-M1060II performs really well in this respect. The motorized paper transport system proved very accurate in our tests, enabling super-sharp scans. It also proved very reliable, taking specialist media like plastic and embossed cards, thin and thick paper and large and small sizes.

Advertised as an A3 or 11x17-inch scanner, the Canon can actually take on super-sized scans. Using the straight paper path option, you can actually scan really long pages at up to 3m (nearly 10ft) in length. Another option is to fold a much larger A1 sized document in half and scan it in folio mode. The two sides are then scanned simultaneously and the software stiches the result into a single, full-sized document.

As claimed, scanning speeds are fast, at up to 60ppm for both single-sided and double-sided pages, in mono or color. The supporting CaptureOnTouch software for Windows enables enhancements for both text and images, to makes scans look their best, along with optional OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and the ability to save documents, spreadsheets and images in wide-ranging formats. All in all, it’s a highly effective scanner that comes into its own for larger paper sizes.

Verdict

Surprisingly compact for a large-format scanner, the imageFORMULA DR-M1060II is nevertheless surprisingly weighty at just over 6kg (about 13.5lbs). That’s because it’s very solidly built, designed to fit into a busy business environment, and also because it folds in on itself for neat storage. It’s fast and capable, with a built-in ADF (Auto Document Feeder) and the ability to scan both sides of duplex pages in a single pass. The supporting Windows software is intuitive and effective, but it’s a pricey bit of kit.

Read more: check out our guide to the best all-in-one printer or best photo printer available right now

If you're a massive film aficionado, then there is no denying that film panoramic images are a real thing of beauty. If you're a medium format roll-film user then 6x17 images are the best that you can get, but these cameras are far less known or desired than the Hasselblad XPan. The XPan is a 35mm camera that can take 24x65mm film panoramic images in the most stylish camera body that has ever been made in my opinion.

But with time, a lack of parts, and a resurgence in film photography wanting some of the best film cameras come at a real cost! For instance, to get a Hasselblad Xpan in good condition you're looking at spending $5,000 / £4,000, and for a mint condition one you are talking of parting with $7,000 / £6,000 of your hard-earned cash.

But what if you could make a 35mm panoramic camera for a lot less? well, YouTuber Aaron Cré has done just that by putting his DIY skills to the ultimate test by making a fully mechanical and working Hasselblad Xpan equivalent, but not only that, he has even made it bigger than the original Xpan image size.

While the Hasselblad Xpan captures images of 24x65mm this DIY camera can actually shoot 24x72mm, which in turn gives you a similar ratio to 6x17 medium format film, but in the convenience of 35mm film - which I love!

Aaron made this wonderful camera by first dismantling a Kodak M35 resuable film camera for its winding mechanism and some other internal parts to speed up the building process, he then went on to forage the camera body out of wood and use a large format Rodenstock Apo-Grandagon 45mm f/4.5 lens that had a built-in shutter mechanism to be able to capture the images onto the film.

The end result leaves you with stunning 35mm panoramic images captured on a large format lens, with a total overall design that looks fantastic and isn't too far off the size of an actual Hasselblad Xpan, and most importantly leaves you with a lot more money in your pocket!

Check out our guide to the best film cameras currently available, and the best film you can buy to put in them

Is a Fujifilm GFX 100 II on the way? After a quiet year for GFX, rumors suggest that we could be seeing a successor to Fujifilm's original 100MP camera later this year.

Its fair to say that Fujifilm's GFX lineup of medium format cameras has opened new possibilities for photographers to get into larger format photography without the exorbitant prices of other brands, and has left a lot of photographers fervently awaiting what might be coming next.

The last GFX release was the Fujifilm GFX 50S II in September 2021 and, with no new GFX cameras coming last year, we are overdue a new camera to keep the system fresh and up-to-date. Fujifilm has made huge strides in the APS-C realm with the excellent Fujifilm X-H2S and Fujifilm X-T5, seeing big leaps in image quality, autofocus, image stabilization, and speed, and we can't wait to see how these can filter into the GFX system.

Fujifilm GFX 100 II rumors

The latest rumors point to a new replacement for the Fujifilm GFX 100. Following its release in June 2019, the Fujifilm GFX 100S was launched in February 2021 and managed to squeeze the excellent 102MP medium format sensor into a body roughly the size of one of the best full-frame cameras. 

Since the GFX 100S' release, Fujifilm has jumped forward with its processor tech, with the new X-Processor 5 found in its latest APS-C cameras being able to handle better autofocus, including deep-learning subject recognition and tracking, as well as higher video rates, and faster shooting speeds. 

So it is almost inconceivable that Fujifilm wouldn't be keen to upgrade the GFX range with this processor, as well as a host of other improvements. Here's what the Fujifilm GFX 100 II rumor mill is saying so far.

Tilting and detachable EVF

One of the early features of the GFX range, alongside the original Fujifilm GFX 50S was the Fujifilm EVF-GFX and EVF-TL1 combo. This enables the electronic viewfinder to not only detach, for easier carrying and storage, but also tilt for shooting at lower angles – much how many old school medium format film photographers might shoot.

Well according to the latest info from Fuji Rumors, the detachable and tiltable EVF might well be making a comeback – which will be very welcome news to anyone who has been missing that feature from Fujifilm's more recent cameras. 

CFexpress Type B and SD card slots

The latest reports suggest that a new GFX 100 would get an upgrade to its memory cards, with one SD UHS-II card slot being complemented by a slot for a much faster, but much more expensive, CFexpress Type B card. 

This would be a step up from the current GFX100, which only offers dual SD cards. This would also bring it in line with Fuji's professional APS-C camera, the Fujifilm X-H2S, which offers both types of card. 

Announcement date

Fujifilm generally announces new products at its X-Summit events – and while it isn't set in stone, these tend to happen twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. 

While there is no official confirmation on when the next X-Summit might be happening, all rumors point to an event on September 12 – although these rumors have been wrong before, so don't cancel any plans just yet!

You can find out more about the latest Fujifilm rumors, along with the best medium format cameras – as well as the best Fujifilm GFX lenses.

Last Friday, the epic biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer – the theoretical physicist who was elemental in developing the atomic bomb – hit the big screens. In its opening weekend, Oppenheimer took $46.4 million worldwide at the box office making it the fourth-best weekend ever for IMAX. Those who've already seen it will know it’s shot in black and white and color, but what you may not know is that the black and white film used in the movie was created specifically at Christopher Nolan’s request.

Before Oppenheimer, 65mm Double-X 5222 film didn’t exist. You could get it in 35mm and 16mm varieties, but the large format film required to shoot on high-resolution 70mm IMAX cameras was a mere fantasy. Hoyte Van Hoytema, the cinematographer on Oppenheimer contacted Kodak to find out if they had any large-format black-and-white film available but was told not only had they never made it – they weren’t even sure it was possible.  

• Check out the best film for 35mm cameras and browse a range of black and white and color options

This isn't the first time Kodak has been tasked with creating a film for a very specific movie or TV series. Season 2 of Euphoria was shot entirely on Kodak 35mm Ektachrome film and, to supply enough, they had to reopen part of the factory. Lucky for Nolan and Hoytema, Kodak was not only able to deliver on their request, but when the pair saw the first projection tests they know it was all worth it. “We’d never seen anything like it— very special, very beautiful,” Hoytema writes on the Kodak blog. 

Creating 65mm Double-X 5222 film presented several hurdles including getting the thickness of the backing for the film emulsion right, creating new gates and pressure plates on the Panavision cameras, and ensuring Fotokem – the lab in charge of developing the film – could actually process it. 

I won’t give any spoilers but I have been lucky enough to see Oppenheimer and it is beautifully shot. Using a mix of Vision3 250D and Vision3 500T color film and Double-X 5222 65mm black and white film, Nolan tells the story of Oppenheimer from two perspectives. Scenes shot in color are Oppenheimer’s personal experience, while the black and white scenes are told from the perspective of Lewis Strauss, head of the Atomic Energy Commission at the time. 

• APS-C cameras ARE pro kit – as proved by Oppenheimer's publicity shots

Shooting a film in both black-and-white and color is a tactic Nolan has dabbled with before. In the 2000 film Memento, starring Guy Pearce, Nolan switched between color and black and white to show a different sequence of events.  While the black and white shots run in chronological order, the color scenes are in reverse order. 

Once again, Nolan and everyone else involved in producing Oppenheimer have created a three-hour-long film that doesn’t once have you thinking “When will this be over?” It’s engaging from start to finish, the dialogue is intellectual yet understandable, the soundtrack is captivating and the special effects portraying quantum matter are magical. I’ve been a fan of Nolan since I first watched his 2002 film Insomnia starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams but I truly do think this is some of his (and Murphy's) finest work.

via KosmoFoto

Why not also discover the best film cameras for shooting stills, not video

Friday 21 July is a big day for cinema with the release of two highly anticipated but entirely different films; Greta Grwig’s Barbie featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer with Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh. Barbie may well be touted as the box office favorite – with projections to take roughly $110 million on its opening weekend (double what Oppenheimer is expecting). As camera enthusiasts, however, we can’t help but think the latter is a little more interesting. 

There are some key differences between Barbie and Oppenheimer other than the obvious (one is about plastic dolls and the other is about the development of nuclear weapons). While Barbie has been created in the standard 1.85:1 widescreen ratio making it perfect for almost every cinema screen in the world, Oppenheimer has been shot entirely on large format film and requires an Imax screen with a 1.43:1 aspect ratio if it is to be viewed as Nolan intended. 

• Check out the best cinema cameras – our pick of the top digital cameras for independent filmmakers

For real film buffs, watching Oppenheimer in a 70mm Imax theatre is a must. Nolan told The Associated Press it would give viewers: "The best possible experience” but sadly, not all movie theatres are equipped with the correct screens. We’ve all heard about Imax cinemas and it’s common knowledge they’re meant to offer a better viewing experience than standard cinemas but what makes them so good and why is it so important to watch Oppenheimer in one?

Oppenheimer was shot entirely on Imax 65mm and Panavision 65mm film using some of the highest-resolution film cameras known to man. (This is unusual; typically Imax cameras are used for big action shots and more convenient cameras for other shots.) Not only does this mean the film will be super sharp and deliver incredible depth, it also means the entire screen will be filled allowing the viewer to be fully immersed in the movie.

Imax, the company name, stands for Image Maximum and it offers the highest resolution available. To experience Imax properly it needs to be viewed on a special Imax screen which is significantly larger than a standard screen. The projectors themselves are much higher resolution and the theatres are specifically designed in a way that immerses you in the sound and visuals for “hyper life-like dimensionality.”

Imax cameras themselves are incredibly expensive, tricky to use, and very loud so can’t really be used when shooting scenes with lots of dialogue. They can only shoot about three minutes of film at once so it needs to be switched out regularly which is why not many films are shot entirely on Imax – it wouldn’t be time or cost-effective. 

Imax 65mm from the cameras is transferred onto 70mm film for projection in an Imax 70mm cinema. The 15-perforation Imax 65mm fills the whole 1.43:1 screen, while the scenes shot on 5-perforation are a more cinematic 2.2:1 widescreen don't use the whole height. In other locations, the 15-perforation shots will likely be cropped at the top and bottom to fit the wider screens.

Not all Imax theatres are Imax 70mm theatres. Many use digital projection for a start. Each 70mm Imax frame is 8.3x bigger than 35mm. The film runs through the camera and projector horizontally, so the frames use 15 perforations of the film, making them 3.4x bigger than even 'standard' 70mm film. That provides the resolution to project on a screen 4 London busses tall!

Depending on where you live, you may have to make a dedicated journey to get the full Imax 70mm experience as just 19 theatres in the US, three in the UK, six in Canada, just one in Australia (Melbourne), and one in Europe (Prague). 

If you’re not lucky enough to live close to one of these locations, you’re local movie theatre will still be showing it, but unfortunately, you won’t get to enjoy the full impact of the film, though there are other premium options available. Either way, we’re still excited to see it and at three hours long, it’s definitely value for money!

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When did you start out in your current photo genres?

It was a natural progression. I was shooting architecture, cityscapes, and night photography from the beginning. By around 2010, I felt that I needed to bump up my creativity and challenge myself. I still take that approach now. I assign myself creative tasks and challenges to take different approaches and capture things in new ways. Niemeyer’s Brasilia was the first series I produced along those lines, then Gehry’s Children. They were both successful series and were published in major exhibitions in cultural spaces and museums in New York and Tokyo. 

By 2020 I started producing more pensive and abstracted series, including Inverted and especially Metropolis Abstracted. Those series were the subject of a solo show last year, Andrew Prokos: New Abstraction. I feel that this progression from representational to more abstract work is the result of my perspective as an artist maturing.

What challenges did you face as a startup and how did you overcome them?

The photography industry has changed drastically but I would say the most immediate challenge was getting the level of my work up to the competition. You have to be brutally honest with yourself and prune any work that isn’t up to snuff. I moved up to medium format and spent a year shooting and replacing work that wasn’t on the level it needed to be on. Then I adopted a 6x17 panoramic (film) camera to produce large-format prints. 

It was a gradual process of building my archive and reputation. Starting photographers should arm themselves with as much information as possible about how to estimate shoots and negotiate fees and they should also register their work at the USCO. I have benefited tremendously from having registered all my work from the beginning. The foundation of a photography business entails a lot of necessary steps.

How do you decide which images will work best together as part of an exhibition?

I’m obsessive about order and flow. I start by grouping pieces by colour and visual characteristics. For example, with a series like Metropolis Abstracted, I organized the images by subtle colour grade – the blues together and the warmer tones together. The pieces at the beginning had an Art Deco look since they were all based on NYC architectural details, while later pieces were captured in Dubai and included circles and curves. I bounce it off friends to get a quick opinion, and, if there is a curator or exhibition director involved, that’s a natural person to go to. I have learned when to let others take over.

To see more of Andrew's work, visit his website

Andrew's main photo gear

Fujifilm GFX 100

It’s not small, and it’s definitely not light, but it produces the sharp and detailed high-definition images that Andrew needs for his large-scale work. It has 102 megapixels on a medium-format sensor, which allows extensive cropping or, more importantly, the ability to print exceptionally large images, without loss of fine textures. Large camera bodies such as this can always be a challenge to work with, but since Andrew's work often benefits from use of a tripod anyway, the balance of resolution and build quality is very useful.

FUJIFILM GF 32-64mm f/4

Andrew tries to carry as little equipment as possible when he is traveling and even so, his gear and rolling bag are still quite heavy to carry all day, up and down stairs. Being a zoom, this lens is versatile, covering the majority of the main landscape and cityscape focal lengths, while offering a constant aperture of f/4. However, there have been many times when Andrew has felt he needed just a little more width.

FUJIFILM GF 100-200mm f/5.6

For more distant subjects, or to compress perspective more strongly than the 32-64mm optic will permit, Andrew uses this telephoto zoom, which offers an equivalent focal range of 79-158mm in 35mm terms, taking into account the 0.79x magnification factor of the Fujifilm GFX 100. While the maximum aperture of f/5.6 isn't too bright, the larger-than-full-frame sensor of the GFX System creates a natively shallower depth of field.

FUJIFILM GF 1.4X teleconverter

This optional accessory comes in handy when Andrew needs to capture close-ups with greater magnification, extending the reach of his existing lenses. This might be called into action when he needs to isolate a smaller detail in a scene or pick out just one part of a building.

4x/8x Neutral Density filters

Andrew breaks out these accessories when taking long-exposure images during the day. He says he always tries to purchase ones with the least color cast possible, so as to minimise the amount of post-processing work that is required. These filters came in handy when Andrew was shooting his 'Flux' series, the images of which incorporated moving elements in a range of lighting conditions. 

The very first photo of the Earth taken from the moon is part of Bonham’s upcoming Space History auction. Captured on August 23 1966, the print measures over 5ft wide and is expected to go for between $6,000 - $8,000. 

This monumental image was taken during NASA’a Lunar Orbiter program which sent a series of probes to photograph the surface of the moon to determine an appropriate landing site for the Apollo missions. It's made up of eight gelatin print photographs which join to create a stunning panorama measuring (469 x 1595 mm). It's an image that changed our perception of planet Earth and in the era of the James-Webb Telescope serves as a remarkable reminder of how far space travel and image-making technology have come. 

• Check out the best cameras for astrophotography and take stunning photos of the night sky

Alongside this key image in space photography is a series of signed photos featuring the astronauts who took part in the Apollo space missions. From a large format photo of the Apollo 1 crew in training, which is expected to sell for $8,000 to $12,000, to an image of Buzz Aldrin descending the ladder of the LM ladder on July 20 1969 which could fetch anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000.

These images mark some of the defining moments in space exploration and, for space enthusiasts, this is an opportunity to own a slice of history. Other items included in the auction are fragments of various spacecraft, an Omega Speedmaster watch worn on two spacewalks, a pair of 4000 series EVA glove assemblies which were part of the Space Suit Extravehicular Mobility Unit, and even a letter signed by Neil Armstrong which was sent a month and a half before the Apollo 11 mission.

Photos from NASA's archives have historically sold rather well – in November 2020 a series of photos, including one of Neil Armstrong on the moon, sold for a whopping $2,165,004 (roughly £1,564,876 / AU$3,251,463), and in October 2022 a Leica camera used in NASA Skylab missions sold for €500,000! ($550k/£428k/AU$825k)

If you're a space fanatic with some spare cash and looking for the perfect photo to fill a blank space in your home, the Bonhams Space History auction will start on July 18 at 12:00 PDT. The online-only auction is already open for registration and in total there are over 200 items up for grabs. 

If you've already got a decent camera, have a look at the best telescopes for astrophotography so you can shoot the cosmos close up.

Andreas Gursky presents Visual Spaces of Today, a collection of his signature large format and “standard” size fine art prints, at MAST Fondazione in Italy. Curated by author, photographer, and curator Urs Stahel, who described Gursky’s work as “an experience and a step towards awareness,” his large-format prints are perfectly at home in MAST's modern, open concrete space. 

The German-born photographer is probably best known for his photograph, Rhine II, which sold for $4.3 million at auction in 2011 making it the most expensive photograph ever at the time. 

His large-format prints demand the viewer's attention, drawing you into the tiniest details. Exploring themes of economic and industrial growth, consumerism, culture, climate change and so much more, Gursky's vibrant and often startling images of the world offer a different perspective. 

• These are the best medium format cameras - big sensor cameras perfect for creating large print sizes

This exhibition is Gursky’s Italian debut as well as a significant moment for both GD Teknik (the world's leading supplier of machines used in the manufacturing of cigarette products) which is celebrating its centenary and MAST, an international cultural center, which is ten years old. Both parties, although distinctly different, share a home as well as milestones. MAST is built next to the site of the old GD factory, and embodies Bologna's dedication to growing socially, environmentally, economically, and culturally. The phrase, “making work a culture and a culture work” binds the two organizations, both of which hold those values as founding elements of society. 

Gursky’s images offer thought-provoking, striking views of an ever-changing world as he tackles issues of globalization, the economy, consumerism, climate change, transport hubs, and food production (to name but a few). The images selected for this exhibit have been chosen specifically to work within the space and align with MAST's ethos. It is an acronym that stands for Manifattura di Arti Sperimentazione, Tecnologia (Arts, Experience, Technology).

Included in the show are 40 photographs by Gursky, some of which take up entire walls while others demand a little less space. They include early work, shot in the late 1980s and early 1990s, such as Salerno which depicts a car shipping yard juxtaposed with nearby mountains. The collection stretches to his latest work, which captures recent world events such as mass flooding in Salinas, Ibiza, to words and phrases related to the pandemic in Hong Kong Shanghai Bank III. Gurksy’s fascination with the world, how it works, and how humans have impacted it lead to images that leave you feeling infinitely small and challenged by the content. 

Although he confesses he is by no means a portrait photographer, his fine art photography does occasionally feature people, as in F1 Boxenstopp I, V&R II, and Tokyo Stock Exchange showing the very human aspect that is present in a lot of his imagery. It’s hard not to feel emotionally connected and even a part of the problem when it comes to the subject matter Gursky dissects. Through captivating, large-format works, Gursky has made a name for himself as one of the most important photographers of our time and continues to analyze and explore the world through his lens. 

The exhibition is supported by a catalog that includes a foreword by MAST's president, Isabella Seràgnoli, and a critical essay by Urs Stahel who notes how Gursky is a photographer who “seeks to maintain and renew our interest in the world, its beauty, its dark sides, it complexities”

For anyone heading to Bologna, Andrew Gursky’s exhibit invites you to be shocked, in awe, and overwhelmed by the effect of human activity, consumerism, and modern inventions. MAST is a center for the curious mind with a dedicated interactive technology center as well as an exhibition space all housed inside a contemporary building that speaks of innovation. Andreas Gursky’s Visual Spaces of Today is free to attend and will be on show until January 7 2024. For more information on Fondazione MAST, head to the museum’s website. 

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Scanning film is a great way to preserve your photos and get better quality images than you would get if you printed them from the original film. With the film having a resurgence in popularity once again, many people are looking at ways to digitize and share their film or archive old memories.

Read More: See our guide for the best film scanners for digitizing your negatives.

Scanning film on a flatbed scanner has become an increasingly popular method for digitizing old photographic negatives and slides. Flatbed scanners have traditionally offered a relatively inexpensive and easy-to-use way of producing high-quality scans of film that can be used for archiving, printing, or sharing online.

However, the V850 is aimed squarely at professional photographers who require the latest advances in scanning technology, such as even higher levels of resolution, color accuracy, and dynamic range, although all these advances don’t come cheap,  and Epson has given it a price tag to match.

Specifications

Scanner Type: Flatbed color image scanner
Optical Resolution: 6400 dpi with Epson MatrixCCD
Color Bit Depth: 48-bit internal/external
Grayscale Bit Depth: 16-bit internal/external
Maximum Document Size: 8.5" x 11.7" (21.6 x 29.7 cm)
Film Formats: 35mm slides, 35mm film strips, medium format (up to 6x22cm), and 4x5 inch film
Light Source: ReadyScan LED technology
High-speed mode: 4800 dpi / 6400 dpi (approx. 11 seconds)
Full-resolution mode: 4800 dpi / 6400 dpi (approx. 30 seconds)
Connectivity: USB 2.0
Software: Epson Scan with Easy Photo Fix, SilverFast SE Plus 8
Dimensions: 12.1" x 19.8" x 6.0" (30.7 x 50.3 x 15.2 cm)
Weight: 14.6 lb (6.6 kg)

Key features

The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is a powerful scanner that is ideal for professional film photographers and those who need to digitize large volumes of film for photographic prints. The scanner offers a high optical resolution, with a maximum resolution of 6400 dpi with a 48-bit color depth. Using LED ReadyScan technology, the V850 can start scanning immediately without having to warm up. 

The V850 supports a variety of film formats including 35mm slides, 35mm film strips (up to 6 long), medium format (up to 6x22cm), and 4x5 inch film, and includes two sets of each film holder, the film holders slot into place on the scanner and that ensure accurate film placement during scanning. The film holders can also be adjusted up and down to improve sharpness and focus accuracy. The V850 can of course also be used to scan documents up to 8.5" x 11.7" (21.6 x 29.7 cm).

The V850 comes with advanced technologies such as optional Digital ICE for automatic dust and scratch removal, saving a lot of time and effort later in editing. The V850 comes with software including Epson Scan with Easy Photo Fix for one-touch scanning and color restoration. For more controlled and professional scanning, the V850 comes bundled with SilverFast SE Plus 8, as well as X-Rite i1 Scanner with reflective/transparent IT8 targets for calibrating the scanner should it require it or you have specific needs in your workflow.

The V850 connects to a computer via USB 2.0 using a USB type-A connector, the scanner does not have any WiFi or other wireless connection. The V850 works on both Mac and Windows OS, with CD-ROM software, included or available to be downloaded online.

Build & handling

The first thing you notice about the V850 is its sheer size, this is not a small scanner at all, and you need some serious desk space to set this up (I had to utilize my dining table), although it is not too heavy that it can’t be moved in and out of storage when needed.

The scanner feels extremely well-built, especially when compared to less expensive models. The scanner lid feels solid, with the connections strong and secure, it feels like it is capable of opening and closing a lot without wearing out, which it would expect to do in a professional setting. The design also matches its Pro name, with the metallic decal strip and embossed Epson nameplate. There are relatively few buttons, with just an on/off and a quick scan button, unsurprising when its key functions all require software-based tweaks and tuning.

The film holders feel more secure than those of the Epson V600, with a slightly firmer plastic used. The best improvement of the V850 over the cheaper model is it can scan more film strips at once, with a wider transparency area in the lid of the scanner it can scan three rows of 35mm negatives compared to two in the V600. The V850 also comes with an additional set of holders for every film type, so you can begin loading up another series of negatives with the scanner processes the current batch, which is really handy for an efficient workflow.

The film holders use a clip-in system, which works, but is quite fiddly, occasionally the clips would just not snap in easily, and I felt I applying any more force would break them, although I am sure there is a knack to this if practiced for long enough. It was easy enough to line up the negatives in the film holders and get scanning quickly. 

The film holders line up in the scanner using little pegs that slot into markers on the side, it took a little while to get the hang of this, as it is not the easiest to see where the holes are, dragging the film holders across the scanner glass also made me wince every time at the thought of accidentally scratching the glass.

One issue with scanning large batches of film at once is dust. You can try your hardest to remove every piece of dust from three rows of eighteen negatives, but as soon as you look away there will be dust creeping in somewhere. This is far less of an issue when scanning single frames one at a time such as with the Plustek 8200i. Although with both these scanners, they have an infrared dust removal tool, which helps a lot but is not flawless, but more on that later.

Performance

The Epson V850 can produce so many combinations of file types, resolutions, and color depth that it is almost impossible to test them all here. The V850 is an incredible professional tool for getting exactly the images you need from your negatives. The 48-bit 6400dpi RAW files offer so much room to play in editing, whether you manually convert in Photoshop or use software such as Negative Lab Pro, the dynamic range and color depth, as well as control over the color balance are just invaluable.

For scans that require less post-production work, the V850 also produces excellent-quality TIF and JPEG files. A JPEG image at 6400dpi gave a file size of around 50MB, while a TIF came in at around 350MB. The TIF files offer a much wider field of color to play with after the scan, but the file sizes for a whole roll of film can add up quickly. The JPEG files can be edited for color and lighting corrections before scanning using the bundled SilverFast or Epson Scan software, and are usually good enough to use immediately.

If you want smaller file sizes then 6400dpi for most purposes is probably overkill, with web and social media applications needing much more compressed file sizes, 4800dpi scans, and even going down to 1600dpi scans produce enough image quality to use for the majority of applications, with 6400dpi always useful for a specific frame that is going to be printed to large sizes. When looking at all these resolutions next to each other on my 13-inch MacBook screen, the difference between each size was imperceptible. 

In terms of speed, scanning a single frame at 6400dpi took around 1 minute and 30 seconds to scan the image, however, it took 4 minutes and 30 seconds with infrared dust removal scan as well.

The infrared dust removal however is almost essential, it is not foolproof, and a lot of dust managed to slip past the filter, but it was considerably better than not using the infrared scan at all, and will save hours of editing later. 

Onto software, the V850 comes bundled with LaserSoft’s Silverfast 8 software for scanning. This software is really love it (well, maybe tolerate it) or hate it, I am very much in the latter camp. Silverfast 8 has an incredibly dated user interface and clunky controls, it is not the easiest piece of software to use and requires a steep learning curve. 

There is much better third-party software such as Hamrick’s VueScan with a much more user-friendly interface, but at an additional cost, or in many ways Epson’s own Epson Scan 2 software outperforms Silverfast in useability with a clean interface and a surprising depth when it comes to fine-tuning options.

Silverfast 8 does manage to produce great-looking JPEGs and TIFs though, with its NegaFix options, you can set it to the film stock you are scanning, as well as options to fine-tune all the color and lighting prior to scanning.

Verdict

Overall, the Epson V850 is a reliable and powerful scanner that is well-suited for both serious enthusiasts and professional photographers who need to digitize large volumes of film and photographic prints. 

Its high optical resolution of 6400 dpi and 48-bit color depth allows for extremely detailed and accurate scans of film, and automatic infrared dust and scratch removal helps to reduce the need for post-processing work. Additionally, the extra large and extra set of film holders included with the V850 can improve and speed up a scanning workflow.

Simultaneous to testing the V850, I tested the Epson Perfection V600, both flatbed scanners offer a 6400 top dpi, but the V600 is several hundred dollars cheaper, and I personally could not see any perceptible difference in the scans that each produced. It is a question of how much do you really need the additional selection of holders, and is it worth such a gulf in cost.

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Landscape photography is a brilliant genre that gets you out into nature throughout the year. It often requires grit, bags of patience, skills honed over many years and, crucially, the right camera equipment, too. 

We recently caught up with award-winning photographer, Marcus McAdam, who has been a pro for over 18 years and has lived and worked all over the world, including China and Italy. He now resides on Scotland’s picturesque Isle of Skye, where he manages his Skye Photo Academy photo workshop business. He also takes on commercial work for clients like Caffè Nero and China Southern Airlines, and lectures at dedicated photography schools in the UK.

• Elevate your outdoor game with the best cameras for landscape photography

Marcus tells us his story, how he got into landscape photography, as well as the camera setup he uses for commercial clients and the 8x20" ultra large format film he uses for fun! To see more of his fantastic work or to book a workshop, check out his website.

"I started getting into photography after my father bought me a Minolta X300 SLR film camera for my 18th birthday and have been hooked ever since.

"Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II was the first digital camera I felt rivaled film and I loved the convenience of being able to play back images, check the histogram and change ISO between shots. I eventually upgraded to the Canon EOS 5DS R, which I still use now. With digital I found that I took too many photos. It’s great when you’re learning, as practice makes perfect, but I ended up with thousands of shots and I was only using my top 1%.

"Now when I shoot for commercial clients who want great-quality files ASAP, I use my 5DS R. But I’ve fallen back in love with film photography in recent years and I shoot film when I have more time. It’s more challenging, and I end up putting more consideration into images. I shoot less and use almost all of the photos, which I find more rewarding. 

"I’m working on a book called Lifesize Landscapes, which will showcase photos from my 8x20-inch ultra large format film camera, printed at the same size as the camera that recorded them. We’ve had too much HDR, oversaturation, cloning and sky replacement, and I think people are starting to get tired of the lack of authenticity in photography.

"I love that my shots are 100% genuine. I need to limit myself to around 50 ultra large shots per year, as I only buy two boxes of 25 sheets of film which are over £200  each (approximately $240 / AU$365). So mistakes are costly!"

1. Canon EOS 5DS R

"I bought [my latest] EOS 5DS R recently and it has only just been unboxed. It replaces my now six-year-old previous EOS 5DS R, which is still going strong, but I gave it to a friend so that I could treat myself to a new one! Even though newer mirrorless models are available, I still love to shoot on DSLRs and consider this to be the best body Canon has ever made."

2. Kase Double Grad filter

"I came up with the concept for this Kase filter and it has since won a few awards. It’s a very simple idea but works incredibly well, with a hard grad on one end and a soft grad on the opposite end. Having two filters in one makes it more economical and also reduces the number of filters I need to carry in my bag. These Double Grads currently come in 2- and 3-stop versions."

• Check out the best ND grad filters

3. Chamonix 8x20" Ultra Large Format film camera

"This is a beast of a camera that takes panoramic 8x20 inch negatives. The film has to be custom-made, but you can shoot straight onto photo paper cut to the right size as an alternative option. It takes a few minutes to set this camera up, so it’s only useful for static subjects. Despite its size, it’s not as heavy as it looks due to being mostly carbon fiber – weighing in at 6kg."

4. Pentax Spotmeter V

"This is a vintage piece of kit, and the same model used by Ansel Adams back in the 1960s and 1970s. Even though there are much newer and more advanced light meters available, I find this model to be the most accurate. A handheld light meter is essential when calculating exposures on a large-format camera, as they have no built in metering system."

• These are the best light meters

5. Schneider Super Symmar 210mm f/5.6 

"This is a wide-angle lens for my ultra large format camera. To get the full-frame equivalent focal length you need to divide it by 12, so  this 210mm lens has the same angle of view as a 17.5mm on my Canon EOS 5DS R! I also have a 300mm (25mm full frame equivalent), a 450mm (37mm equivalent) and a 610mm (50mm equivalent)."

• Discover the best wide-angle lenses

6. Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 PG

"Made in 1969, this lens was considered to be the best of its era. Even today, they give modern lenses a good run for their money! You can convert them to use with a Canon EF mount, which is exactly what I did and I use it on my EOS 5DS R for portraits – it has a quality to it that I haven’t found in any other lens. It’s pin-sharp and has amazing bokeh when shooting at f/1.2."

It's no secret that Canon is a major player in the printer sector, producing everything from tiny portable printers, through some of the best photo printers, right up to serious large format printers for enthusiasts and galleries. But did you know Canon also makes gargantuan, industrial printers? Turns out it does, and there's a new offering, the ProStream 3000 Series.

Intended for use by industrial printers, including online photo printing services, the machine can be used for printing postcards, posters, calendars, photobooks and much, much more. In fact, 'more' really is the right word, as the top-of-the-range ProStream 3133 is so named as it's capable of printing a barely-believable 133 meters per minute, on paper widths up to 558mm and side lengths up to 1524mm. Alternatively, the ProStream will also churn out 11,300 B2-sized (500×707 mm) sheets per minute, or 1790 A4 sheets per minute, which equates to an incredible 58 million A4 sheets per month!

The machine isn't exactly fussy about the grade of paper you load it with, as it'll print on a wide variety of substrates including coated, uncoated and inkjet-optimized paper. Paper weights of up to 300gsm are supported, though print speed must be reduced when printing on heavyweight paper.

Print quality is rated at 1,200 dpi, utilising piezo drop-on-demand print heads in combination with water-based Polymer pigment inks. Then there's the clever print optimization, like Smart ColorGrip, which conditions the paper so certain areas can be customised for stronger or weaker ink coverage. Cameras are also on hand to automatically keep tabs on print quality, reducing the need for operator intervention.

When printing in such large volumes, ensuring each printout is sufficiently dry is a must. Therefore the ProStream 3000 uses a controlled air flow at all stages of the paper run to protect each printout and dry it evenly.

"Customers around the world already have the ProStream's exceptional productivity for everything from high-margin books to Premium direct mail production, learned to appreciate - while benefiting from minimal Waste and very long operating times."

Jennifer Kolloczek, European Planning, Marketing & Innovation Senior Director, Production Print at Canon Europe

According to Canon, the new ProStream 3000 printers are available now. There's no mention of price, but you can safely assume it'll cost an arm and a leg, and likely your remaining limbs and several internal organs.

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The analogue revival is truly upon us with many Gen-Z's taking up film photography to enjoy all its qualities – from not seeing the image as soon as it's taken or going back in the darkroom and seeing your images magically appear before your eyes.

Whatever your excuse or desire is to shoot film again, you will know that shooting with the best film is very expensive, and the price only goes up when you switch from 35mm to medium format, all the way up to large format photography.

It's not just the film that is going up in price. All of our favorite cameras that we could once pick up for a few hundred dollars/pounds are now several hundred, or even a few thousand – especially if you're looking at panoramic cameras such as the Hasselblad XPan or 6x12 cameras.

YouTuber Zalán Tóth has explored the mesmerizing 6x12 or 6x17 film cameras and soon found out that they were out of his price range. Being the handyman that Zalan is, he decided to 3D print and build his own 6x17 panoramic film camera and the results are amazing. If you don't believe us see for yourself:

Not only has Zalan 3D printed this fixed lens 6x17 film camera, but he has also made it accessible. You can buy the fully built and 3D-printed camera for just $189.08 / £156.94 / AU$ 274.10 via his Etsy page threedeecamerashop. It's important to state that this is just for the camera body itself, and you will have to source your own Large-format lens to mount onto the cone of the camera – but still, what a deal!

If you are also a fellow creative and either you or a friend has access to the best 3D printer you can print out your own for just $60.78 / £50.45 / AU$88.10 as he also provides just the digital files.

In a world of expensive (and temperamental) film cameras, this is a fascinating idea.

With this 3D camera, if the worst were to happen and you drop it, and it breaks or cracks, you already have the digital file or access to them to just print another 6x17 film camera.

Sample Images:

I am sure we can all agree that making something like this is amazing, and quite frankly I am rather jealous of the camera and that Zalan has the skill to design and build it from scratch. Zalan does point out that the camera has no viewfinder, so you will have to guess your composition.

Also, if you order your full cameras you will need to buy a lens that has the correct cone for your lens. Zalan currently offers full camera builds with an array of large format lenses which include the Schneider 150mm screw mount, Fujinon 75mm f/5.6, Nikon 90mm f/8, or the Rodenstock 150mm.

While you're here, why not check out our best film camera guide?

The Good Citizen is the debut book by Faroese-American photographer, Benjamin Rasmussen. As a self-confessed "outsider," Rasmussen wanted to explore how American society came to be what it is today and the complexities that make up the American identity. For the last 8 years, he has traveled through 43 different states and met with over 500 people to create his first photo book.

During his documentation of this diverse nation, Rasmussen has photographed everything from beauty queens and activists to abandoned everyday items and even a President. In a project first, Rasmussen shot using large format film and a Polaroid instant film camera so that his subjects could instantly have input about how they were being represented. 

Accompanying Rasmussen's photos are a series of essays by legal scholar, Frank H Wu, who reached out after reading about the project in a magazine. Together with the photos, the pair hope to provoke conversation surrounding the complicated nature of American identity. 

In the lead-up to the book's release in February, we caught up with Rasmussen to find out why American identity is such a point of interest, how the collaboration with Wu came about, and how the rising costs of film have impacted this project. 

Interview: Benjamin Rasmussen

How did you come to collaborate with Frank H Wu, who wrote the essays included?

Frank saw a section of the project in a photography magazine. It dealt with beauty queens from immigrant communities that had been impacted by US naturalization laws, which limited citizenship to “free white people”. He wrote me and shared some of his research and writing, and we corresponded for the better part of three years.

Did you intend to set out and shoot The Good Citizen or is it something that came together over time?

I set out to examine the complexities of American citizenship and how the courts had created a structure that benefited certain people – namely white men such as myself – and disadvantaged others. But the complex structure of the project came together over time as I did historical research, and then tried to find the ripples of that history in contemporary society.

Over the last eight years, you must have met some interesting characters. Were any particularly memorable?

In 1946, two black couples were lynched on Moore’s Ford Bridge outside of Atlanta, Georgia. No one was ever prosecuted. In the late 1990s, people in the community created the Moore’s Ford Memorial Committee. The director, Cassandra Green, leads a team of locals, both white and black, in a reenactment of the killings every year to bring pressure on law enforcement to re-open the case. 

It is a call for justice, but also a raw revisiting of the worst trauma enacted on the community. To see someone shepherd a group through that type of experience was deeply inspiring and she is a model for how a community can grow and change.

Have you always shot on Polaroid and large format cameras?

I have shot on large format since the start of my career, but using Polaroid started with this project. I wanted a way of showing people how they were being represented and try and give them as much agency in that as possible.

What have you learned about American identity and has anything surprised you?

I learned how much American identity is deeply intertwined with white identity. And, like other identities, it is built up through a series of stories. Historian Richard Slotkin described this as a process that simplifies “centuries of experience into a constellation of compelling metaphors.” 

When I first started I thought that I could just challenge some of those stories, but quickly found that this was threatening to viewers. So instead, I coopted those metaphors. I used stories of veterans, beauty queens, family lineage and more to talk about challenging topics in a way that felt familiar.

Has this project helped you to understand your place in American society, coming from a Faroese-American background and growing up in the Philippines?

Existing between such different cultures, I have always felt like an outsider. I needed to be able to work through what it meant to be American, and why it was an identity that was given freely to me and withheld from others. There are no neat and clean answers, but this project was part of an intentional effort to understand what my voice is within American society, with all of its complications.

Have you created a photo book before?

I have created a few zines over the years, usually newsprint and unbound. I love how photographs operate in a printed form, but I had never done a complete enough project to feel like it should be permanently put between two covers. Each of those projects were measured in months, but this one has taken nearly a decade.

Are you working on any new projects or will you continue this one?

The Good Citizen is finished, which is exciting because it gives me space to work on other things. I have one project looking at the impact of American Cold War policy in one community in North Africa in the works, and another about the legacy of one American administrator during the period when the Philippines was an American colony that is still in the research phase.

Which photographers do you admire and if you could work with anyone, who would it be?

I am currently really drawn to photographers who are looking at complex topics in new and interesting ways. Max Pinckers, Laia Abril, Rafal Milach, Sabiha Çimen, and Trevor Paglen.

The Good Citizen will be available to buy from February 2023 as a 240-page, hardback book with over 130 images by Rasmussen. You can pre-order directly from Gost Books.

Check out the best film cameras - recapture the magic of analog photography with our favorite 35mm cameras

When you think of the best 35mm film, you might well immediately think of Kodak Portra. This is the film of the moment, hugely popular on social media and photo-sharing sites such as Instagram. This popularity has become a double-edged sword, one one hand, it is helping revitalize the film photography industry, but on the other, it is pushing film to higher and higher prices as demand grows and supplies dwindle.

Kodak Portra 400 is a daylight-balanced color film available in 35mm, 120, 220, 4x5 in, and 10x8 in formats. Introduced in 1998 mainly for portrait and wedding use, with its emphasis on great skin tones. Portra is also available in 160 and 800 ISOs.

The modern version of Kodak Portra 400 was introduced in 2010 to replace the previous Natural Color (NC) and Vibrant Color (VC) versions, with a more balanced color profile, with an emphasis on producing natural skin tones. Kodak also claims a finer grain and improved sharpness over the NC and VC.

The new Portra was introduced to address the modern method of scanning slides and editing and printing the resulting images from digital files. The 2010 Portra offers better scanning performance with better contrast and color saturation for digital printing, while the previous NC and VC versions were designed with darkroom printing in mind.

Kodak Portra 400 Specifications

Speed: 400/27°
Type: Color
Formats: 35mm, 120, 220, 4×5 in, 10x8 in
Grain: "Very Fine"
Saturation: "Balanced"
Application: Portraiture, Travel

Kodak Portra 400 Performance

As a film photographer who mostly shoots scenic views and my companions while traveling, I have used Kodak Portra 400 for years as it offers stunning color reproduction for outdoor scenes and skin tones. The film has a fairly accurate and natural color profile, with a warmer tone and colors that lean on the more saturated side, with greens and blues tending to ‘pop’ more than in reality, but this is no bad thing, as the results are fantastic. Its rendition of skin tones is excellent, it has its own ‘style’ that is slightly creamier than in reality, but the results are very pleasing.

Also an incredibly versatile film, I feel very comfortable overexposing my Portra 400 to get blown-out highlights, the film handles one or two stops of under and over exposure with ease. The film also appears to be very consistent, producing reliable images even in varying temperatures and lighting situations, although best results are achieved in bright daylight, where this film really shines.

This will very much depend on the lens used, but the film's sharpness in testing was excellent, with great contrast throughout the image. The sample images were a mix of daylight and low light ambient lit images, the film did well in each with very fine grain observable at normal viewing distances.

Kodak Portra 400 Sample images

Below are a series of images all shot on Kodak Portra 400 film using a variety of cameras including the Canon AE-1, Pentax ME Super, and Canon AF35ML.

Kodak Portra 400 Verdict

Kodak Portra 400 is perhaps the most overhyped film right now, but for good reason. Offering one of the easiest and most versatile films to shoot with, with lovely color saturation that will bring out the most in your images. You can under and over-expose the film to good effect without ruining the contrast.

However the film is reaching eye-wateringly expensive prices due to its popularity, and Kodak not being able to make enough to keep supplies topped up. So more savvy film photographers might want to look at other color-negative films that don't quite have the same level or furor around them.

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Canon has launched a new large-format printer, but one with a key difference. Where most large-format printers are gargantuan, intimidating beasts aimed squarely at professional users, the new imagePROGRAF TC-20 is a more approachable device designed to bridge the gap between novice and professional requirements.

Measuring a (relatively) compact 96.8 x 52.5 x 24.5cm, the imagePROGRAF TC-20 can print paper sizes ranging from A4 up to 24"/A1+ roll. Like typical large-format printers, the iPF TC-20 can be used on a dedicated stand, but it can also be placed on a desk, or even a shelf.

The latter is made possible by front-accessed paper loading and ink refilling. Canon has designed the paper roll holder to be "axisless", further simplifying the paper load process, especially in small spaces. When not printing large-format work, the iPF TC-20 supports continuous printing of up to 100 A4 or up to 50 A3 sheets.

The iPF TC-20's target audience is said to be architectural, engineering and construction offices, educational institutions and the hospitality industry. Consequently, Canon has envisaged the print output to be drawings, diagrams and plans, rather than gallery-quality photographic prints. Top that end, the imagePROGRAF TC-20's uses only four 70ml pigment ink bottles - black, cyan, magenta and yellow - which makes for simplified, cost-effective printing, with pigment ink better suited to outdoor display and reproducing graphics and typography. But don't expect photo print quality to rival the standard set by Canon's more photography-orientated printers like the imagePROGRAF PRO-300 and PRO-1000, with their 10+ ink tank designs.

The printer is supplied with Canon's free Direct Print Plus printing software. Compatible with both PC and Mac, this utility has been designed with simplicity and easy of use in mind. It can be used to check the layout of multiple files in different file formats such as PDF, JPEG and TIFF, while the printer's on-screen preview lets you print directly without the need to load another application. With the aid of the Canon Print Inkjet/SELPHY2 smartphone app, it's possible to remotely monitor paper and ink levels, as well as apply printer firmware updates.

The Canon imagePROGRAF TC-20  is available to order now from Canon USA, priced at $795 and including a full 280ml compliment of ink; in the UK retails for £839.

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I was happy until I started really thinking about digital camera sensors. From full-frame mirrorless cameras to APS-C compact cameras, I opened pandora's box, and what was inside... I did not like it. I write about cameras all day, and many reading this will be able to just switch off and think, 'hey, this doesn’t actually matter' – and I envy you.

Camera sensor sizes are a chaotic mess of names and numbers based on minor precedents set by film types and formats from decades ago. With digital cameras, you would think this was a chance to have a rebirth, reset the system and create a universal sensor-size utopia. No, instead camera makers doubled down on the naming pandemonium, leaving us with our current disarray.

Full Frame

Full frame cameras are the standard sensor for modern professionals. Full frame is obviously the full amount of a frame, a frame of course being an arbitrary concept measuring any size, and naturally, all other digital sensors will also cover the full amount of their differing sizes of 'frames'. But let's put the historical naming anomaly aside.

Most people know 'full-frame' as 35mm, down to it being 35mm on the long edge. This matches the popular 135 film type developed by Kodak that dominated photography for the best part of a century.

It makes sense. An image is 35mm on the long edge. It is easy to understand how large it is, well for most of the metric world, (America and Liberia, you might have to consult a ruler) but 35mm just makes sense!

Oh, wait, what, full-frame is actually 36mm? Oh no, here we go…

Medium Format

We all know that a medium format camera has a larger sensor than a full frame, because obviously, a medium is bigger than a full. And it's quite clear how big medium format is, it's erm, medium-sized.

Turns out medium format digital sensors cover a range of sizes, basically anything bigger than full-frame, and why not, standardization is for the weak. Well that is typical for anyone who knows the varying sizes of medium format film, right? Well not really. To add confusion, no medium format digital sensors are currently the actual historical size of medium format 120 films, which had a fixed edge of 6cm.

Phase One currently makes the largest medium format sensor at 53.7 × 40.4mm, which they very much call a medium format sensor, whilst Fujifilm makes a smaller medium format sensor at 43.8 × 32.9mm, which they refer to in marketing as large format, because of course they do. Large format is in fact from 102mmx127mm, so not quite Fujifilm, but nice try.

APS-C

Oh APS-C, doesn’t that catchy name tell you everything you need to know about its size? Oh what, it doesn’t? Well, it stands for Advanced Photo System – Classic, glad that is all cleared up. Fine. APS-C is based on a new film type developed in 1996 just as digital cameras became universally popular, so was pretty much never used by anyone.

• Upgrade your kit! Switching up from APS-C to a full frame camera...

But it lives on as a digital sensor size, kind of, I mean it varies between 20.7×13.8 mm to 28.7×19.1 mm, so that's quite a large margin of 8×5.3mm. So if this is actually one sensor size is up for debate right away. That margin is actually bigger than the entire sensor in an iPhone.

Most manufacturers have agreed on 23.5×15.6mm as the size for APS-C, however, Canon decided to make their APS-C sensors around 1mm smaller than everyone else. I give up.

What we do know is that APS-C is bigger than Micro four thirds and smaller than full frame. Okay, got that? Let's move on.

Micro Four Thirds

Okay, so the clue is in the name, right? Micro, it must be, you know, absolutely tiny? Well not really. It is still bigger than a lot of other sensors, but it is the smallest sensor you will find in a mainstream interchangeable lens camera today. But how big is it? Well doesn’t that top-heavy fraction clear it all up for you? It's four-thirds of, erm, something.

Well turns out it is four-thirds of an inch, or you know, one and one-third, or 1.33 inches, whatever you want to go with. And this measures the diagonal, not the frame edge like it should. Well except that it doesn’t, as a micro four-thirds camera sensor actually measure slightly less than four-thirds of an inch, because nothing matters anymore.

Micro four-thirds is a 4:3 ratio, so that's at least something. Not how we measure camera sensors, but it's something. A Micro four-thirds sensor for normal people is 18 mm×13.5 mm.

1 inch

Rejoice, some sanity has been brought back into the world. An honest to god easy to understand measurement, it might be in imperial units, but it's a forgivable oversight. A 1-inch sensor is, that's right, you guessed it, 1 inch! 

Oh no, but that is the diameter again, not the long edge like all film and most other camera sensors are measured. If it was 1 inch on its long edge, that would actually make it larger than APS-C. A 1-inch sensor really measures 13.2×8.8mm. 

Super 35

This one has a long history I can barely get into, but unsurprisingly if you have read this far, it does not actually measure 35 of anything. Photographers, you don’t have to worry about this one, but Super 35 sensors are used on popular cine cameras.

Super 35 got its name from a film by it using 35mm film, but actually didn’t use the whole film width, cropping off some of the long edge. So today we have the Super 35 digital sensor measuring in at 24.89 mm×18.66 mm. Which makes it slightly larger than an APS-C sensor but smaller than 35mm full-frame. Definitely not 35mm though.

Filmmaking cameras

I am not even going to attempt to explain the rest of the sensor sizes available to dedicated cinema cameras as I think I might explode, but this excellent visual guide from VMI might give you some idea of the mess before us.

I don’t know how sensor sizes became such a web of confusion. Maybe I am the only person who worries about this, or maybe it is just me up late at night, camera sensors taunting me. I don’t think there is any way out of this mess, so I better learn to make peace with it and move on with my life.

You can find out more with our guides to the best full frame cameras, the best APS-C cameras, and the best Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Correction: A previous version of this article mistated the size of large format film. We regret the error.

When I started in photography, the twin obsessions were depth of field and resolution. Not much has changed, you might think, except that these days that depth of field obsession has turned on its head, so that we want as little as possible whereas before we couldn’t get enough.

The resolution obsession mostly affected 35mm film users who were transfixed for a while by Kodak Technical Pan, a film never designed for pictorial photography, or the best developer formulations for acutance and fine grain. (Those in the know, of course, just bought a larger format film camera.)

We didn't obsess about the best film cameras the way we do now about the best mirrorless cameras, the best professional cameras, the best cameras for sport and so on.

But while today’s obsessions are different, the pattern is similar. We all want something we only started wanting when we found out it was just out of reach – or maybe just within reach if you buy the right gear and use it in just the right way. It’s like we only want what we can’t quite have and immediately de-prioritize everything else in photography that matters.

Shallow depth of field is a good modern example. The less there is the better. The blurrier the background, the thinner the plane of sharp focus, the faster the maximum aperture, the more we like it. We don’t know whether our predecessors were right or wrong to want near-to-far sharpness and it’s possible no-one even thinks about it any more.

Shallow depth of field alone is not enough, though – we also want beautiful bokeh, even though only a small proportion of photographers will know what it looks like, or care. This has become the defining characteristic of today’s fast lenses for many reviewers, as if other pictorial styles have been consigned to the history books along with wet plates and field cameras.

But if the bokeh obsession is waning, it’s because of one thing. Focus breathing. A couple of years ago, someone would have had to show you what focus breathing looked like and then convince you it actually mattered; now, it’s gained the kind of critical mass that could at last dislodge our bokeh obsession.

Great – another arcane technicality to distract us from the creative art of photography and filmmaking. 

To go from bokeh obsession to focus breathing is a bit like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. When will we ever be satisfied?

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• Best cine lenses
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Film photography was once dismissed as a relic of the past, yet it has quietly worked its way back into the creative spotlight. Social platforms and specialist retailers such as Analogue Wonderland have helped fuel a resurgence, drawing a new generation into the tactile, thoughtful world of shooting on film. There’s an unmistakable romance to it - a character and depth that digital has never quite managed to replicate.

So why, in an age defined by instant results, do so many photographers still choose film? The answer is rarely about specs or sharpness. It’s personal. It’s the solid click of a mechanical shutter, the ritual of loading a roll, the considered choice of emulsions, each with its own look and mood. And then there’s the wait. That pause between pressing the shutter and seeing the final image builds a sense of anticipation that feels almost rebellious in a world of immediacy.

Design matters too. Film cameras come from a time when objects were built to last. Made from metal, with a reassuring heft in the hand, they are as much beautifully crafted objects as they are photographic tools. They reflect an era before disposability, and that sense of permanence still holds strong appeal today.

Having spent years shooting film both professionally and for pleasure, I’ve curated a selection of film cameras that remain well worth seeking out. From compact point-and-shoots to fully manual classics, they span a wide range of formats, budgets, and shooting styles. Whether you’re discovering film for the first time or returning after a long break, there’s a camera here ready to reignite that familiar sense of nostalgia.

The Quick List

The best film cameras in 2026

Best half-frame film camera

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The Pentax 17 is the first new film camera to come from a major brand in over 20 years, and the first camera to come out of Pentax's film project. While many might have expected something more akin to a Pentax K1000 or SLR camera – the Pentax 17 is a half-frame film camera, and is designed with a blend of nostalgic appeal and modern practicality, targeting both film enthusiasts and newcomers to analog photography.

The Pentax 17 excels in leveraging the half-frame format, allowing you to capture 72 images on a single roll of 36-exposure film – making expensive rolls of film stretch that little bit further.

Half-frame haters might well have to have a serious rethink after taking a look at what the Pentax 17 is capable of. The camera's lens, despite its modest appearance, delivers impressively sharp results and achieves incredible results out of its half-frame format. The 17's exposure system is also extremely consistent, and I got an incredibly good hit rate of usable photos which is a significant thing to consider given the rising costs of film and development leave little room for mistakes.

As a point-and-shoot, the Pentax 17 has minimal manual controls, which is ideal for those who prefer a straightforward shooting experience. However, the camera's simplicity might be a double-edged sword for seasoned photographers who desire a little more creative control. The lack of detailed feedback from the camera during exposure adjustments and the manual ISO setting could be limiting for those accustomed to more advanced features. On the flip side, these same attributes make it perfect for those who want a reliable, no-fuss camera.

Ultimately, the Pentax 17 strikes a balance between simplicity and performance, making it an attractive option for both casual photographers and those looking to dive into film photography without the complexity of fully manual cameras. Or for anyone looking for a film camera, but desperate to avoid the murky waters of the second-hand market.

Read our full Pentax 17 review for more details

Final thoughts

The Pentax 17 is a stylish and compact half-frame film camera that blends retro charm with modern usability. Its sharp 25mm f/3.5 lens, zone focusing, and vertical format make it fun and creative to shoot, while offering twice the exposures per roll. Though not fully manual, its thoughtful design and solid build make it a standout for anyone looking to enjoy film photography with a fresh twist.

Best iconic Canon film camera

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The Canon AE-1 is one of the best-known 35mm film cameras ever made – and the first 35mm SLR to sell one million units. This was certainly no fluke: the AE-1 was a groundbreaking camera for the time. It was the first camera to include some of the electronic components that paved the way for digital cameras.

The Canon AE-1's plastic construction was also a first. New manufacturing processes meant the camera could be produced at scale, which kept the price affordable for novices and enthusiasts. However, this hasn't affected its reliability, as there are plenty of cameras still going strong (including my own) decades after release.

The AE-1 features an electronically controlled cloth focal plane shutter offering a wide and repeatable shutter speed range. This means it needs a battery to power its operation, but offers more potential consistency than mechanically operated shutters. Metering is carried out by a single silicon photocell, offering a center-weighted meter. The AE-1 was unusual for offering Shutter Priority automation at a time when most makers favored Aperture Priority operation.

The AE-1 Program was a later variant that added a fully automatic exposure mode. If you are a bit more of a novice when it comes to film photography, the Program version is a great camera to start with.

The AE-1 uses Canon's FD breech-lock bayonet mount, and also Canon's 'new' style FD lenses; there are plenty of these to pick up secondhand for cheap. It has since been superseded by the EF and RF lens mounts; adaptors are available for mounting these modern lenses, although you won't benefit from any new technology like autofocus and image stabilization.

Read our full Canon AE-1 review for more details

• Find used Canon AE1 deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Canon AE1 deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Canon AE-1 / AE-1 Program is a classic 35mm SLR known for its blend of automation and manual control, making it great for beginners and enthusiasts alike. With versatile exposure modes and compatibility with a wide range of lenses, it offers reliable performance and creative flexibility. Durable and affordable, it remains a favorite for those wanting a proven, iconic film camera.

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Best Nikon 35mm film camera

The Nikon FE is an icon of the film era – so much so that it has helped inspire Nikon's current range of retro digital cameras, which bear an uncanny resemblance to the Nikon Z fc. The camera has a design I can't help but fall for: with little touches of copper in the dials and faux-leather cladding on the pentaprism viewfinder, the Nikon FE is still a beauty that draws me to it.

The build of this camera is also renowned for being reliable, so some 30 years later these cameras should still be going strong (although might require some minor repairs like light seals). Our reviewer loved the viewfinder, finding it clear and bright, and the depth of field preview proved very effective.

Looks aren't everything, and thankfully the Nikon FE has the skills too. As an advanced semi-professional 35mm SLR camera with Manual and Aperture Priority shooting modes, it should suit anyone with a little camera know-how. Its shutter has a range of 1/1,000 sec to a maximum of eight seconds, while Bulb mode is mechanical and unlimited. Flash sync speed is 1/125 sec, while the ISO/ASA ranges from 12 to 3,200.

The camera can also be paired with Nikon's F-mount lenses – and luckily, this is one of the widest and best-selling lens ranges of all time, so you certainly won't have any trouble picking some up second-hand. There is a lens to suit everything from wide-angle street scenes to telephotos for wildlife and sports.

Manufactured by Nikon in Japan from 1978 to 1983, the Nikon FE is still a very capable SLR with a lovely design, and is perhaps the perfect model for those wanting to delve into film photography. Today, it's possible to pick up the Nikon FE secondhand for under $150 / £150.

Read our full Nikon FE review for more details

• Find used Nikon FE deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Nikon FE deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Nikon FE is a durable, classic 35mm SLR that balances manual control with aperture-priority automation. Known for its solid build and compatibility with a wide range of Nikon lenses, it offers reliable performance and intuitive handling, making it a favourite for both beginners and experienced film photographers.

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Best film camera for simplicity

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The Pentax ME Super never had the same kind of cultural impact as the legends of the film era – but where a lot of those cameras didn't endure, the ME Super is still a reliable go-to camera today. I inherited mine from my grandfather's attic and, with minimal cleaning, it is still going strong 40 years later.

The Pentax ME Super is a real crowd-pleaser, and will suit almost every film photographer from beginner to pro – but where I think this camera really hits the sweet spot is simplicity. There are full manual controls for seasoned photographers to get creative, but the camera also has excellent semi-automatic modes for those just getting into photography. The controls are also incredibly easy to understand, with a balance between mechanical and electronic settings. Responsive LEDs in the viewfinder also make dialing in the correct exposure quick and accurate.

The ME Super is super-light: the body is metal, although the dials are a little plastic-y. The viewfinder is dreamy to use, though: with a big, clear picture, it is very easy to compose shots quickly.

Thanks to Pentax’s incredible legacy of lenses, you can rapidly expand into all areas of photography, Pentax glass is also often cheaper online than some of the more popular brands, so you can grow your collection quickly.

Read our full Pentax ME Super review for more details

• Find used Pentax ME Super deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Pentax ME Super deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Pentax ME Super is a compact and lightweight 35mm SLR that offers both aperture-priority and manual exposure modes. Known for its reliable metal shutter, TTL metering, and compatibility with K-mount lenses, it’s a versatile and easy-to-use camera popular with both beginners and experienced film shooters.

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Best film camera for students

The K1000's reputation has developed through what must have been seen at the time as simple cost-cutting. It was the cheapest of Pentax's DSLRs, and even had the self-timer and depth of field preview on other models removed, just to save money. It's an entirely manual camera, and although it does need a battery for its meter, the mechanical shutter will operate without one.

Generations of students have come to love this camera for its low cost, simplicity and durability, while generations of lecturers have chosen it for its purely manual controls and the way it forces you to learn exposure theory.

The K1000 uses the Pentax K bayonet mount still in use today (with some revisions for autofocus and electronics). This means that K1000 owners have decades of glass to choose from, giving a huge range of focal lengths and price points. Secondhand Pentax glass tends not to be overly pricey, so this adds another string to the K1000's educational bow: you can easily try out lots of different lenses without breaking the bank.

This might not be the film camera you carry through your whole life, but it is certainly one of the best cameras you can buy today to learn all about shooting film. The K1000's reputation and hipster desirability means the price has not sunk as low as some of the others on this list, though, but you should still be able to pick up a decent copy for below $150 / £150.

Read our full Pentax K1000 review for more details

• Find used Pentax K1000 deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Pentax K1000 deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Pentax K1000 is a legendary 35mm SLR prized for its simplicity, durability, and fully manual controls. With a rugged build and straightforward design, it’s an ideal choice for beginners learning film photography, while still offering the flexibility and reliability that enthusiasts appreciate. Its compatibility with a wide range of K-mount lenses makes it a timeless classic that remains popular today.

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The best film camera you can buy new or old

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There is no denying that Leica knows how to make a stunning, iconic camera. Leica's M rangefinders are perhaps the pinnacle of that, with a world-renowned design that has proved so popular that the Leica MP is one of the few film cameras that can still be bought new.

I found the Leica MP’s shooting experience to be immersive and rewarding. The manual controls and mechanical feedback provide a tactile and engaging process, allowing photographers to feel deeply connected to their craft.

The Leica MP offers an unparalleled handling and performance experience that appeals to both analog enthusiasts and professional photographers. Its robust construction, intuitive controls, precise rangefinder, and reliable mechanical operation combine to create a camera that is both a joy to use and capable of producing outstanding photographic results.

While there are minor quirks, such as the front battery door and the absence of a shutter lock, these are easily overshadowed by the camera's overall excellence. For those committed to the art of film photography, the Leica MP is a timeless investment that promises a lifetime of exceptional performance.

Read our full Leica MP review for more details

Final thoughts

The Leica MP is a legendary 35mm rangefinder renowned for its exceptional build quality, precision, and timeless design. Fully mechanical and manual, it offers unparalleled control and reliability, making it a favorite among professional photographers and enthusiasts who value craftsmanship and classic film shooting. Compact and discreet, the MP delivers an unmatched shooting experience with Leica’s legendary optics.

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Best affordable rangefinder film camera

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One of the best-selling cameras of all time, the Canonet G-III QL17 found huge success by being simple to use, offering superb image quality, and a stunning high-quality build for a reasonable price. All three of these still hold true.

In my opinion, the Canonet G-III QL17 is one of the prettiest rangefinder cameras out there, with a classic design in a small compact body – but it is built like a tank. Rangefinders aren't for everyone: they are notoriously trickier to focus on with their smaller viewfinders, but the more compact size has the benefit of being a more discreet camera when out shooting on the streets, or for slipping into a bag more easily while traveling.

The image quality from the fixed lens on the Canonet G-III QL17 is simply superb – and lives up to its reputation as ‘the poor man's Leica'. The lens is a fixed 40mm lens, which limits the camera's versatility compared with interchangeable-lens cameras – but 40mm is a useful length for day-to-day photography including travel, street and some environmental portraiture. The wide aperture of f/1.7 also means you can achieve some nice background blur and better low-light images.

Where this camera falls down today is with its ease of use – since the camera was released, the original batteries have been deemed illegal in most countries, for containing mercury. There are workarounds using zinc hearing-aid batteries, but this has led to an unpredictable light meter, requiring a bit more knowledge and practice to ensure your images are properly exposed.

Read our full Canon Canonet G-III QL17 review for more details

• Find used Canonet G-III QL17 deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Canonet G-III QL17 deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Canon Canonet G-III QL17 is a classic compact rangefinder known for its sharp 40mm f/1.7 lens and quick-loading “quick load” film system. Lightweight and easy to use, it offers excellent image quality and manual controls in a small, pocket-friendly body - making it a popular choice for street and everyday photography enthusiasts.

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Best point and shoot film camera

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The Canon AF35ML is a cheap and cheerful 35mm film camera for taking some quick snapshots without having to do all that much work. While this isn’t the coolest camera to come out of the film era, it has a following all its own.

The camera is fully automatic, including the focus, so you don't have to worry about any settings apart from whether you want the flash on or off. I think this camera is best described as the ultimate reloadable camera – the perfect camera for handing around at a party, on holiday, or even passing to a child, and knowing that you are going to get good results (providing they do a good job of framing, that is). Framing is made somewhat easier by the optical viewfinder; while it isn't the clearest viewfinder, it gives a good enough idea of the scene.

Other point-and-shoot cameras in this class can't hold a candle to the AF35ML's lens. With a f/1.9 aperture lens, it is much wider than usual, so can perform better in low light, as well as getting some nice subject separation. The lens is also higher-quality than the plastic-y build might suggest, and outputs clean and consistent photos. With built-in flash, it makes it great to take out at night as well.

This isn't a camera for capturing great artistry, but for capturing memories with ease, this is certainly a fantastic option. The AF35ML can usually be found for under $100 / £100, although sometimes decent copies can be found for half that.

Read our full Canon AF35ML review for more details

• Find used Canon AF35ML deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Canon AF35ML deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Canon AF35ML is a compact, fully automatic 35mm point-and-shoot known for its sharp 40mm f/1.9 lens and motorized film advance. While its autofocus can be unreliable in low light and the motor is noisy, it remains a popular, easy-to-use choice for casual shooting and travel photography.

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Best film camera for big negatives

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The great thing about film, and especially medium-format 120-roll film, is that it's so flexible – both literally and metaphorically. The film rolls are 120mm wide, but it's up to the camera maker how much width they want to use.

6 x 4.5cm medium-format cameras shot rectangular images 'sideways' on a roll, whereas regular 6 x 6cm cameras shot square images so it didn't matter which way you turned the camera. Other cameras, like the RZ67 above and the Fuji GW690, shoot extra-wide images.

You get fewer exposures on a roll, but extra-large negatives and transparencies. The GW690 is a no-frills fixed-lens manual exposure camera that offers huge images in a comparatively portable package.

• Find used Fuji GW690 deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Fuji GW690 deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Fuji GW690 is a sturdy medium-format rangefinder known for its sharp 90mm lens and exceptional image quality. While it lacks a built-in light meter and can be heavy, it delivers stunning 6×9 negatives that make it popular with landscape and large-format enthusiasts seeking top-notch results.

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Best medium-format film camera

An evolution of the RB67, introduced in 1970, the RZ67 keeps the revolving back that gave the earlier system its name, and the just-off-square 6 x 7cm image area.

Just to put this in context, this is far larger than the 6 x 4.5cm area of the largest medium-format digital models today. Like the Hasselblad 500 C/M, the RZ67 is a modular camera with interchangeable lenses, viewing systems, and backs.

It's a bit big and heavy for extended handheld use, though, and it's best used on a tripod. High-quality medium-format film cameras are holding their prices pretty well at the moment, and you might have to shop around to get a working, affordable example.

• Find used Mamiya RZ67 deals on eBay (US)
• Find used Mamiya RZ67 deals on eBay (UK)

Final thoughts

The Mamiya RZ67 is a legendary medium-format camera prized for its modular design, rotating back, and exceptional image quality. With its large 6×7cm negatives and versatile lens options, it’s a favourite among studio and portrait photographers who demand precision and creative control. Though bulky and best suited for controlled environments, the RZ67 delivers professional-grade results that remain hard to beat.

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How to choose the best film camera

Film cameras come in all shapes and sizes, from stripped-back mechanical tools to more modern bodies with electronic features baked in. The type of camera you choose depends largely on how you like to work - and what you want from your photographs. Lens compatibility, handling, and format all play their part.

Most people begin their journey with 35mm, and for good reason: it’s accessible, versatile, and firmly at the centre of film photography’s current revival. Whether you’re reaching for an SLR, a classic rangefinder, or a compact point-and-shoot (even a disposable), 35mm offers a familiar, manageable route into shooting on film.

As experience builds, the move to medium format often follows. These cameras use 120 film and produce significantly larger negatives than 35mm, resulting in crisper detail, richer tones, and greater resolution. Formats vary - from the popular 645 (6x4.5cm) through to 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, and even 6x9, as found in cameras like the Fuji GW690. The trade-off for this jump in quality is the number of shots per roll. A 645 camera will typically give you around 15 or 16 frames, while a 6x9 format might only offer 8 exposures before you need to reload.

Then there’s large format - the upper tier of analog photography. These cameras shoot on sheet film, most commonly 4x5 or 8x10 inches, and offer the kind of image fidelity and tonal range that simply can’t be matched elsewhere. With that, of course, comes a slower, more deliberate approach.

Every exposure requires a separate film holder, making this format best suited to those who value precision over spontaneity. It's not something you sling over your shoulder for a walk, but in the right hands, large format delivers images with extraordinary depth and detail.

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What to look out for in a used film camera

Buying a used film camera can be challenging since warranties and the convenience of digital retailers are rarely available. Instead, you’ll need to develop a keen eye for spotting good deals among countless subpar listings. Platforms like eBay, second-hand marketplaces, flea markets, and yard sales can be goldmines - if you know what to look for.

Start by seeking out reputable sellers and dealers. Those with positive reviews or strong customer feedback are often a safer bet. Specialized dealers who focus on used cameras tend to be the most reliable, as they understand what makes a quality camera and how to avoid faulty ones. If the item is expensive, don’t hesitate to ask for additional details or photos.

One of the biggest issues to watch for is fungus. This mold thrives in humid conditions and can damage a camera’s glass elements, leaving spiderweb-like etchings that degrade image quality. Fungus inside lenses or camera bodies is difficult to remove without professional disassembly, so always request close-up images of any glass components before purchasing.

Examining the camera’s overall condition can also reveal its history. Check the film plate for scratches - many marks suggest heavy use, while fewer indicate lighter wear. Cosmetic signs of wear can also provide insight into how well the camera has been maintained.

Finally, ask for sample images taken with the camera. Seeing its output will confirm that it’s functional and meets your expectations. If everything checks out, congratulations - you’ve found a great addition to your collection!

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As the capital city of the United Kingdom, London has always been a melting pot of multiple cultures and classes. A 15-year photographic project documents the unique evolution of this storied city via analog images – and it's collated in the photo book, London Unseen. 

The project is the work of photographer and native Londoner, Paul Anthony Scane, who spent a decade and a half documenting the unseen side of the city using some of the best film cameras ranging from 35mm to medium and large format, including Leica, Hasselblad, Linhof 4x5 and Mamiya 6x7.

• Check out the best medium format cameras

Away from the tourist trappings and well worn beats of Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, Scane headed out on foot and on his bike to document London's lesser seen side – from campy dry cleaners and abandoned tanks to a double decker bus appearing to maneuver a miniature golf course.

The collection truly is a celebration of the beating pulse of the city, capturing the character and soul of the real London with the affection of a real Londoner. Moreover, it's a wonderful collection of 35mm and medium format photography.

London Unseen is available now as a beautiful hardback volume consisting of 208 pages from publisher teNeues Books (ISBN number 3961713847). You can order it from Amazon using the link below. 

Read more: 

The best lens for street photography
The best books on street photography
14 street photography tips to use in the city with your camera

If you're looking to get seriously into making movies, you need the best camera for filmmaking. I’ve taken today’s leading filmmaking cameras into the field, testing build quality, performance, and video output to uncover the very best options available right now.

With everything from crisp 4K and 8K recording to in-body stabilization and fully articulating screens, these cameras deliver the features that truly matter when you’re out shooting. They unlock true creative scope, and can be outfitted with external mics, lights, and monitors for a complete production-ready rig. I've focused on 4K-capable mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses, as that's going to be the sweet spot for most filmmakers – if you think you might want a lightweight compact, our guide to the best cameras for vlogging will be more you speed.

My selection here ranges from high-end hybrids that excel equally at stills and video to cinema-first systems designed for filmmakers who live and breathe moving images.

Best camera for filmmaking: Quick list

The best filmmaking cameras 

Best overall

The Panasonic Lumix S1R II is exactly the refresh the flagship needed - elevating it once again to the top of the Lumix line with the highest resolution in the range and seriously pro-level video credentials. And when I say serious, I mean 14 stops of dynamic range in 8K, with 8K open gate video arriving soon via firmware.

With internal RAW, Apple ProRes, and a suite of professional codecs, and it’s clear this is built for serious hybrid shooters. Stabilisation also takes a leap forward, with up to 8 stops of compensation and Panasonic’s new cropless electronic IS for added versatility.

On the stills side, the upgrades are more subtle. There’s a new 44MP sensor - slightly down from the original S1R’s 47MP - but image quality is better balanced, with improved low-light performance and faster processing. Most notable, though, is speed: the old 9fps feels sluggish compared to the 40fps burst this one can fire via electronic shutter.

Best hybrid

In my view – and it's one shared by Gareth Bevan, our reviews editor – the Panasonic Lumix GH7 is the hybrid camera to beat. If you're looking for a lightweight and capable filmmaking camera that'll also do a great job taking photos, the Lumix GH7 is the one to choose.

Offering a huge abundance of internal video recording options, including ProRes RAW HQ at 5.7K 30p or 4K 60p, open-gate 10-bit 4:2:0 recording in 5.8K 30p or 5.7K 60p, C4K 120p 10-bit 4:2:0, C4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2, and 240p in full HD (and that's just the topline specs), the Lumix GH7 can do basically anything. And, thanks to its built-in fan, its recording times are essentially unlimited, with no overheating issues. As long as you have card space and battery power, the Lumix GH7 will keep shooting.

Its stills performance is also first-rate, as befitting its status as a hybrid camera. In both shooting modes it benefits from powerful hybrid autofocus, using a combination of of phase detection, contrast-detection (CDAF), and depth-from-defocus (DFD) technology to achieve excellent speed and accuracy. It's not quite at the level of Canon or Sony, but it's still impressive, and a big leap forward from previous Panasonic cameras.

One of the most well-rounded cameras on the market, the Lumix GH7 is an ideal choice if filmmaking is just one of the strings to your bow.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix GH7 review

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Best cine

This is Canon's new cinema camera to beat. An incredibly fully featured option for videographers and filmmakers, this is the camera expressly designed to eat the lunch of Sony's FX series, and it does so. While the top-end resolution is 7K 60p, the headline feature grabbing most attention is the option for recording open-gate video, recording footage using the entirety of the 3:2 sensor.

This provides immense flexibility for cropping footage into different aspect ratios, from 16:9 cinematic for YouTube to 9:16 vertical for TikTok and Reels. It's the kind of workflow you need to plan around, as it produces huge amounts of drive-filling data, but its usefulness is unmatched.

The EOS C50 also offers what James described in our review as a 'slew' of essential filmmaking features – including internal RAW, waveforms and shutter angle. There are no built-in ND filters, which you might expect to see on a cine camera, but otherwise, the EOS C50 is incredibly fully featured.

As an alternative, you may want to consider the Sony FX2, which is a cheaper cine camera – however, its 4K 60p comes with a crop, and in our review Gareth noted some significant rolling shutter. If it meets your budget, the Canon EOS C50 is the superior choice.

Read our full Canon EOS C50 review

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Best value

The Nikon ZR heralds the beginning of a new era and a new line – Nikon's new 'Z Cinema' cameras, springing from Nikon's acquisition of high-end cinematography company Red. As such, the ZR blends the sleek design of Nikon's Z range of mirrorless camera with Red's renowned 'Color Science'. And since this is the first camera of a new range, it's priced aggressively, and offers some of the best value on the cinema market right now.

Recording 12-bit Raw video in an all-new R3D NE (Nikon Edition) format, the Nikon ZR offers immense flexibility. In our review, Adam was able to try out the gorgeous range of Red Picture Controls that users can apply to footage if they don't want to get bogged down in color processing, and he found that it was incredibly easy to give his images a dynamic, cinematic look. Of course, if you do want to get bogged down in color processing, you can – just be aware that processing R3D files requires a powerful computer.

The slimline design of the Nikon ZR makes it great for agile filmmaking, even if its slab-like form factor means it's better used in a rig than handheld, especially for long periods. But what really sets this camera apart from the competition is its price – while it's not the cheapest on offer, the price point is hard to believe considering the potential the ZR offers for producing truly professional-looking cinematic footage.

Read our full Nikon ZR review

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Best all-rounder

The Sony A7 IV is a significant upgrade from the A7 III, aimed at hybrid creators seeking professional-level performance. It boasts a new 33MP sensor for sharper, more detailed stills and enhanced AI-driven autofocus, delivering excellent tracking for both photography and videography. Its improved burst mode makes it perfect for capturing fast-moving subjects, whether in wildlife, sports, or action scenes.

For filmmakers, the A7 IV introduces 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, making Sony’s S-Log3 profile much more effective for precise color grading in post-production. It supports 4K video at up to 60fps in Super35 crop mode, while offering full-width 4K capture at lower frame rates—a notable improvement over the A7 III, which lacked 4K 60fps entirely. The camera also delivers excellent dynamic range and high-quality low-light performance, enhancing its versatility.

By combining high-resolution stills with advanced video capabilities, the Sony A7 IV stands out as a powerful, all-purpose full-frame camera for creators who want to excel in both photography and filmmaking.

Sony has since released the Sony A7 V – however, we found its video spec a little underwhelming compared to the competition. For now, the cheaper A7 IV makes more sense as an all-rounder for filmmaking.

See our full Sony A7 IV review and lab tests

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Best for 8K video

The original Canon EOS R5 represented a significant leap forward for Canon’s mirrorless camera lineup, blending cutting-edge technology with a refined design. However, while its 8K video was a headline feature, the camera was blighted by overheating issues that severely limited recording times, meaning it just wasn't really a suitable tool for a lot of professional workflows.

The EOS R5 Mark II makes fixing this issue its first priority, sporting redesigned internals with individual graphite sheets for the sensor and card slot boards to dissipate heat to the exterior, and a passive cooling system that can be upgraded to an active one via an optional external cooling fan grip. The end result is that recording times are much improved, with 4K 60p Long GOP able to be recording indefinitely.

Of course, what sets the EOS R5 Mark II apart from other cameras on this list is its ability to shoot in 8K – specifically 8K DCI Lite RAW at up to 60p. It's also significantly integrated into the Cinema EOS system, offering Canon Log 2 and 3 with Canon 709/BT.709 Std, PQ/HLG and HDR movie mode. There's also finally a full-size HDMI port and a tally lamp.

The biggest obstacle for many will be the cost. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II comes with a premium price tag, and when you factor in the cost of Canon RF lenses, building a complete setup can run into thousands of dollars. Despite this, for those who can invest, the EOS R5 Mark II offers an unparalleled combination of stills and video performance, making it a standout choice for professionals who want the best of both worlds.

See our full Canon EOS R5 Mark II review

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Best box camera

For serious video shooters, the Panasonic Lumix BSH1 boxcam can make a lot of sense as it can be rigged up for a multitude of different uses. It features a 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor with Dual Native ISO technology, providing 14+ stops of dynamic range, and an Optical Low Pass Filter (OLPH) that helps suppress moiré and false colors, making it excellent in low-light conditions.

It's capable of recording 6K 24p or 4K 60p 10-bit when using an image area equivalent to Super 35mm. If you're using the entire 35mm sensor area, it can shoot 4K at 30p with 10-bit 4:2:2 in H.264.

With live streaming growing increasingly popular, the BS1H is capable of transmitting high-quality footage to social streaming platforms over a wired LAN connection. It can stream 4K 60p video in H.265, which means the bit rate is halved and the image quality is kept the same.

The lack of a screen may be off-putting, but its modular system means you can easily attach an external recorder such as the Atmos Ninja V, which will also make it capable of outputting 12-bit raw video.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix BS1H review for more details

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Best dynamic range

The Canon EOS C70 is Canon's first RF-mount cinema camera offering powerful video capabilities. It features Canon's Super35 sensor, Dual Gain Output, a massive 16 stops of dynamic range, and 4K 120fps / 2k 180fps.

It also includes a game-changing touchscreen which makes accurately focusing quicker and easier. The C70 boasts the deep learning iTR AFX system from the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II which offers head detection and extremely accurate autofocus.

If you don't want to invest in expensive RF lenses we suggest you use an adapter to mount EF lenses onto them. Canon's new speed booster will also enable you to use them with an extra f-stop and a full-frame angle of view. Where the C70 falls down is that it doesn't record RAW and you can't use PL glass on it - for that, you'll have to step up to the Canon C300 Mark III.

See our full Canon EOS C70 review

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How we test the best filmmaking cameras

We test the best filmmaking cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled conditions. In our tests, we look at the resolution, dynamic range in real-world use cases and make our judgement on years of expertise in the field of filmmaking and photography.
Find out how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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Compare prices

The best medium format cameras deliver image quality that really is in a class of its own. The sheer amount of detail, tonal depth, and overall richness you get from these larger sensors is something even the finest full-frame cameras still struggle to match, especially when 100MP resolutions are now almost the norm. Honestly, once you’ve shot medium format for a while, it can be very hard to step back.

Of course, none of this comes cheap. But the good news is that medium format is no longer quite as unreachable as it once was. Brands like Fujifilm and Hasselblad have pushed the format forward while also bringing prices down, and modern medium format cameras are far quicker and more responsive than the slow, deliberate machines many people still imagine. In fact, they’re now fast enough that even street photography with medium format feels entirely realistic.

I’m a Hasselblad user myself, and the Hasselblad X2D II is the medium format camera I keep coming back to. It’s loaded with technology that makes it a phenomenal tool for pure still-image quality, from its class-leading 15.3 stops of dynamic range to 10 stops of image stabilization, and it’s also the first mirrorless camera to use LiDAR autofocus to support its subject detection system.

What I love most about medium format cameras isn’t just the huge resolution, but the distinct way they render an image and the performance benefits that come with the format. With that in mind, here are my picks for the best medium format cameras you can buy right now.

The best medium format camera

Best medium format camera for photography

If you're looking for ultimate photographic quality, look no further – the Hasselblad X2D II 100C is the definitive still imaging machine, with unmatched HDR capabilities, and the best medium format camera that photographers can buy.

Its 100MP image sensor is capable of 16-bit stills with 15.3 stops of dynamic range, making use of Hasselblad's exceptional Natural Color Solution HDR technology, to produce incredible color and dimension in-camera. Photos are gallery-ready, directly out of the X2D II.

It's also the most technologically advanced stills camera you can buy. On top of its industry-best dynamic range, it also boasts an industry-best 10 stops of image stabilization along with industry-first LiDAR autofocus – which, paired with hybrid phase detection and algorithmic subject detection, gives the camera fierce field performance.

In addition to a 5.76 million dot viewfinder, which enables you to see every ounce of detail in your 100MP shots, the camera supports CFexpress B cards but also boasts 1TB of internal storage. No more scrambling around for cards!

The asterisk is that the X2D II – like all current Hasseblad cameras – does not shoot video in any way, shape, or form. Honestly, though, I don't think anybody buys a medium-format camera to vlog with, so this should be the farthest thing from your mind. I do wish it had an articulating screen, though.

I also want to highlight the UI/UX and the build of this camera. It has the sleekest, most pleasing and easiest to use menu system of any camera out there – it's a cross between Leica's slickness and Apple's intuitiveness. And not only is it incredibly lightweight, at just 840g, it's the most comfortable camera I've ever held. The ergonomics are perfect – and Hasselblad has even added a much-requested joystick.

Read my full Hasselblad X2D II 100C review for more details

Best medium format camera overall

Refining a formula that has worked exceptionally well for Fujifilm, the GFX 100 II continues to bring medium format to the masses by packing a big sensor into a comparatively small body. On the outside I wouldn't say there's much to physically distinguish it from a full-frame camera. On the inside it's a different story, though, with a 102MP BSI 43.8 x 32.9mm medium format sensor running the show.

Unlike the bigger GFX 100, the vertical grip is an optional extra here rather than being integrated and the electronic viewfinder is now detachable. However, while it's smaller and lighter than its hulking predecessor, it's still a heavy camera at 1,030g.

This is Fujifilm's third-generation 100MP model – and it gives an impressive upgrade in speed that makes this a viable option for shooting sports or wildlife. There is an 8fps motordrive setting and a buffer that can shoot bursts of up to 325 shots. Video shooting has also been improved, with this model offering 8K capture with over 13 stops of dynamic range.

The in-body image stabilization is rated at an incredible 8 stops, which isn't quite good enough for on-the-go vlogging but is still very impressive – and I find it better than a lot of full frame cameras! Fujifilm's gorgeous film simulations also make their obligatory appearance, opening up some fun shooting possibilities and the ability to experiment with different in-camera looks.

This is the most versatile 100MP camera in terms of all-around performance, offering superb stabilization, enviable video and surprising speed in addition to its headline resolution.

Read our Fujifilm GFX 100 II review for more details

Best modular medium format camera

While I think this is the best looking camera ever made, it's not a camera for everybody. Most photographers will be better served with the X2D 100C, which features the same sensor and image processor in a conventional mirrorless camera body (complete with all the associated advantages such as in-body image stabilization).

However, for a certain kind of photographer the 907X & CFV 100C combo is simply unbeatable. The 907X "body" is essentially there to enable the CFV 100C digital back to use modern XCD lenses.

However, the back can also be mounted to legacy Hasselblad V bodies (such as the iconic 500C) to bring them back to life – and it can be mounted to any camera that accepts V plates, such as field and technical cameras, turning any of these systems into a 100MP powerhouse.

Since it lacks any in-body image stabilization, suffers pretty severe rolling shutter, and lacks an integrated viewfinder, this is intended as a tripod-based camera rather than a handheld shooter.

So if you're someone who shoots on sticks and prefers shooting on a waist-level screen (emulating old waist-level finders), and wants the ability to adapt other camera systems, this will be your dream setup.

Read my full Hasselblad 907X & CFV 100C review

Best affordable 100MP medium format camera

If you love the look of the Fujifilm GFX 100 II but simply can’t countenance the expense, fear not! The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is here to the rescue. Offering the same level of scintillating image quality, with a 102MP medium format sensor, the GFX 100S II is also much more affordable. In fact, bucking the trend of the camera industry, Fujifilm has actually made this one cheaper at launch than the previous GFX 100S – though of course, you can get that camera for a lot less on the second-hand market.

I’d still go for this newer version though, as improvements across the board make it an even better camera to use. The autofocus has been upgraded with intelligent subject detection, and the new sensor design features microlenses for faster AF and a new structure that allows for a low ISO setting of 80. Image stabilization now provides an impressive eight stops of effective compensation. Not as impressive as Hasselblad’s industry-leading 10-stop system, but let’s not be ungrateful, it’s still pretty darn good.

You may well be wondering, if the GFX 100S II produces the same level of image quality as the GFX 100 II, and costs substantially less, why would anyone buy the GFX 100 II? Well, there are a few pro-level features reserved for that camera, such as 8K video and CFexpress card support. GFX 100S II users have to make do with 4K video and UHS-II SD card. Similarly, the viewfinder on the GFX 100 II is higher-res and tiltable, and the burst shooting is a little faster (8fps rather than 7fps). If these things aren’t deal-breakers – and I’ll be honest, they aren’t for me – the GFX 100S II is the more practical choice.

So, unless you’re a pro photographer who needs all the extra functionality the GFX 100 II supplies, or you desperately need to shoot 8K video, I’d say the Fujifilm GFX 100S II is a better bet. Keep the change and put it towards some of those fantastic GF-mount lenses!

Read our full Fujifilm GFX 100S II review for more details

Best medium format compact camera

Given the stratospheric popularity of Fujifilm's X100 premium compact series, it was perhaps inevitable that the manufacturer would try to replicate that success in medium format – the question was how on earth they'd manage it. Step forward, the GFX100RF, a medium format compact camera that pairs the sublime 102MP sensor with a 28mm fixed lens, and packs it into a body that genuinely makes sense as an everyday photographer's carry.

With stunning build quality and smooth, polished engineering, the GFX100RF feels brilliant to use. Sometimes it's hard to believe you're getting images this good from a camera this small, and while the fixed focal length is to an extent restrictive, having all those pixels gives you powerful crop modes that allow you to radically zoom in and still pull out publishable images. As we found in our testing, even a significant simulated 80mm crop will still give you 17MP files.

Of course, sacrifices have had to be made to get all this tech into a genuinely wieldable body. The lens has an f/4 maximum aperture, and unlike the X100VI and the rest of the GFX 100 range, there's no IBIS to speak of. This means you're not going to get the same level of low-light performance as you do from other cameras, particularly if you're working handheld in the way this camera is designed for. It's certainly not serious, and Gareth was still able to get good-looking images in low light while using the GFX100RF; it just requires a steadier hand and acceptance of limitations.

This camera will cost you about the same as a GFX 100S II (though you'll need to factor in a bit more for a lens, so in reality it's cheaper). What you gain in portability, you lose in versatility. This has of course been the bargain with compact cameras forever, but then again, most compact cameras don't cost almost $5,000. Whether it's worth it or not is a question only you can answer – but I will say that this camera is a delight to shoot with, and if you want that X100 experience with medium format quality, it delivers it.

Read our full Fujifilm GFX100RF review for more details

Best field camera

The Phase One XT is an extraordinary camera. Phase One doesn't want to call it a technical camera or a field camera but, honestly, I think that's the only appropriate category for it.

Being a technical camera (sorry, Phase One) it has built-in lens movements for perspective correction, and relies on the LCD display on its digital back for composing images. It also employs the reassuringly expensive Rodenstock lens mount and optics, so the purchase cost of the XT itself is just the start.

The other thing that sets the XT apart is the fact that it possesses a full-size medium format sensor (53.4 x 40mm) rather than the cropped sensors (approximately 44 x 33mm) used by every other camera on this list.

So not only does it pack more pixels, they are also physically larger – and thus able to offer finer fidelity. However, it lacks the image processing magic of Fujifilm and Hasselblad – and in particular, Hasseblad's color science – so images might be technically "superior" but they don't look quite as "good" to my eyes.

For a full-fat modular medium format system it's extremely compact, accepting the same 150MP IQ4 digital backs as the Phase One XF system but being designed for portability and field work.

It's not going to be for everyone, but landscape and architectural shooters who want a lot of resolving power in a field-ready kit are going to absolutely fall in love with it.

Read our full Phase One XT review for more details

How to choose the best medium-format camera

When it comes to medium format there are a few things to consider. First of all, resolution; cameras like the Fujifilm GFX 50S II and Hasselblad X1D II 50C pack 50MP, but with full frame cameras like the Sony A7R V, Leica SL3 and Sigma fp L hitting over 60MP, medium format isn't automatically the king of resolution.

That said, it does offer the highest resolutions available with every camera on this list exceeding 100MP. In fact, the GFX 100S and 100 II can both capture 400MP photographs via the magic of pixel-shift multi-shot (though this does come with caveats, such as requiring a completely still scene).

Do you need to shoot video? I would personally recommend a number of full frame cameras for that purpose (look to the Panasonic S5 IIX, for starters) but, if you want video, bear in mind that the 100MP Hasselblads don't shoot it – and only the GFX 100 II shoots 8K.

How about what you shoot – do you mainly shoot on a tripod, either in a studio or on location, or do you need the flexibility to shoot handheld? The Hasselblad 907X is the superior camera for tripod shooting, while the X2D has the best ergonomics and the GFX 100 II has the best stabilization.

While I've picked a lineup of modern mirrorless options, you can still search out older DSLR-based medium format cameras such as the Pentax 645Z, the Leica S3 and the likes of the Hasselblad H6D-100c.

Medium format sensor sizes

It is worth noting that medium format sensors generally fall into two main size categories. The so-called ‘full-frame’ medium format sensor measures 53.4 x 40mm, and is used by Phase One, closely matching the traditional 645 film format. Hasselblad’s now-discontinued H-system cameras also used a similar sensor size, which goes some way toward explaining why these true flagship medium format systems tend to cost well into the tens of thousands.

By contrast, the more common ‘cropped’ medium format sensors measure around 45 x 30mm, placing them somewhere between traditional medium format and 35mm full-frame in size. These smaller sensors are still far from cheap, but they bring medium format into a much more accessible price bracket, usually in the thousands rather than the tens of thousands. They’re the format used by Hasselblad’s X and V system cameras, as well as Fujifilm GFX models, along with systems like the Pentax 645 and Leica S.

So what does that mean in real-world use? Quite simply, Phase One’s sensors are larger and carry more pixels, up to 150MP, which gives them an advantage when it comes to outright resolution and ultimate file fidelity. But that level of performance comes at a serious cost, and in truth, it is only really necessary for the highest-end commercial, fashion, or architectural work where every last pixel matters.

For pretty much everything else, the sensors used by Fujifilm and Hasselblad still produce absolutely stunning image quality. And in many cases, I actually prefer them, not just because they’re more attainable, but because their image processing and color science give the files a look and feel that I find more appealing overall.

How we test medium format cameras

I test cameras in real-world shooting environments – which often includes my professional work and assignments. This way I can see not only how a camera performs under carefully controlled conditions, but also when pushed in authentic shooting situations.

In addition to the quality of imagery, I also factor in how files handle in the editing stage, the quality of image stabilization, extra features on offer (and how useful they are!), battery life, ease of use… basically everything that happens from the moment I pick up the camera to the second I export your final photo or video.

Then the camera goes over to my colleague Ben Andrews, manager of our camera lab. He tests resolution, dynamic range and noise under scientifically controlled conditions using two key testing tools: Imatest Master and DxO Analyzer. This assesses:

1. Resolution (ISO-12233): We use a resolution chart based on ISO-12233 from Applied Image inc to indicate the limit of the camera’s vertical resolution at the centre of the frame. The higher the value, the better the detail resolution.

2. Dynamic range (DxO Analyzer): This is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in the highlights and shadows. We use DxO’s transmissive chart, which enables us to test a dynamic range of 13.3 stops.

3. Noise (DxO Analyzer): We use the dynamic range transmissive chart to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio for RAW and JPG files at every sensitivity setting using DxO Analyzer. A higher value means the signal is cleaner.

FAQs

CineStill who announced that they would be developing a new 400 ISO film called CineStill 400Dynamic or 400D for short earlier in the year has now announced the global launch of the product following successful crowdfunding of this new film, and it is now available in retail stores today. 

This brand new 400 ISO daylight-balanced color film is the culmination of years of research and development, working exclusively with manufacturing partners to create this unique film stock. After raising an unprecedented $830k+ from over 11,000 backers of the successful CineStill Film Maker crowdfunding campaign earlier this year, CineStill has now fulfilled all pre-orders of 35mm and 120 400D and is working with retail partners to get this new film to photographers around the world.

Retail availability of 400D will initially begin with both 35mm and 120 medium formats, with plans for 4x5 large-format sheet film to be released in the winter.

CineStill 400D is a fine-grain film that delivers a soft color palette with natural saturated color and rich, warm skin tones. The film has a wide dynamic range, with a base sensitivity of ISO 400, but can be rated from 200 to 800, and it can be pushed up to 3200. This makes the film highly versatile, suitable for any lighting condition, and any event, and can be used either outdoors or in the studio.

400D utilizes the same advanced emulsion technology that is found in Motion Picture film, while being specifically designed for still photography, meaning it can be processed in C-41 chemistry by any photo lab or at home like most other color-negative films. In addition, it also features a process-surviving anti-static lubricant coating that makes it an ideal film for both manual SLRs and automatic winding cameras. 

This new film continues CineStill’s ongoing tradition of motion picture film emulsions made for still photographers to maximize their creativity and produce remarkable images that express who they are as a photographer. 400Dynamic brings a new option to the family of CineStill film stocks that already includes 800Tungsten, 50Daylight, and BwXX to complete any photographer's toolkit. 

The flexibility and versatility of 400D are great for both amateur and professional photographers that are in need of a do-it-all film. A new ISO 400 color film has been highly sought after by the film community for some time and it is great to hear another manufacturer pushing film forward. 

Sample images of CineStill 400D:

If you've enjoyed this article, why not take a look at our Best film cameras guide, or view our best film stock guide to decide what might be the next film you want to shoot in your 35mm, medium format, or large format camera.

Disposable cameras are a joyful, no-pressure way to rediscover the magic of analogue photography. They strip everything back to the basics: no menus, no fiddling with settings, just aim, click, and live in the moment. Hand them out at weddings, pass them around at a party, or toss one into your bag for a weekend escape, and they become a gentle reminder that great photographs don’t need to be technical, polished, or expensive to matter.

Part of their enduring appeal is the wait. You don’t know exactly what you’ve captured until the film is developed weeks later, and that delay is part of the pleasure. It encourages a slower, more thoughtful approach to shooting, where every frame counts. When the images finally arrive, they feel more special than anything on a phone screen: physical prints you can pin to a wall, tuck into a scrapbook, or share across the table with friends.

And despite the name, modern disposable cameras aren’t as throwaway as they once were. Many manufacturers now operate recycling programmes that recover and reuse components, giving old cameras a second life. They’re more robust than ever, and far more environmentally considered than most people assume — proof that simple photography can still be thoughtful, responsible, and deeply rewarding.

The best disposable cameras

Best disposable color camera

This vibrant disposable camera not only catches the eye with its bright colors but also elevates the standard 27 exposures to a generous 39, all captured on Kodak Kodacolor film. The built-in flash extends its functionality with a versatile 4ft to 10ft range.

Encased in durable plastic, this camera is designed to endure a few bumps and knocks, making it a reliable companion. It's as if the saying "can't go wrong" was tailor-made for cameras of this caliber.

While 27-exposure versions are available, opting for the "27+12" (39-exposure) variant often proves to be the more economical choice.

Read our full Kodak Funsaver review

You can also buy Kodak Funsaver cameras in bulk packs and save even more money! The cameras can be found in bulk packs of 5 or 10, which makes them great for weddings or parties. You can find the best deals below.

Best classic disposable B&W camera

Kodak's Tri-X 400 stands as a legendary monochrome film, celebrated for its era-defining dramatic and contrasty aesthetic. Its allure has captured the hearts of countless photographers.

Excitingly, Tri-X is now accessible in a single-use camera, presenting a compelling entry point for those eager to explore the realm of analog photography.

This convenient package not only includes 27 shots of the iconic Tri-X but also features what Kodak proudly describes as the most potent flash ever incorporated into a disposable camera.

This formidable flash seamlessly complements the high-key drama inherent in the Tri-X film stock, elevating your photographic experience to new heights.

Read more: Kodak Tri-X 400 Single-Use Camera review

Best waterproof disposable film camera

This eye-catching device boasts generously sized controls, ensuring that even the younger members of your family can effortlessly navigate its functions.

Dive into the depths of creativity with its waterproof capability, allowing you to capture the wonders beneath the waves at depths of up to 50 feet (15m).

Armed with Kodak Ultra Max 800 film, this camera promises clear and vivid images underwater. While it skips the flash for aquatic adventures, it's perfect for outdoor and daylight photography.

Equipped with a sunscreen and scratch-resistant lens, the film is securely housed within a robust and shock-proof shell, making it the ideal companion for your vacation escapades.

Read our full Kodak Sport Single-Use Camera review

Best budget B&W disposable camera

The Harman single-use black & white film camera boasts a surprisingly vibrant finish, adding a touch of color to its simplicity.

The convenience of being pre-loaded with film and a battery means you can start capturing moments right out of the box, making it a fun and accessible choice for casual snapshots.

However, it falls behind in image quality compared to even budget-friendly mobile phones available today.

Despite this, the camera finds its niche for those aiming to recreate an authentic snapshot reminiscent of bygone decades.

Read our full Ilford HP5 Plus B&W Single Use Camera review

Best single use camera for creativity

Lomography takes pride in its commitment to crafting unique films that infuse a distinctive retro aesthetic into your photographic endeavors. The camera in question is equipped with a roll of LomoChrome Metropolis, a film intentionally designed to yield moody, subdued shots.

The resulting effect mirrors the captivating visuals often associated with Eastern European films from the Cold War era - where colors may appear slightly askew, yet contribute to endowing your photography with a distinctive artistic flair.

Unlocking even more creative possibilities, this camera comes with three filter gels that can be seamlessly placed over the flash, enabling you to impart an even more unconventional color palette to your portraits.

What sets this camera apart is its versatility; not only can you replace the film at your discretion, but you also have the flexibility to swap out the battery, rendering it a reusable tool for your photographic endeavors.

Imagine the possibilities - each time you load a fresh 35mm film, you have the freedom to explore and experiment with a wide array of visual styles.

Read our full Lomography Simple Use Color Negative review

Best reloadable B&W camera

To capture the nostalgic essence of black & white photographs from a bygone era, the Harman Reusable 35mm Film Camera proves to be an excellent choice.

What sets it apart is its inclusion of two rolls of 36-exposure Kentmere Pan ISO 400 black & white film, perfectly complementing the camera's performance.

Delving into the realm of the lo-fi aesthetic, this camera boasts a multitude of features that make it a compelling option for enthusiasts seeking to recreate the timeless charm of vintage snapshots.

Read our full Harman Reusable 35mm Film Camera review

Best reloadable camera for any film

I appreciate the extensive range of color options that Kodak provides for this camera, catering to a diverse array of tastes and moods.

The versatility in color choices adds a personal touch to the photography experience. Additionally, opting for a reloadable camera over a single-use one seems like a prudent choice in terms of value for money, despite the initial need to purchase film separately. The camera exhibits commendable build quality and handling, offering a satisfying user experience.

However, it's worth noting that, akin to other budget-friendly disposable or reloadable film cameras, the outright image quality may resemble something deemed 'passable' from an era long past.

This characteristic may evoke a sense of nostalgia for those who appreciate the vintage aesthetic, but it's essential to manage expectations regarding contemporary image standards.

Read our full Kodak M35 Reloadable Film Camera review

How to choose the best disposable camera

When picking a disposable camera, the real game-changer is the film inside—more specifically, its ISO. A film speed of 400 or higher is your best bet if you're shooting in mixed light, whether you’re outside in the sun or catching moments indoors. Slower film can look lovely, but it really needs good light. If you’re planning to shoot at night or indoors often, make sure there’s a built-in flash.

Simplicity matters too—these cameras are all about grab-and-go convenience. If you’re buying them for a wedding or party, it’s worth thinking about the design as well as the function. Some just look better on the table. And while there are plenty of off-brand options out there, you’re safest sticking with names like Kodak or Fujifilm. They’ve been making film for decades and it shows in the results.

It’s also worth looking at how many shots you get for your money. A 36-exposure roll might be better value overall, but if you’re working to a tighter schedule or just need to shoot quickly, 24 shots can be more manageable. And remember—it’s not just about the camera. Factor in the cost of developing and printing too when deciding what’s right for you.

How we test disposable cameras

To recommend the best disposable cameras, we put each one through a rigorous testing process to evaluate functionality and image quality. Our goal is to assess the build quality, lens performance, and the characteristics of the film included in each camera.

We conduct mechanical tests to examine key components like the winding mechanism, shutter, and flash, ensuring durability, reliability, and smooth operation. Electrical components, including the battery and flash, are also tested to confirm proper firing and synchronization with the shutter.

Image quality is evaluated in various lighting conditions to assess exposure accuracy, sharpness, and overall performance. We test flash output for range and consistency, ensuring it provides adequate illumination. Additionally, we check for any light leaks that could compromise image quality.

I just can’t help myself. I get really excited about large-format photo printing. To me, there’s something truly magical about taking a data file from one of today’s best professional cameras and turning it into a real-life, physical photo print. Sure, you can print picture postcard-sized or even letter-sized photos, and that’s great. However, try hanging them on a wall and they just look lost. Go large on your printing and you can make imposing artworks that really make a statement.

You might be an enthusiast photographer wanting to make top-quality prints for yourself, family and friends. Then again, you might be a semi-pro or pro photographer who wants to make large prints for your portfolio, exhibitions, competitions, or to sell. Either way, the best large-format printers give you full creative control over the whole printing process, while also enabling you to make prints right at home or in your studio whenever you want. You can also generally be assured that the finished prints will last a lifetime or even longer, which is an important factor if you’re creating prints to sell.

Most pro-grade large-format printers for photographers run on pigment-based inks, as they’re more robust and better suited to matte photo papers and fine art media. Dye-based inks are generally the best choice for glossy or luster photo papers, as the ink is fully absorbed beneath the outer protective layer of the paper. The best examples of both breeds feature eight or more inks, to ensure a really wide color ‘gamut’, as well as featuring multiple black and grey inks for an enhanced tonal range in monochrome photos.

Desktop or tabletop large-format printers are typically available for printing up to 13-inch (A3+) or 17-inch (A2+) prints. They often enable panoramic output, so while you’re limited to these widths, you can create longer prints or banners. For even larger prints, you’ll need a roll-fed printer, like the 24-inch and 44-inch width printers that I’ve included in this guide. And if you’re content with smaller-sized output, you might want to see our guides to the best photo printers and the best all-in-one printers.

The best large format printer

The best large format printer overall

I love that, as a pigment-based printer, the Pro-310 is particularly versatile. It delivers superb-looking output on glossy as well as matte and fine-art media. Like the older Pixma Pro-300 and larger, A2 format ImagePrograf Pro-1100, it features a Chroma Optimizer cartridge. This smooths out the finish when printing on glossy photo paper, so that there’s relatively little difference in the reflectivity of different colors and tones.

I’m impressed that the ink range itself is very comprehensive, with ten separate cartridges in total. They’re all from Canon’s latest Lucia Pro II line-up, giving the potential for a wide gamut (color space) with rich, vivid color rendition, as well as high-fidelity black & white photo printing, complete with superior scratch-resistance. The 14ml cartridge capacity should prove sufficient for around 30 to 60 A3+ prints (depending on color) although quantities naturally vary depending on the prominent colors and density within images.

Media handling is very good. I like the inclusion of a rear-mounted upright paper feeder plus a horizontal manual feeder, the latter being more ideal for fine art and thicker media. The manual feeder also enables oversized printing for panoramic and banner output, up to almost a meter in length. A 3-inch color LCD screen is another handling bonus, although it’s not a touchscreen. Unlike Canon’s previous pigment-based printers and as with the Pro-200S, the Pro-310 enables borderless output on matte and fine-art media, instead of just on glossy, semi-gloss and luster photo papers. I find that gives me far more options for full-bleed printing.

Image quality is spectacular, for both color and mono photographic prints. A particular highlight (or perhaps the opposite) is that the printer delivers incredibly sumptuous and richly detailed blacks, which add a real depth to print quality. It’s pretty speedy for a pigment-based printer as well, even in its highest quality mode, although it can’t match dye-based printers for speed and, as usual for pigment-based inks, prints aren’t touch-dry as they leave the printer.

Read my full Canon ImagePrograf Pro-310 review

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The best dye-based large format printer

Canon’s Pixma Pro-100 had long been my favorite A3+ / 13-inch pro-grade printer for creating photo prints on glossy and luster papers. Running on eight dye-based inks, including black, grey and light grey, it delivered sumptuously smooth glossy prints with immaculate color rendition and very good tonal expression for black & white photographic images. The replacement PRO-200 brought a number of improvements and enhancements, with further refinements in the latest PRO-200S model.

For me, a headline upgrade in both the PRO-200 and Pro-200S is that they have a new and improved range of inks that deliver a greater color space, superior vibrancy and deeper reds, blues and blacks. I find that paper handling is intuitive, as with the pigment-based Pro-310, with an upright rear feeder and a secondary manual feeder that enables custom print lengths of up to 39 inches (99.1cm). Other similarities with the Pro-310 are the addition of a 3-inch color LCD screen and compatibility with Canon’s excellent Professional Print & Layout software, which is available as a free download. The printers are also fully compatible with a large range of top-quality fine-art media from the likes of Canson and Hahnemühle. Media configuration as well as Wi-Fi support are improved in the latest PRO-200S version.

As I’d expect, print speeds from this dye-based printer are faster than from the pigment-based Pro-310 model. As is often the case these days, the difference in print quality between standard and highest quality modes can look fairly negligible, unless you’re viewing photo prints with a high-magnification loupe. Even in standard mode, the Pro-200S delivers fabulous photo print quality and is simply the best in the group for glossy photo paper, although the Pro-300 is better for black & white images, especially on matte and fine-art media.

Read my full Canon Pixma Pro-200S review

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The best 17-inch large format printer

Like Canon’s L-series camera lenses, the PRO-1100 printer has a ‘red line’ on it denoting superior quality aimed at professionals. It packs 12 pigment-based Lucia Pro II ink cartridges, compared to the 10 inks for the PRO-300 at the top of our list. I found blacks to be richer and deeper as a result - improving on the already-stunning results that we got from its predecessor, the PRO-1000.

The chroma optimizer helps to apply a smooth top coating when printing on glossy photo paper to minimize bronzing and gloss differential. Even so, the printer achieves its highest quality with matte and fine art media, on which color and mono output are truly magnificent. The A2/17x22-inch prints are certainly imposing, and you can create panoramic prints of up to 1.2m in length, although there’s no optional roll-feeder so you have to cut the paper to length manually in advance. The biggest downside, of course, is the price.

Read my full Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 review

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The best budget large-format printer

If you need to go large on a budget, we recommend the Expression Photo HD XP-15000. This is an entry-level 13-inch / A3+ printer that's more for a back bedroom than a pro studio, but we found it to be reliable while also coming in at a practical size for home use.

The initial outlay is relatively low. Inevitably, that means some sacrifices, and there are only six inks here compared to 10 or even 12 in some of the other large format printers we reviewed. We found the large LCD screen easy to adjust settings on and a suite of mobile printing apps enable you to take advantage of the printer's wireless capabilities. While the front-loading tray handles A4 or US Letter paper, the rear paper feed is suitable for A3+ prints, including use of thicker media.

Read my full Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 review

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The best economical large format printer

The Epson EcoTank ET-8550 is different from most dedicated A3+/13x19-inch inkjet photo printers as it is much more of a multi-function device. In fact, we also included it in our pick of the best all-in-one printers.

Specialist photo printers often have a significantly wider color gamut, with eight or more different inks. this has only six, but we found the combination of pigment-based black ink for crisp black text and dye-based inks for color produced good results on the whole. Where the ET-8550 comes into its own is that it has ink tanks rather than cartridges. These are replenished via 70ml bottles, at a cost of around $17.50/£16 each, which makes this most cost-effective in the long run.

Epson says that the ink cost is therefore reduced by around 80 percent overall. The flip side is that the ET-8550 costs nearly three times as much to buy in the first place when compared to a conventional A3+ printer in the same class.

Read my full Epson EcoTank ET-8550 review

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The best 24-inch roll fed large format printer

I've already mentioned Canon’s A3+/13-inch imagePROGRAF PRO-310 and the A2/17-inch PRO-1100. These both deliver gallery-quality photo and fine art prints from conveniently compact desktop machines. Now, take that quality up to a grander scale, and you have the imagePROGRAF PRO-2600, a much larger, freestanding printer that takes rolls of paper up to 24 inches in width.

In my tests I found found the PRO-2600 delivered spectacular print quality for both color and mono photographic images, based on a range of 12 Lucia Pro II pigment-based inks that includes that chroma optimizer we've already mentioned. The sumptuous image quality left me lost for words - and really has to be seen to be believed.

There's support for a huge range of fine art media from the world’s best paper companies like Canson and Hahnemühle. We like the auto paper cutter and Canon’s supporting Professional Print & Layout software makes the whole process quick and easy when creating bordered or borderless prints in custom sizes.

If you find a 24-inch print width to still be restrictive, the imagePROGRAF PRO-4600 and imagePROGRAF PRO-6600 are even larger and use the same ink cartridges and print heads for 44-inch and 60-inch print widths respectively.

See my full Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-2600 review

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The best 44-inch roll fed large format printer

This wide-format printer is designed for mini labs and photo studios needing something that can handle both scale and a high volume of output. With the ability to print at up to 44 inches wide, there’s a lot of versatility built in here: as well as printing photographs at exhibition quality with 12 pigment inks (7 of them color), the size means this printer can also produce signage and banners.

The print head offers prints to a maximum 2400 x 1200dpi resolution, with a Chroma Optimiser cartridge to enhance dark density and produce deeper blacks. Canon also claims its ink is scratch-resistant, with high light-resistance that keeps it color-fast for 200 years.

The downside is the imagePROGRAF PRO-6600 doesn't fit on a desk by any means, so you'll need space for it. Oh, and it costs as much as a secondhand car!

See my full Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-4600 review

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How to choose the best large format printer

The best large format printer for you will depend on just how big you want to go. For many enthusiasts working from home, printing images at A3 will be sufficiently rewarding. The size of print from a 13-inch printer is large enough to make an impact on a wall while still being reasonably affordable, and these printers are still desktop printers, which makes them more practical if you have limited space.

However, if you want to print at a size that will really make an impact in a larger room, you can go much larger, and we've reviewed printers that can produce prints as large as 64 inches. These larger printers are free-standing so you need the space to be able to accommodate them. They're also very expensive. However, they print on rolls rather than sheets, which can be beneficial for printing large volumes.

Of course, buying a printer isn’t a one-off investment, as you'll need to buy good quality inks and paper too. Consider the type of ink a printer uses when making your purchase decision, as this will directly influence the running costs. While it is possible to buy third-party inks to refill printers, we generally advise using the official refills to ensure maximum quality because every part of the system is developed, designed, and honed to work together.

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How we tested the best large format printers

As you can, printers come in so many shapes and sizes, from pocket photo printers to large-format professional models. This is to reflect the wide range of photographers and customers – while some might want to print greetings cards, others will be printing premium prints for high-end clients.

We check the suitability of models for wide-ranging tasks, from printing office documents to high-end photographic output and, consequently, the type and quantity of dye/pigment inks. Additional features can include a built-in scanner, a standalone control panel, touchscreen interface, Wi-Fi connectivity, direct fax functions and connectivity specs such as a card reader slot.

Our test procedure begins with installing the latest software drivers and running nozzle check and print head alignment routines. We then create test prints from mono documents, mixed text and graphics color documents, and a wide range of digital photos that include landscapes, portraits, and black & white images.

During testing we also make sure to try out the various available quality modes, including optional image enhancement features. We create prints from our own specially created test chart to test the printer's accuracy in terms of color reproduction, tonal range, retention of detail in bright highlights and dark shadows, and the ability to deliver smooth gradations in subtle color variations. The printer manufacturer’s own-brand inks and papers are used throughout the entire testing procedure.

For output speed, we record the time taken to produce various sizes of prints at different quality settings. Ink costs are calculated on typical page yield against average prices for the manufacturer’s own-brand cartridges or bottles.

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FAQs

Also see our guide to the best photo papers for inkjet printers

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Gibellini, an Italian manufacturer of folding large format cameras has teamed up with fellow Italian car manufacturers Pagani to release a camera that will set you back an eye-watering $75,000. The unusual collaboration between the camera and car manufacturer promises to deliver a limited edition GP810HP 8x10 large format analog camera designed to match the elegance and eliteness of Pagani cars.

This latest camera from Gibellini and Pagani certainly won’t ever feature in our best cheap camera guide. Costing a whopping $75,000, you could put down a deposit for a mortgage on a pretty decent house with the funds it'll take to own one of these limited edition cameras. It's been announced that only 75 units will be made and a small proportion of those will be reserved for Pagani car owners. 

These are the best film cameras (and they don't cost so much).

Although Gibellini is perhaps not as well known in the camera industry as Sony, Nikon or Canon, their cameras offer elegance, precision and a unique way of capturing the world. Aimed at a very specific (and rich) group of photographers, the Gibellini GPH10HP balances form, function, art and style. 

Following two years of research into Pagani materials and design features, Gibellini has created a camera made entirely from aluminum and titanium. Components have been machined from a single block and the sensor is an impressive 20x25cm plate which ensures unrivaled three-dimensionality of your subject. 

The optical and focal plane are able to be adjusted by 8 degrees which allow architectural or street photographers to correct converging lines and control the focus of the image. It comes in a range of colors including red, black and white which also features the technical drawings printed bellow. A leather-coated tripod with a carrying case and a carry case for the camera and lens are also included. 

It feels very much like this is a camera people will buy to say they own it - it’s an extremely specialist bit of kit that the average photographer could only dream of being able to afford. It costs more than what most people make in a year and while it’s a beautiful bit of kit, its uses are limited. Not to mention, it’s a hefty thing to lug around with you and there is no chance you could easily travel with it. 

Whatever advantages there are to the GP810 HP 8 X 10 they certainly won’t outweigh the cost to buy one - this is a camera for the elite, the type of people who could afford to drop $3.5 million on a Pagani motor and still not feel the crunch in this current economic climate. It might look nice, but not for that price. 

The highest resolution cameras give you all the pixels you can handle. Producing staggeringly detailed images, these are cameras for producing massive prints, for shooting imagery for billboard ads. These are, for the most part, professional tools, and they do not come cheap.

Many high-res cameras are also not practical for most forms of shooting, designed to be used in controlled studio environments. With that said newer medium format cameras like the compact Fujifilm GFX100RF have changed the game, and are much more light on their feet.

So, which to pick? My personal favorite is the Hasselblad X2D II 100C for pure photography, as it simply has the best color rendition and "3D pop" I've ever seen in a camera. With that said, I acknowledge that the more affordable and versatile Fujifilm GFX 100S II is going to be a better choice for most people. I'll also point to the Canon EOS R5 (which I bought myself), firstly because it can shoot 400MP photos and secondly because it offers fantastic 8K video with killer autofocus and rock-solid image stabilization. But here's what else is on offer…

The Quick List

The highest resolution cameras right now

Here's my list of the highest resolution cameras on the market, including both native resolution (as in, the number of pixels on a sensor) and resolution achieved via pixel shift multi-shot (whereby the camera micro-moves the image sensor and create an artificially larger sensor area – which is only suitable for static scenes with no movement).

This comprises some of the best medium format cameras as well as full frame mirrorless cameras, each of which has their own pros and cons. This guide is focused on resolution, so make sure to research each format to be sure which is right for you!

Best overall

The GFX 100S II is one of the most affordable high-resolution medium format cameras on the market right now. While a starting price tag of $4,999 might not seem exactly cheap, as you'll see, it's considerably below many of the other high-res cameras on this list. It's got the same top-line 102MP resolution as its stablemate, the flagship professional Fujifilm GFX 100 II, but the considerably lower price tag of the 'S' version means it's likely going to be the best pick for most users.

What really continues to impress me about Fujifilm's GFX medium format cameras is how much they offer in addition to their stunning high-resolution sensors. The stabilization in the GFX 100S II provides up to eight stops of effective compensation, and the snappy autofocus system is pretty much on par with the X-series mirrorless cameras.

There are a few features stripped back from the GFX 100S II compared to the GFX 100 II, which if they're deal-breakers for you will mean you'll need to opt for the more expensive camera. You don't get 8K video on the GFX 100S II, having instead to make do with 4K 30p – though to be honest, the GFX series wouldn't be my first choice for video anyway. Elsewhere, you're also making do with a slightly slower burst rate and a lower-res viewfinder. The smaller body of the GFX100S II is a feature that some users may prefer, though it does sometimes make for some awkward balancing with medium format lenses.

Of course, whichever way you go, you're still getting stunning 102MP files, with deep rich colors and absolutely ridiculous detail – and if that's not enough, you can make use of the pixel-shift mode to produce ridiculous 400MP files. For all-purpose usage and maximum resolution, it doesn't get better than this.

Read our full Fujifilm GFX 100S II review

Best colors

Having the best resolution is all well and good, but when you've got all those pixels you also want them to have the best possible color rendition. And as good as Fujifilm colors are, Hasselblad has the best color science in the business. The best way I can describe its Natural Color Solution technology is "HDR for colors", or the difference between a 4K movie and a DVD.

The Hasselblad X2D II 100C is one of the best cameras I've ever used, and a strong competitor for being the best stills camera ever made. While I acknowledge that the sublime and more affordable GFX 100S II is probably going to be the better choice for most users, hence its place at the top of this list – my heart belongs to the X2D II 100C.

As well as that top-tier 100MP resolution, you also get 15.3 stops of dynamic, and a new industry record in the form of a 10-stop stabilization system. The handling is also much improved compared to the previous X2D, with the introduction of a physical joystick and a customizable button beneath it, as well as a tilting rear screen that now extends outward so that it is no longer blocked by the viewfinder when used from the top down. I was blown away by the beautiful ergonomics of this camera – I'd go so far as to call its handling perfect.

This is also the first Hasselblad camera to introduce continuous autofocus (about time!) with subject recognition and LiDAR autofocus. It's no sports camera, but it's pretty darn effective. The fact that it has a built-in 1TB SSD also means that you're covered if you forget a memory card. This is such a fully featured camera, and all those features come at a cost significantly greater than the GFX 100S II. But this camera really is something special.

Read my full Hasselblad X2D 100C review

Highest native resolution

The first time I used the Phase One, I was blown away not only by the raw resolution (a mind-boggling 151MP) but also the sheer scope of the images. That's because this camera features a "full frame medium format" sensor measuring 53.4 x 40mm, as opposed to the "cropped medium format" 43.9 x 32.9mm sensor used by Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad X series cameras.

Not only does this create even shallower depth of field (and further shorten the effective focal length of lenses), it also means that the amount of detail in image files is truly unparalleled. I was genuinely amazed at the quality presented by megapixels that were so much larger and more numerous.

This raw power comes with provisos, though. Firstly, this hulking system is strictly for the studio – unlike the GFX 100 and X2D, this isn't ever going to be a street photography camera. Secondly, it's strictly for professional work, with a price tag starting at $50,000.

The XF 1Q4 system is so exclusive that you can't just go on Amazon and buy one – you have to go through Phase One's specialist dealer network. But if you need the ultimate in sheer imaging performance, you'll find no better.

Read our full Phase One XF IQ4 150MP review

Highest resolution compact

Not content with shaking up the medium format market with the GFX series, Fujifilm has upped the game by introducing a medium format version of one of its most enduringly popular cameras. The Fujifilm GFX100RF is essentially an X100VI, only with a 102MP medium format sensor instead of APS-C. The fact that it manages to be practically the same size and weight as an X100 camera is nothing short of a marvel of engineering, and if you want to shoot high-resolution imagery while staying light and nimble, this fixed-lens compact is the way to do it.

The high-resolution sensor is paired with a 28mm equivalent fixed lens that's sharp enough to make the most of all those pixels. Naturally, cutbacks have had to be made to make a camera that's so remarkably lightweight for what it's offering – the GFX100RF has no optical viewfinder (though there is an EVF), no in-body stabilisation, and a slightly pedestrian f/4 maximum aperture.

It is still, however, a glorious camera to use, as we discovered in our full review. The level of detail produced by the sensor is simply stunning, and the color output is spectacular, as is always the case with Fujifilm. You get access to all of the fabulous Film Simulation modes, and can ake advantage of the latest intelligent focus tracking modes. Battery life is also hugely impressive – high-res cameras are often very power-hungry, but the GFX100RF kept on shooting for full days, averaging around 500 to 600 shots to a charge in our testing.

While it's not what you'd call cheap, at $4,899 / £4,699 the Fujifilm GFX100RF is one of the least expensive cameras on this list, especially when you consider that you don't have to factor in the cost of lenses. One of the most impressive compact cameras ever made – this high-res powerhouse makes monster-pixel photography more accessible than ever.

Best 8K video

What's a 45MP full frame camera doing this far up the list, among the 100MP medium format monsters? I'll tell you what: beating them in the video stakes and the resolution stakes, thanks to its 400MP pixel shift photos!

If you want a high-resolution camera for video, the R5 is your answer. Its 8K 30p and 4K HQ video is crystal clear and utterly stunning, and is powered by Canon's Dual Pixel AF II autofocus system that (for my money) is the best in the game. Best of all, thanks to the frame grab function, you can shoot 8K video and extract a 35MP still, giving you the best of both worlds.

And yes, while its native resolution is "just" 45MP (still no slouch, let's be honest) it can capture 400MP photographs in its High Res Shot mode – something that's simply unheard of for a 35mm sensor, and is only offered by a few medium format bodies.

The R5 is a camera I personally own, and it's the best overall camera I've ever used. However, it's worth noting that there are recording limits for capturing 8K and 4K HQ video to ensure that the camera doesn't overheat – for pure 8K videography, the Canon EOS R5C might be a better bet.

Canon has also released a direct successor to this camera – the monster Canon EOS R5 Mark II, which features the latest generation of transformative intelligent features, from AI-powered image upscaling to Action Priority autofocus. So why hasn't it been added to this list? Well, the Mark II version eschews the 400MP pixel-shift resolution Hi Res Shot mode in favor of the aforementioned AI upscaling, which tops out at 180MP. So for our purposes in this guide, the original EOS R5 remains undefeated.

Best field camera

Phase One isn't keen on the XT being called a field camera, but I'm sorry – that's essentially what it is. It takes the power of the IQ4 digital backs and puts them in a form factor that's more compact and portable – to be used in the field, as it were.

Given that it's designed for elite landscape and architectural photography, it marries the IQ4 backs with an integrated lens-shift system that is used to compensate for perspective distortion. Basically it's a camera that makes every optic a shift lens, and the premium Rodenstock lenses each have a large image circle for the convergence correction to work.

Speaking to the nicheness of the system, there are only seven lenses available (though four of them also have a tilt function) and they all carry hefty price tags – on top of the $50,000+ investment in the XT itself.

Like the Phase One IQ4 system, this is the highest of the high end in imaging and isn't intended for 99% of the photographic public – but for those who need it, there's nothing better.

Read our Phase One XT review

Best modular camera

This is the Hasselblad X2D in a different, and utterly unique, form factor. The 907X is the camera / XCD lens mount, while the CFV 100C is the digital back that contains the brains of the system: the 100MP sensor, tilting screen, integrated SSD and so on.

In short, the X2D is a conventional an all-in-one mirrorless camera, but the 907X / 100C combo is a truly modular medium format camera, which gives it an astonishing amount of versatility. First of all, it's a glorious 500C-inspired box camera in its own right – and I absolutely loved using it in this configuration on a monopod.

However, if you want it to be more handholdable, you can attach a handgrip and viewfinder – and even a hotshoe for a flashgun, if you want to. But you can also remove everything else and use the digital back with other camera systems.

It fits Hasselblad's classic V System cameras perfectly, so you can attach this digital back to something like a 500C and instantly breathe new life into an old body. But you can also mount the back to a technical camera to imbue it with 100MP image quality and Hasselblad's brilliant color science. It's a thing of absolute beauty and a work of utter genius.

See our Hasselblad 907X review

Best full frame resolution

The highest resolution camera with a full-frame sensor, the A7R V is Sony's pixel-packing specialist with 61MP of power – something that can be muscled up to 240MP via the magic of pixel shift.

It's also an 8K-capable camera, though only in 24/25p with a 1.24x crop (4K 60p is also cropped, but 4K 30p is full readout). Like the GFX 100II I wouldn't pick this first for video, as the EOS R5 is far more capable, but it certainly captures tasty 8K footage and has a superb autofocus system powered by AI subject recognition algorithms.

This is, of course, also fantastic for photography, with Sony's AF being almost as good as Canon's for subjects such as wildlife – and with the respectable 10fps burst mode, this is a surprisingly capable camera for capturing fast action.

I'm a fan of the dual-pivot rear screen, which tilts without having to be flipped out while also offer full flippy functionality if you want it. I wish more cameras had this! The image files are packed with fantastic amounts of detail and dynamic range, though I'm not a fan of Sony's color science (or menu system, for that matter).

I do wish that Sony had opted for CFexpress Type B cards, but instead it has gone for the slower Type A kind – though this does at least enable the A7R V to feature hybrid card slots that also support standard SD memory, so you don't have to invest in new media.

See our full Sony A7R V review

Best for street

With a 60MP sensor, the full-frame Leica Q3 43 is able to resolve an impressive level of detail in images, and it's much more agile than many of the other cameras on this list. Leica is known for pristine build quality and engineering on the inside and outside of its cameras, and accordingly, the Leica Q3 43 is beautiful camera to look at and use.

The essential combination of this compact camera is a 60.3MP full-frame sensor with a fixed Leica APO-Summicron 43mm lens. This provides a narrower field of view than the 28mm lens on the previous Leica Q3, which for many photographers is just a little wider than is consistently useful. A 43mm focal length is very close to the field of view of the human eye, allowing you to produce images that feel very naturalistic and 'real'.

The controls of the Leica Q3 43 all feel intuitive and well-engineered. There's a shutter speed dial, several customizable function buttons, and a sharp rear screen. The OLED viewfinder is also big and clear. One thing to note though is that the camera lacks a pronounced grip, and this, combined with its not inconsiderable weight, means it can get uncomfortable to hold for long periods. You can, of course, invest in the optional Leica grip, but your wallet will likely already be hurting from buying the Q3 43 in the first place.

Still, the imagery it produces is absolutely stunning. The Summicron lens and Leica's in-camera photo styles all help you nail photos with that inimitable Leica 'look', and the clever digital crop feature helps expand the utility of the fixed lens by essentially turning it into a digital zoom. This is a dream of a camera for street photography at high resolutions, and it's also one of the most affordable 'real' Leica cameras around.

Read our full Leica Q3 43 review

How to choose a high-resolution camera

We have ordered these cameras roughly by the resolution they're capable of producing. Naturally, modes like pixel-shift high-resolution complicate matters, as do varying sensor sizes. However, if your only priority is getting the most pixels possible, you'll want to stay towards the top of this list.

It's worth thinking about the kind of shooting you want to do. If you're going to be in the studio exclusively, shooting subjects that won't move unless you tell them to, the Phase One XF IQ4 and its 150MP full-size medium format sensor are going to be your port of call.

However, modern medium format cameras like the Fujifilm GFX 100S II and the Hasselblad X2D II 100C offer the latest advancements in autofocusing and burst-shooting technology, making them much more useable for different types of photography. This goes even more so for full-frame cameras like the Canon EOS R5, Sony A7R V and Leica Q3 43 – though you'll have to further compromise on resolution.

How we test cameras

We have a two-part testing process. First of all, I evaluate every camera by taking it into the field and shooting in real-world situations. For high-resolution cameras I'm paying particular attention to the level of detail and fidelity in the files – especially when it comes to cameras that feature pixel shift, as the hit-rate and success can vary wildly between manufacturers.

I also consider factors such as video recording and overheating limits, battery life, physical ergonomics and menu grammar, which may not affect performance directly but certainly have a huge impact on a camera's usability. Something I don't do, however, is assign any bias or expectation either way on high-priced cameras; yes, Hasselblads and Leicas and Phase Ones are expensive, but I can only judge how good they are at the job they do – my perception of value may be different to yours.

To complement this hands-on evaluation, my colleague Ben Andrews, our lab manager, performs dedicated lab tests on camera resolution, dynamic range, and noise under scientifically controlled conditions using two key testing tools: Imatest Master and DxO Analyzer:

1. Resolution (ISO-12233): We use a resolution chart based on ISO-12233 from Applied Image inc to indicate the limit of the camera’s vertical resolution at the centre of the frame. The higher the value, the better the detail resolution.

2. Dynamic range (DxO Analyzer): This is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in the highlights and shadows. We use DxO’s transmissive chart, which enables us to test a dynamic range of 13.3 stops.

3. Noise (DxO Analyzer): We use the dynamic range transmissive chart to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio for RAW and JPG files at every sensitivity setting using DxO Analyzer. A higher value means the signal is cleaner.

Read more about how we test and review cameras at Digital Camera World.

FAQs

Is high resolution a good thing for cameras?

High resolutions, like every feature of a camera, have positives and negatives. High-resolution files provide enormous amounts of detail in images. This is great for printing in large formats, and also allows you to crop significantly into an image with no perceptible loss in detail.

However, to be used effectively, a high-resolution requires a comprehensive support system. You need to be using the sharpest lenses you can get hold of, as there's no point in having all those pixels if they're looking through inferior glass. Also, high-resolution files are very large, and will mercilessly gobble up megabytes and gigabytes on your cards and hard drives. This also means you need a pretty capable computer to even open them up in editing software, never mind actually work on them.

If you're equipped to make the most of them, high-resolution cameras will deliver images of simply peerless quality. If you're not, however, all those pixels can feel like a millstone around your neck.

You might also be interested in the best professional cameras and, if high-resolution video is your thing, the best 8K and 6K cameras.

Whilst it's widely thought that Millennials and Gen Z's spend a lot of time on their smartphone – using it for everything from a monthly food shop to opening a bank account – they're often found reaching for a more expensive film camera when it comes to photography.

While today's best camera phones are incredibly powerful, sales of film cameras look to be on the rise. In 2019, the universal instant film camera market was valued at approximately 1 billion dollars and sources suggest that it's expected to grow a further 2.5% by 2026 (DataIntelo). But with most specialist film cameras and even instant cameras increasing in price, why aren't more sticking to digital?

 • Want to know: is film better than digital photography?

We asked a camera buyer for her take on why film photography has such an emotional pull, and why consumers and professionals alike just can't seem to stay away from the look and feel of the medium.

Hey Mia. What's your background in photography, in particular film?

From a young age I’ve always loved taking photos, especially playing around with color, lighting and depth of field. This led me to studying photography at Leeds Arts University which is where I first learnt about film photography and how to use different types of cameras, including medium and large format. 

Since starting at Vintage Cash Cow I've bought a couple of film cameras to capture holidays and some medium format for landscape photography, which I love. I’ve got my eye on a Leica replica too!

Do you think that film photography has an emotional pull?

I think that film photography evokes a real feeling of nostalgia. I love seeing photos of my parents from when they were younger, or really famous photographs of places in America through the ages. There’s just something about the colors and tones in landscape film photography that make me feel really carefree and nostalgic.

Do you think this is why so many are now turning to film photography, despite digital technology being so advanced and film being expensive?

Absolutely. I love using my DSLR for landscape work, whereas if I want to achieve a different feeling, I’ll switch to film. The idea that you've only got one chance to get the shot is so exciting to me. I love using film for my holiday snaps, in the back of my mind I’ve always thought film makes things look better – whether this is true or not, I don’t know. 

I think people like using film rather than digital because you end up with such a different image quality. I remember when people were going crazy over the app that made phone pics look like they had light leaks.

You must see plenty of camera models in your role as Head of Cameras at Vintage Cash Cow. What trends are you seeing?

Honestly we touch so many cameras everyday – well into the hundreds – that we have seen every camera you can imagine. Over the summer though, we’ve noticed a surge in the search for nostalgia with people looking for compact film cameras and even small camcorders, especially for holidays. Instant cameras are really popular with our customers now, too.

Tell us about your favorite film cameras

There are so many cameras I’d love to try and just haven’t got around to yet. I love shooting on my Olympus MJU-II when I go away because of how lightweight it is. It’s so small that you’re more inconspicuous when shooting. I also have a coupled of 1920s cameras for display which are gorgeous.

If you love all things analogue, check out our guide to the best film, and the best film scanners. Plus, here's 5 reasons to buy a film camera over a disposable.

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