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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buy now from Amazon UK / Amazon US

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What were you saying about luxe?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shallow depth of field

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

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

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

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

Dynamic range (EV)

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

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

Signal to noise ratio (decibels)

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

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

Resolution (line widths/picture height)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Quick List

The best cheap mirrorless cameras 

Best for vloggers

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

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

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

Read our full Panasonic Lumix G100D review

Best budget

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

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

Read our full Panasonic G7 review

Best for travel

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

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

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

Read our full Sony A6100 review

best retro styling

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

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

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

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

Best for content creators

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

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

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

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

Read our full Canon EOS RP review

Best for sports

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

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

Read our full Sony A7 III review

How we test

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Understanding crop factor

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

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

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

• Photography cheat sheet: Focal lengths explained

1. Ultra wide angle  

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

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

2. Wide angle 

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

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

3. Standard 

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

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

4. Short telephoto 

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

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

5. Telephoto

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

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

6. Super telephoto 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Brenizer method

1. Select a fast lens 

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

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

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

2. Set a consistent white balance  

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

3. Frame your image 

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

4. Camera settings 

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

5. Switch to manual focus 

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

6. Capture a 'bokeh panorama'

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

Blend a 'bokeh panorama'

7. Open your sequence in Camera Raw 

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

8. Set the color temperature

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

9. Import your sequence into Adobe Photoshop

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

10. Blend your 'bokeh panorama'

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

11. Crop your blended image 

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

6. Flatten and finish 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more: the best Sony lenses

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

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

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

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

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

Canon resurrects its DJI-beating gimbal camera

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

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

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

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

DJI's new drone takes on the HoverAir

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

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

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

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

Sigma drops a pair of killer f/2.8 zooms

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

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

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

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

Two new Heroes come to GoPro's rescue

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

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

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

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

Canon topples Sony from the sales charts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Improves the stability of transferring images to smartphones

• Improves the other operational stability of the camera

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

• Fixes an issue where the Touch Shutter may not work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See our guide to the best flashgun for your camera

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See our reviews of current Viltrox lenses

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

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

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

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

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

First Nikon Z50 II specs

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

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

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

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

New flagship firmware for OM System

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

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

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

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

Sony updates its iconic 85mm lens

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

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

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

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

Is Leica releasing a remix of the Q3?

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

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

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

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

Canon upgrades its flagship ImagePrograf Pro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See our reviews of current Viltrox lenses

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is Sigma announcing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Film bokeh camera settings

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

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

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

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

All about the aperture…

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

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

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

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

… Well, and the lens

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

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

Distance matters, too

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

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

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

Bokeh camera settings… the cheat code!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See our guide to the best Canon EF-M lenses

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

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

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

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

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

Story credit: Rowan Baxter Design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: specifications

Ricoh GR III HDF: price and availability

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: design and handling

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: Performance

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: sample images

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: lab results

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

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

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

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

Dynamic range (EV):

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

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

Signal to noise ratio (decibels):

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

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: verdict

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR III HDF: alternatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why now? Why didn’t I buy one new?

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

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

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

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

But it’s only Micro Four Thirds

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

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

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

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

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

Do camera makers give up too soon?

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

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

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

Check out the best Micro Four Thirds lenses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Specifications

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Price and availability

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

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Design and handling

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Performance

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

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

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

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

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

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Lab results

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

Resolution (line widths/picture height):

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

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

Dynamic range (EV):

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

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

Signal to noise ratio (decibels):

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

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

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Sample images

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF: Verdict

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

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

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

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

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

Alternatives

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

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

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

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

As a true rangefinder camera, the Pixii Max offers a manual focus experience. The M-mount lens focus rings operate a lever inside the camera, aligning images from two viewfinder windows into a single, accurately focused image, especially effective at shorter focal lengths and in low-light conditions. Aperture settings must be manually adjusted on the lens itself, maintaining the analog control.

The camera includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration with the Pixii App, enabling remote control, image preview, and transfer of images stored in the internal memory. Additionally, Pixii provides an upgrade path for both software and hardware, allowing users to keep their equipment current with the latest advancements and innovations from the company.

Pre-order Pixii Max 128GB at B&H for $4,799

Pre-order Pixii Max 32GB at B&H for $4,499

Sony ushered in something new with its ZV series of cameras, call them what you will  – vlogging cameras, travel cameras, YouTube cameras, but there is certainly a demand for smaller cameras with bigger capabilities, so much so that they apparently made up almost half of Sony’s camera sales last year. 

The first generation of ZV cameras offered a lot of potential but managed to trip over a few hurdles on their way to greatness. The ZV-E10 especially uses a sensor that probably should have been marked for retirement, but instead left the camera struggling with hefty crop factors on 4K footage and poor streaming performance. However, if Sony had learned anything was a little unclear after the first ZV camera to get a follow-up, the ZV-1 II did little to move the needle, and in fact, I prefer the original. 

Thankfully Sony has pushed a bit harder with the ZV-E10 II, with much more substantial and noticeable improvements, with a new 26MP sensor (well not new new, it's the same as in the Sony FX30 and Sony a6700), a much larger battery, and Sony’s modern and infinitely better menu system. 

Sony ZV-E10 II: Specifications

Sony ZV-E10 II: Price

The ZV-E10 II costs $999 / £925 / AU$1,699 for the body only or $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,899 with the kit lens. I usually don’t get to say this, but despite a whopping price increase of $200 over the previous model, the ZV-E10 II actually represents good value. 

Where the first model was compromised, the sequel manages to correct those mistakes with a new sensor and new battery which I think entirely justifies the price increase. The ZV-E10 II also managed to shave a healthy $400 off the price of the Sony a6700, and $800 off the price of a Sony FX30 which shares the same sensor, processor, and battery.

It is hard to find direct comparisons for the ZV range, as they are still fairly unique, but if 4K footage is the main priority, there are cheaper cameras such as the Nikon Z30 and Canon EOS R50, but these lack the same features and audio capabilities. I still think the Fujifilm X-S20 is the hybrid vlogging camera to beat, but that will set you back an additional $300 (without a lens).

Sony ZV-E10 II: Design & Handling

There isn’t much of a noticeable change in design from the first ZV-E10, but then I really didn’t have any complaints about that original model. The camera is still wonderfully compact and small weighing just 10.3oz/292g, with a squared-off shape that is minimalist and inoffensive in design. On the rear, there is still a 3-in 1.04m-dot screen that is articulating for movie-making but as this is a ZV camera there is no EVF. 

If you look very closely you might be able to tell the grip has gotten ever so slightly larger to accommodate the new Z battery, it's impressive that Sony has managed to squeeze this 50% larger capacity battery in the camera without having to compromise on the camera's compact size. The SD card reader is on the opposite side of the camera, and not in the battery compartment, which is how it should be done.

The grip is very comfortable to hold, although very large hands might struggle slightly. I have mostly been using the camera with the new kit lens, which is the perfect size for this camera, and the two together feel like this is a compact camera. However, despite this decent grip, there is an issue trying to use the ZV-E10 II with large lenses. In fact the camera is so compact that your lenses don’t even have to be that “large” before they start causing a problem handheld, with lenses quickly becoming front-heavy and requiring a two-handed shooting style.

But this camera is clearly not designed with big glass in mind, and the camera should pair well with entry-level Sony lenses, or Sigma’s Contemporary range – although Sony will deny you focus breathing compensation on third-party lenses.

The only other changes to the ZV-E10 II’s layout are the swap to a three-way switch for the photo/video/S&Q modes rather than a button, which makes it so much easier to know which mode you are in with a glance, and the on/off button has also moved to a switch under the shutter button, which is fairly standard, so no notes.

The camera is very light on buttons and dials compared to Sony’s more advanced cameras, but it still manages to hold onto the essentials, with common settings including ISO, exposure, and timer positioned around the scroll wheel. There are also buttons dedicated to some of Sony’s ZV tricks including background defocus and product showcase which put them front and center, and also helped me remember they were there rather than being lost in a menu and rarely used.

Talking of menus though, the ZV-E10 II has Sony’s latest revamped menu system, which will be a revelation for anyone coming from Sony’s older and positively dreadful menu system on prior cameras. Not only are the settings menus easier to navigate, but there are also now easy options on the main screen for quickly changing common settings, which is a much more smartphone-like experience for anyone who may be less familiar with digital cameras. The menus are also fully customizable and flip automatically into a vertical orientation. This is clearly an area where Sony heard user frustrations and has come though with solid fixes.

Sony ZV-E10 II: Performance

Sure the ZV-E10 II can take pictures, it can even take really good pictures, but it really isn’t a photographer’s camera. The body has minimal control over settings for images, the lack of an EVF means you only have the screen to compose on, and the camera has no mechanical shutter so fast-moving subjects can turn into a house of mirrors. 

Lens choice can also make all the difference in how useful this is as a photography camera. The included kit lens is a video-oriented lens, as while it has no issue with 4K60p video, it is not the sharpest photography lens out there. Of course, this being a Sony E-mount camera there is no shortage of lenses to pair with this camera, although as discussed earlier, the compact size of the camera is a very limiting factor in lens choice. 

However, all that said, the camera does share the same sensor and processor as the photography-oriented Sony a6700, so with the right lens and the right conditions, images themselves have the potential to be every bit as good as that camera. There are some 'Looks' on the camera for tweaking the style of your images, although Sony's are a little like an Instagram filter and are not nearly as advanced and useful as Fujifilm's film simulations or Panasonic's photo LUTs. You can see a couple below to get an idea.

How much benefit you will get from the ZV-E10 II’s photography mode really depends on how you intend to use the camera. If you are primarily a videographer who might want to snap some pictures on occasion, then the ZV-E10 II is perfect. However, if you are a hybrid shooter and pictures matter more to you than that, I would recommend looking harder at the Sony a6700 (or even Sony’s Alpha series) instead.

When it comes to video, the ZV-E10 II is essentially a Sony FX30. Okay, there are a few more differences, but the sensor and processor are the same between the models, so we know how good the ZV-E10 II footage should be, and the ZV-E10 II does not disappoint. 

After the missteps with 4K on the previous model, there is very little to complain about, with 4K30p here with no crop, and 4K60p with a negligible 1.1x crop, the only omission is 4K120p which is possible on other cameras sharing this sensor but isn’t really make or break for this price. 

With regular 4K, the ZV-E10 II does get hot, although it didn’t cut out for me with my short bursts of filming, longer periods of filming, or long streaming sessions might cause a few more issues. I left the camera filming in 4K60p, where it managed around 45 minutes before needing a cooldown. I suspect that it might not have been able to cope with 120p footage which is why it was left out.

The regular 4K footage directly out of the camera is great, with a good amount of detail and the dynamic range producing a good balance between the highs and lows. However this is the tip of the iceberg, and the ZV-E10 II is capable of so much more. Cinematic vlog mode can automatically use Sony’s S-Cinetone grading makes for great-looking footage with minimal effort, you can also import your own LUTs directly into the camera, or if you want to edit after the fact, then the ZV-E10 II can record in S-Log with 10-bit color. For a camera of this size and price, it is great to have this much flexibility when it comes to recording.

Above: footage shot in Sony's 'Cinematic Vlog' mode using S-Cinetone makes for some great-looking footage straight out of the camera.

Sony’s product showcase focus trick is also fantastic for product or beauty vloggers who might want to hold products up to the camera. The ZV-E10 II will automatically focus on whatever the nearest object to the camera is, and snap back to a face when the product is lowered. It works really well and the autofocus is seamless. The other gimmick for more ‘cinematic’ footage is to use the background defocus mode which uses the widest aperture possible to achieve the most blur, but it really will depend on your lens for how beneficial this is, with the standard kit lens, I didn’t notice a massive difference with its mediocre maximum aperture.

There is the now ZV-signature three-capsule stereo microphone built into the top of the ZV-E10 II. This microphone offers three-way directional audio (front, back, and surround), which can be manually selected or you can leave the camera to pick the best direction to record audio from. There is also a dead-cat-style microphone cover in the box, which did a good job of keeping the wind noise at bay. 

The directional pickup works well, I found when setting the audio to the rear and walking around outdoors filming and chattering away behind the camera, it picked up my voice out of the surrounding din. However, I did find this led to an overall more compressed sound, and lost the richness of the environment, and if I was filming in a more serious capacity then I would have recorded dual audio channels and mixed them in post. 

Overall the inbuilt mics in the ZV-E10 II are excellent, and leagues ahead of almost any other built-in microphone on any other camera, and in a bind, the built-in directions definitely can save the day without an external mic. However, they are not going to be a replacement for a good external microphone used correctly. When recording a quick piece to camera for the review, I much preferred the sound captured from my RØDE shotgun mic for its richness and depth. 

Above: footage captured using the ZV-E10 II's automatic settings is nicely sharp and colorful and a huge step above video from a smartphone.

The ZV-E10 II features improved autofocus from the previous model, which is definitely faster and more accurate with far more focus points, and some of the best you can get at this price point. However, I did notice a few times that the autofocus would be slow to adjust itself in more complicated scenes. One example was when filming a flower bed, the camera had trouble determining the most prominent flower in the scene where it should have been quite obvious due to the scale and framing.

The ZV-E10 II also falls behind other Sony cameras in subject recognition and tracking due to the lack of AI chip. But first, the good news is I had no issue getting the camera to recognize my face and eyes, so for vlogging. However, the animal recognition was a step back from what I am used to from other cameras, with the ZV-E0 II having a lower-than-ideal hit rate on domestic animals, but failing miserably on more exotic animals at the zoo.

As mentioned a few times already, battery life has been significantly improved in the ZV-E10 II as it now uses the NP-FZ100 battery. Sony thinks you should be able to get a total of 195 minutes of continuous recording on one charge which seems reasonable based on my tests. Battery life will depend quite dramatically on how you use the camera. Still, in my experience, each day I mostly was filming short video clips totaling around one to two hours when combined and came back home with around 20-30% battery. 

Sony ZV-E10 II: Lab Results

We are awaiting the release of an update to our testing software to recognize the RAW files from the ZV-E10 II. We will update this section in the coming weeks when the camera and update become publicly available.

Sony ZV-E10 II: Verdict

I was quite impressed with Sony’s first ZV-E10 camera, although it did fall short in a few areas, such as its limited battery life and restrictive crop factors. Fortunately, Sony has addressed nearly all of these issues in the ZV-E10 II.

This time around, the ZV-E10 II offers great quality 4K video with (mostly) no crop, which is a significant improvement. Handling is a dream with small lenses and the generous grip is a welcome feature for such a small camera. The hugely improved battery life also ensures you can shoot for longer without interruptions. Finally for streamers, the camera offers better resolution streaming options with more ways to connect.

However, there are still some limitations. The absence of an AI processor means subject recognition is limited, and it misses out on cool auto-framing tricks. The tiny body doesn’t pair well with bigger lenses, which can be a drawback for those with bigger optics. Additionally, the camera lacks in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which would have been a valuable feature for smooth shooting without relying on active stabilization and more crops. 

While it isn't the perfect all-rounder, it comes remarkably close to achieving vlogging camera perfection. It is priced higher compared to the original, however, remaining under $1000, it still provides good value for the features, and there is nothing else quite like it on the market. Despite any drawbacks, the ZV-E10 II comes as one highly compelling option for vloggers and content creators. 

Alternatives

I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Yongnuo lenses. Made in China, they tend to be of good quality and outrageously good value for money. I’ve bought Yongnuo YN50mm F1.8Z DF DSM and Yongnuo YN85mm F1.8Z DF DSM lenses for my full-frame Nikon Z-system cameras, to add to my permanent collection, and recently reviewed the Yongnuo YN33mm F1.4Z DA DSM WL Pro which, like this 11mm lens, is designed for APS-C format bodies and is compatible with Yongnuo’s optional BR-L1 remote controller. 

Unlike the 33mm lens, however, it’s so far only available in Sony E-mount, rather than catering to multiple makes of camera. Even so, it aims to be one of the best lenses for the Sony A6700, and other crop-sensor Sony mirrorless cameras.

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Specifications

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Price

Ultra-wide-angle prime and zoom lenses often command the big bucks, especially if they come complete with fast aperture ratings. Despite combining an ‘effective’ 16.5mm focal length in full-frame terms with a fast f/1.8 aperture, this Yongnuo lens is relatively inexpensive. It has a budget-friendly list price of around $300/£240. That makes it potentially great value for anyone wanting a really expansive perspective when using an APS-C format Sony E-mount camera.

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Design & Handling

I remember when we used to call mirrorless cameras ‘compact system cameras’. Sony’s APS-C format bodies are certainly slimline and the Yongnuo 11mm follows suit. It’s barely more than a couple of inches in length, weighs in at just 260g, and has a small 58mm filter attachment thread. The filter thread is definitely worth a mention, as many ultra-wide-angle lenses have a built-in hood, which precludes the fitment of filters that are often favored for creative landscape photography, and more besides.

Despite its very compact and lightweight design, there’s a lot shoehorned into this Yongnuo lens, and I’m not just talking about the expansive 105-degree viewing angle from its ‘effective’ 16.5mm focal length and its fast f/1.8 aperture rating. That makes the lens ideal not only for landscapes and cityscapes but also for dimly lit architectural interiors and even astrophotography. 

So what else is packed into the lens? For starters, there’s an aperture control ring complete with a click/de-click switch, catering to both stills and movie capture. You also get a customizable function button, nominally for autofocus hold. And speaking of autofocus, there’s the now typical linear stepping motor which is rapid for stills and enables smooth, virtually silent autofocus transitions when shooting video.

And there’s more. Surprisingly, considering the budget price tag, the lens has a smartly finished anodized aluminum casing and a metal mounting plate complete with a weather-seal gasket. A USB-C port is also featured, for applying firmware updates if and when needed. Going beyond the often-featured autofocus/manual focus switch, the one fitted to this lens also enables trick functions with Yongnuo’s BR-L1 remote control, sold separately for around $59/£47. 

The lens’s built-in 2.4GHz radio frequency communication enables the use of the remote controller’s Fn button, A and B buttons, a rotary dial, and a little mono LCD screen. After pairing it with the lens, you can use the remote for adjusting the aperture and for manual focusing, as well as for A-B focusing, shifting between two preset focus distances along with setting the speed of the transition. As with the lens, the optional remote features a USB-C port, again for applying firmware updates but also for charging its internal battery.

Let’s not forget the glass, which is naturally a key feature of any lens. There are 10 optical elements in total, including 2 aspherical elements, Low Dispersion and Ultra-low Dispersion elements, and 3 HR (High Refractive index) elements. The overall aim is to optimize clarity, contrast, and color fidelity while keeping color fringing and other aberrations to a minimum. The front element has a fluorine coating to repel moisture and grease, and a petal-shaped, bayonet-fit hood is supplied with the lens. 

As usual, this is reversible to reduce stowage space, and the pinch-type front cap enables easy fitment and removal even with the hood in its operational, front-facing orientation. Suffice it to say, that the feature set and handling extras are both plentiful.

Amongst their other virtues, ultra-wide-angle lenses are great for exaggerating perspective for creative effect, stretching the apparent distance between close foreground and background areas within a scene. You can certainly get in close with this lens, thanks to its minimum focus distance of 15cm (6 inches) or about 7.5cm (3 inches) from the front of the lens. 

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Performance

Levels of sharpness are impressive in the central region of the image frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. It’s a big ask to expect great sharpness at the edges and corners of the frame with such a wide-angle lens at this aperture, especially one that’s physically so small. Even so, wide-open corner sharpness is fairly reasonable but, as I’d expect, it pays to stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 for the best sharpness towards the edges and corners.

Contrast and clarity are good and the lens delivers good color rendition. Color fringing can be noticeable around high-contrast transitions towards the edges and corners of the frame but it’s of a fairly low order and easily within the remit of automatic correction. The same goes for barrel distortion. Again it’s only minor when uncorrected and the Yongnuo certainly doesn’t depend on automatic in-camera correction for this, unlike many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras.

The aperture is controlled by a 7-blade diaphragm. Stop down to narrow apertures and the lens is capable of producing striking 14-point sun stars, if you’re into that sort of thing. Designing such a physically small ultra-wide-angle lens, something has to give. Vignetting is quite noticeable at wide apertures but diminishes as you narrow the aperture to f/4 and beyond. All in all, the little Yongnuo punches well above its small size, weight, and price tag.

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Sample Images

The following gallery of example shots was taken on a sunny day in the UK city of Bath, with the lens mounted on a Sony A 7II camera body in APS-C crop mode. The included images are featured without any automatic in-camera corrections for peripheral illumination, color fringing or distortion. What you see is what you get, with no corrections applied.

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Lab Results

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

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

Sharpness:

Sharpness in the central region of the image frame is very good, only taking a knock at the narrowest aperture of f/16, due to the usual phenomenon of diffraction. Extreme edge/corner-sharpness is less impressive at wide apertures, and it pays to stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 for optimum edge-to-edge sharpness.

Fringing:

Color fringing can be noticeable towards the edges and corners of the frame but it’s of a fairly small amount. Automatic in-camera correction is generally available to take it out of the equation, and it can be removed in software when processing RAW files.

Distortion: -1.54

The lens scores well for distortion, as the amount of barrel distortion is of a low order for such an ultra-wide-angle lens. It’s way less than with many wide-angle and even standard lenses for mirrorless cameras that we’ve tested, which rely entirely on automatic in-camera correction that can’t be disabled in camera menus.

Yongnuo YN11mm F1.8S DA DSM WL: Verdict

Sometimes, less is more. I really like that the Yongnuo 11mm is so compact and lightweight that I can practically slip it into a spare pocket and carry it around without feeling weighed down. That makes it useful to keep on hand for anytime my standard zoom runs out of viewing width, for the likes of walkabout and travel photography. Image quality and build quality are highly impressive, considering the purchase price, as are the lens’s up-market handling characteristics. All in all, it’s a small lens for a small selling price that goes large in its performance and features.

Alternatives

Reports have been emerging that the new Nikon Z6 III might have a more restricted dynamic range than the old Z6 II. This observation was made by William Claff over at Photons to Photos who does in-depth testing of camera sensor performance, and plenty more besides. Claff's findings show the Z6 III maxing out at 10.44EV of dynamic range at ISO 100, compared to the Z6 II's 11.26EV at the same sensitivity. The Z6 III continues to trail its predecessor by 0.6-0.7EV until ISO 800, where the two cameras then perform very similarly:

Read more: Nikon Z6 III review

Now, Claff evidently knows his stuff and has been testing sensor performance for many years, so I'm not about to criticize his results or testing methodology. But what I can say is when I lab tested the Z6 III, I found that (in contrast to Claff's results), the Z6 III's dynamic range was almost identical to that of the Nikon Z6 II at lower sensitivities, although the new camera did trail the previous generation by 0.5-1EV at ISO 6400 and above.

While this is surprising and disappointing, in my opinion the more noteworthy difference between the two cameras is their signal to noise ratio performance - aka how much image noise each camera produces at a given ISO sensitivity. In our signal to noise ratio test I found the Z6 III and Z6 II generated very similar noise levels at lower sensitivities, but at ISO 1600 the new camera starts to produce noticeably noisier images than those from the Z6 II, and this trend then continues up to ISO 25,600 - our highest tested sensitivity.

And it's not just us that's noticed the Z6 III is producing noisier images at higher ISOs - check out this detailed image noise comparison between it and the original Z6 from YouTuber testcams:

Though you'd be forgiven for assuming a new camera will perform better in every test metric than the camera it replaces, this is often not the case. Most commonly, a new camera model with a higher megapixel count than its predecessor will often produce a lower signal to noise ratio, as cramming additional pixels onto a sensor of the same dimensions - be that APS-C or full-frame - makes each pixel smaller, less light sensitive, and therefore more prone to generating noise.

But in the case of the Z6 III, its 24.5MP resolution is identical to that of the Z6 II. The difference here could instead be down to the Z6 III's new partially stacked sensor construction. Again, this is speculation not established fact, but where a partially stacked sensor improves sensor readout speed for faster burst shooting and reduced rolling shutter distortion, it might also have a detrimental effect on image noise and dynamic range. This is also backed up by the sensor results on Photons to Photos, which generally show the dynamic range performance from stacked sensors being slightly lower than that from equivalent, non-stacked chips.

I can't give you a conclusive explanation as to why a stacked sensor would compromise image clarity and dynamic range, but I doubt it's down to the stacked sensor construction itself. Simply layering elements of a sensor need not hinder image quality. Rather, using this design to ramp up a sensor's readout speed is more likely to be the culprit, though logically even this doesn't really add up. To capture a single still image, the sensor in the Z6 III is using the same (or very nearly the same) number of pixels to the sensor in the Z6 II. Both sensors are of identical dimensions, resulting in identical pixel sizes. If the image is then captured with the same shutter speed duration and at the same ISO sensitivity, the two cameras should produce very similar noise levels and dynamic range, assuming Nikon's image processing is also comparable. And yet our lab test results are echoing those from other testers: the Z6 III isn't performing as well as the Z6 II (or even the original Nikon Z6) in terms of dynamic range and image clarity, leaving the increased sensor readout speed as the most obvious cause.

But before you rush to return your new Z6 III, let's just 'zoom out' for a moment. The differences in image quality between the two Z6 models highlighted by our lab testing, and that of William Claff, are relatively minor. In our case we test with all high ISO noise reduction disabled, and any dynamic range enhancements shut off, in order to maintain a level playing field. In more 'real world' usage with these systems enabled, would you really be likely to spot such subtle differences in image quality unless you were purposely hunting them out? It's unlikely.

Then when you consider the gains that a faster readout speed can bring for increased burst shooting rates, higher video resolutions at faster bit/frame rates, and other image quality enhancements like reduced rolling shutter distortion; many would argue that this increased hybrid camera versatility is worth a small trade-off in noise and dynamic range.

Sony will announce a new camera next week, which will be a member of the company's ZV series of vlogging cameras. 

The announcement will take place on Wednesday July 10 at 10:00 EDT / 15:00 BST / Thursday July 11 at 00:00 AEST. 

A series of teasers have been posted to Sony's social media channels and sent out as email blasts, and a microsite has been set up on the official Alpha Universe webpage.

The messaging differs slightly depending on the territory. In the US and Japan, Sony is leading with the tagline "Unlock your aesthetic"; in Europe, the tag is the slightly broader "Your new creative chapter". 

The new camera will join Sony's labyrinthine ZV range, which includes the entry-level Sony ZV-1, Z-V1 II and ZV-1F compacts, the midrange Sony ZV-E10 and ZV-E10L APS-C cameras, and the advanced Sony ZV-E1 full-frame camera. 

"The countdown to next week begins," reads the post on the Sony Alpha Instagram account (above). "Stay tuned for a new ZV camera coming on 7/10/24". The email blasts reveal little more, simply promising "an exciting new camera announcement from Sony".

Sony's ZV line feels like it is constantly the subject of camera rumors, such is its increasing scale and importance to the company, with 48% of sales coming from its vlogging cameras. 

With so many branches to the ZV tree – covering everything from fixed-lens bodies to zoom lens bodies to interchangeable lens bodies, and 1-inch sensors to APS-C sensors to full-frame sensors – the new product could fit any number of categories.

You can check out the latest Sony rumors to see if you can work out what this new launch might be, but Sony is staying understandably silent on the matter. 

All will be revealed next Wednesday – and we'll be right here to tell you what it is and whether it's worth looking at.

You might be interested in the best Sony cameras and the best Sony lenses, as well as the best lenses for vlogging.

Updated - French camera manufacturer has just launched its first full-frame rangefinder. The Pixii Max offers a 24.5 megapixel FF sensor - and providing an alternative to its existing APS-C sensor Pixii+ camera.

The camera will be available in silver or black, with a further option of either a 32GB built-in memory or a larger 128GB image store, without the option for using a memory card. The 32GB model can store about 840 DNG photos or more than 1700 JPEG files (and the 128GB version, four times that amount). The camera does not record video.

Like its older brother, the Pixii Max offers the option of capturing true 16-bit B&W digital negatives with its Bayer color sensor. But its larger photosites, with their 5.94µm pixel pitch, promise more dynamic range and less noise than its sibling.

Commenting on the 24-megapixel resolution, Pixii founder David Barth comments "We feel that the new Max sensor is the sweet spot for contemporary cameras. We selected it for its image quality, over plain pixel count comparisons."

With the model number A3410, the Pixii Max camera offers a wide-angle viewfinder offering a field of view of a 28mm lens - but also provides frame lines for a 35mm lens. LED backlit frame lines are also provided for use with 50mm and 75mm primes.

The camera body, made from a dual block of aluminum, weighs 480g (including the battery). It uses the Leica M-mount bayonet and offers a wide choice of manual-focus optics.

The camera body is available for preorder from July 5 for 3,999 Euros  ($4,300 / £3,385) for the 32GB options, and 4249 Euros ($4,585 / £3,600) for the 128GB versions. Shipping is expected to start in September, although initial quantities are said to be limited.

See our guide to the best Leica M lenses, and our pick of the best rangefinder cameras

Laowa is teasing the launch of the world's first-ever lens that is both a zoom and a shift lens. To date shift lenses have only been prime lenses - and the ability to have a choice of focal lengths in the one zoom will be of huge interest to architectural photographers. 

We don't know much about this lens as yet—we will have to wait until Monday, 08 July, for more information on what this innovative lens actually offers. But the launch has been announced on Laowa's Weibo social media channel, promising a video launch at 7.30pm Chinese time – so 10.30am ET / 3.30pm BST.

From the name and the teaser image, we can tell that this is not a tilt-shift lens and will only offer shift movements. Laowa already offers an attractively-priced 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift wide-angle prime that offers ±11mm on full-frame cameras. This manual-focus lens is available in Canon RF, Canon EF, Nikon Z, Nikon F, Sony FE, L mount, and Pentax K mounts. It also produces a Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift lens option.

The shift movements allow the lens to move sideways or vertically relative to the camera, correcting for converging verticals while keeping the image sensor parallel to the surface being photographed.

The launch invitation shows that the lens has a rotating collar at the rear, that allows you to move the lens so that it can shift either vertically or horizontally. And it is also clear that this a manual focus only affair. It also shows that it has a minimum focus of 0.15m (6 inches).

Rumors suggest that it will have a focal length of 12-24mm with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 - but we can't confirm this, although there is an existing Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6. It is also hard to be sure whether this is for full-frame, or solely for APS-C crop sensor cameras.

We will have to wait until next week to have the answers…

UPDATE: It's official, and Seb was right: Pixii has announced a full-frame rangefinder camera, the Pixii Max. 

The Pixii Max features a a 24.5MP full-frame Bayer image sensor, comes in silver or black, and is available with 32GB or 128GB of internal storage.

Read the full story here.

ORIGINAL STORY (July 03 2024: If you've been checking out the best rangefinder cameras on the market, and you've been looking for something that isn't a Leica, I'm sure you might have come across the name Pixii.

Well, the French camera company happens to have the most 'modern' rangefinders on the market. They work on an OTA (over the air) update schedule, which is always improving the cameras' features such as viewfinder displays and shutter timings, and of course making upgrades to Pixii's digital app.

Well, Pixii is about to launch a new camera tomorrow and the internet has gone wild speculating what this new camera could look like and what could be inside it.

But rather than telling you what could be, so late on the rumor cycle, I want to tell you what I want to see from Pixii as an existing Leica M-system user. So think of this as my dream wish list for the new Pixii camera…

Bigger sensor

I understand why Pixii Camera took the APS-C route to get the company up and running, as it is a more economical sensor to build around while you're developing a camera system from the ground up. However, I want to see a full-frame sensor inside a Pixii Camera. 

While I'm not that fussed about its megapixels (24MP would be more than enough), I think it's about time that the fourth camera launched by the company is full-frame. This way it's a good alternative to Leica cameras, and a whole lot cheaper, too (if a $3,000 camera can be called "cheap"!).

Just one memory option

The current Pixii ethos is to come out with a new camera and have various options for built-in memory, from 32GB up to 128GB. I think it should just go with the 128GB option and make things simpler for the end user. 

Leica has 256GB of built-in memory on the Leica M11-P, so if Pixii opted for 128GB it wouldn't "overpower" Leica but would give users a more solid and affordable option.

Built-in viewfinder magnification

While using lenses such as a 35mm, or 50mm the focusing match is quite easy to use. However, when it comes to wider lenses (from 21-28mm) or longer lenses (from 90-135mm) it becomes a more tricky ordeal. 

Pixii thought of this, and added up to 1.5x magnification eyepieces to its range. But for a company that does all its updates OTA, without the need for SD cards, I would love to see built-in magnification so you can check on-the-fly that you have critical focus before pressing that shutter button. 

Advertise the hardware upgrades

While this isn't really a feature, Pixii is quite advanced in some upgrade options for its users. And while I have already mentioned the company's OTA firmware updates, I haven't mentioned its hardware upgrade option – which means that any user who owns an older Pixii model has the choice to upgrade to the latest camera from Pixii.

This includes the company bringing out a new sensor, for instance. Instead of buying a brand new camera, you can just buy a new sensor and Pixii will fit in the new parts for you – saving you a heap on your initial investment. It just needs to really shout this from the rooftops, as I think it's a very neat feature!

You might be interested in the best Leica M lenses to go with your Pixii – or, indeed, one of the best Leica cameras using the M mount.  

It’s been an interesting week of revolutionary new technology, scandals and fashionable dumbphones. 

Panasonic has found itself in hot water after confirming that 77 cameras and lenses were marketed using images taken on other cameras. 

Phones have been making the news this week as Samsung announced a new 200MP sensor, and The Light Phone, Inc has released their new dumb phone, and it’s actually pretty cool. 

In other news, the wait is over for lens lovers, as Sigma releases its first ever RF lens for the Canon EOS R system, and getting is geared up for the Olympics, a stunning action shot of a gymnast wins the top at the World Sports Photography Awards 2024. 

The wait is over for Sigma's first Canon RF lens

Six years after the launch of the EOS R system, Sigma has finally released its first Canon RF mount lens: the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C. 

While it will physically fit any RF mount camera, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C is specifically an RF-S lens – which means it is designed for EOS R bodies with an APS-C sensor, such as the Canon EOS R7, R10, R50 and R100, though it can be used on full-frame EOS R cameras in crop mode.

The lens has an equivalent focal length of 28.8-80mm and boasts a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture along with weather sealing, which effectively makes this a standard trinity lens – but one that, thanks to its Contemporary designation (the "C" in the name), is as portable as it is powerful.

Read more:
FINALLY! After 6 years of waiting, Sigma releases its first Canon RF lens

Naughty Panasonic...

Panasonic has confirmed that a total of 77 cameras and lenses were marketed on its website using photographs not taken by those products. 

The news comes following the scandal that erupted last month, when it was revealed that images used to promote the Panasonic Lumix S9 were in fact taken on a Nikon D810. This led to social media sleuths finding dozens of examples of Panasonic products being promoted using photographs taken on equipment from Canon, Tamron and others. 

Panasonic issued a discreet apology on its website, admitting that it had used images from stock libraries instead of photos taken on its own cameras. This did not placate consumers, however, nor shareholders – who expressed their anger at Panasonic over this, and another scandal involving fraudulent certifications from a safety organization in the US, demanding the company explain itself more thoroughly. 

Read more:
Panasonic photo scandal: 77 cameras and lenses were marketed with images taken on other equipment

Dumb phones get cool 

As technologically incredible as the best camera phones now are, there's a growing number of users who are getting fed up with how a smart phone can become so interwoven with our existence, demanding attention with its relentless pings, highly curated news and social media algorithms, and resultant data sharing concerns.

The answer to this is a more back-to-basics phone, that retains the core functionality of a mobile/cell phone - the ability to make calls and send text messages - but ditches the apps and extra frills that turn a phone into a technological addiction. A whole industry has developed to produce 'anti smart phones' - or dumbphones as they're often called - and the latest such device to be announced is the Light Phone III.

Read more:
A new dumb phone is on the scene, and it looks pretty darned cool

Samsung release a potentially unbeatable 200MP sensor 

Samsung has announced three new image sensors designed for the primary and supplementary cameras in smartphones: ISOCELL HP9, ISOCELL GNJ and ISOCELL JN5.

The most interesting sensor of the trio is the ISOCELL HP9. It's been designed as a sensor for a telephoto camera module, yet it boasts a huge 200MP resolution. This makes it the world's first 200MP telephoto sensor, with its resolution matching Samsung's ISOCELL HP1, HP2 and HP3 sensors used in numerous primary camera modules.

The new HP9 is also surprisingly large for a telephoto sensor, at 1/1.4-inch, meaning it's exactly the same size as the existing ISOCELL HP3. Consequently, a phone using the HP3 in its primary camera and the HP9 in its telephoto module could generate near-identical image quality across both cameras. At present this is rarely possible, as most telephoto cameras use a sensor that's significantly smaller than that in the neighboring wide-angle camera, resulting in inferior image quality.

Read more:
Samsung has just revolutionized smartphone telephoto cameras

Gear up for the Olympics with stunning sports photos 

Chosen as the victor from over 9,000 submitted images to the 2024 World Sports Photography Awards competition, Belgian photographer Erik T’Kindt has been declared the overall winner, for his image of 22 year old Japanese gymnast Daiki Hashimoto.

The image was taken at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, where Hashimoto won three gold medals. 

The youngest man in history to win all-round champion at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Hashimoto is hoping to win a third world title in Paris next month, despite recovering from an injured finger. He told journalists last week: "I think it's looking good, but my finger still isn't 100% so I can't let my guard down.”

Read more:
Stunning action shot of world champion gymnast scoops top prize at World Sports Photography Awards 2024

Check out our guides to the best dumb phones, the best Canon RF lenses, and the best camera phones. 

Canon makes some pretty compelling APS-C cameras. The only problem is, it doesn't make any compelling lenses for them. But why? 

I recommend the Canon EOS R7 to people all the time, because it's an absolute powerhouse of a camera. But when they ask me what glass to get for it, I invariably have to recommend the oversized Canon RF lenses designed for full-frame cameras, because its APS-C optics are so utilitarian. 

And up until April, Canon's own lenses were your only choice if you wanted autofocus. But now the floodgates are open, and Sigma is making lenses for the RF mount (albeit, for now at least, only RF-S lenses). 

Having just dropped the brilliant Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 RF-S lens, the company is about to launch five more Canon lenses this year – including four super-fast f/1.4 primes. 

And that's when it dawned on me: why would Canon bother making killer APS-C lenses for its RF mount when Sigma is more than happy do the job instead? 

Work smarter

Populating a new lens ecosystem is hard work. So, by letting Sigma do all the work when it comes to making APS-C lenses, Canon is working smarter – not harder. 

It's a marriage of convenience. Canon can focus on lenses like the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 and RF 28-70mm f/2 – the kind of optics that were previously unheard of, and are only possible thanks to the unique properties of the RF mount. 

Because let's face it; when Canon's engineers were designing the RF mount and conjuring up dream lenses, they were thinking of full-frame. They were thinking of the RF 85mm f/1.2L Defocus Smoothing lens, and the RF 800mm f/11 super telephoto.

But trinity zooms and f/1.4 primes for APS-C sensors? Those weren't Canon's dreams for the RF mount. However, they're very much the kinds of dreams that Sigma has. 

The dream is alive

The best part is, Sigma didn't even have to dream these lenses up for the RF mount – it has already made them. And now they're coming to Canon's APS-C cameras:

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

Think about it: with Sigma bringing all these lenses to RF-S, what else is actually necessary for Canon to make? It already produces the essentials – the kit lenses and compact workaday optics like the Canon RF-S 18-45mm and RF-S 55-210mm.

We've seen this before with the company's attitude to Canon EF-M lenses; it made a bunch of kit lenses to sell cameras (and, admittedly, made a couple of fast primes as well), but pretty much left everything else to third parties. 

Whether you think it's smart, cynical or just plain lazy, it's a playbook that works just fine for Canon. And, if the RF-S 18-50mm Contemporary is anything to go by, it's going to work just fine for Sigma and consumers as well. 

Do you have an APS-C Canon camera? Take a look at the best lenses for Canon EOS R7 and best lenses for Canon EOS R10, along with the best lenses for Canon EOS R100 and best lenses for Canon EOS R50.

Nikon has admitted that first-time camera buyers might be "underserved" by the company, conceding that it might not have "been able to offer the [right] options to them."

While the company has just celebrated the launch of the Nikon Z6 III, and before it the highly successful Z8 and Zf, these are all advanced and / or expensive cameras. Nikon's last entry-level models, the APS-C Z30 and full-frame Z5, came in 2022 and 2020 respectively – and didn't seem to particularly resonate with audiences.

"We have been expanding our lineup of high-spec cameras and lenses for customers who are seeking to pursue imaging expression. But maybe one underserved group is first-time camera purchasers. Maybe we haven’t been able to offer the [right] options to them."

Those words come from Yusuke Adachi, a section manager within Nikon's Imaging Business Unit, in an interview published by DPReview. 

It's a bold admission, but one that certainly isn't limited to Nikon – I think the entire camera industry is guilty of it. 

My colleagues and I have been lamenting the erosion of the traditional 'cheap beginner camera' segment for years. Admittedly, that segment has changed now that everyone has a camera on their phone; I wrote last year how vlogging cameras have now replaced entry-level cameras in this new landscape. 

Sony has done well to adapt to this change, with 48% of sales coming from its new vlogging camera line. And Canon is arguably the only manufacturer that still makes a true first-timer-friendly camera, in the form of the extremely affordable EOS R100. 

Other brands, though, have stated in their financial reports that they are focusing on high-value, high-end cameras rather than the lower end of the market – Nikon among them. So it's no wonder it has been unable to resonate with first-timers, but perhaps that is about to change.

"We can’t share information about our product development, but one of the factors we consider very important for this underserved but significant group of people is connectivity," continued Adachi.

Nikon, it seems, is zeroing in on one of the main points of friction with using a camera: "too many steps" involved in taking a photo, then connecting the camera to a phone, then transferring the file, then uploading it to social media. 

"That's the area where we can actually make an improvement and where we should make an improvement. And that’s just one example of a pain point customers have. We should really think about how we can improve the customer’s experience based on such use cases and identify what needs they have."

I'm glad that Nikon isn't giving up on the first-timers entirely. I understand it's hard to sell people a camera when they already have one on their phone. But I think it's way easier to get someone to upgrade to a high-end camera when they already own an affordable Z camera and a couple of lenses – I don't think many people are going to be upgrading from an iPhone to a Z9!

Check out the full interview at DPReview for Adachi's thoughts on everything from the state of the market to AI and computational photography. 

The best Nikon cameras have you covered for the top end of the market, but take a look at the best cameras for beginners for more appropriate kit for first-timers.

Six years after the launch of the EOS R system, Sigma has finally released its first Canon RF mount lens: the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C. 

While it will physically fit any RF mount camera, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C is specifically an RF-S lens – which means it is designed for EOS R bodies with an APS-C sensor, such as the Canon EOS R7, R10, R50 and R100, though it can be used on full-frame EOS R cameras in crop mode.

The lens has an equivalent focal length of 28.8-80mm and boasts a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture along with weather sealing, which effectively makes this a standard trinity lens – but one that, thanks to its Contemporary designation (the "C" in the name), is as portable as it is powerful.

Weighing only 300g and measuring just 69.2 x 74.5mm at the wide end (though it does extend as you move to the tele end), this unbelievably small optic pairs perfectly with compact bodies like the EOS R100 – which is one of the cameras I used for my Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C review. 

It should be noted that this is not a lens designed exclusively for the RF mount, but is an existing lens that has been available since 2022 for Sony E, Fujifilm X and L-Mount cameras. 

As such it carries broadly the same specifications and optical formula, with 10 groups consisting of 13 elements including a super-low dispersion lens and a trio of aspherical lenses. 

That means it also inherits some of the existing optical foibles, such as fringing, uninspiring corner sharpness and pretty profound distortion (though the latter is corrected in-camera). 

Still, like its forebears, I found it one of the best APS-C lenses I've had the pleasure of using. "Sigma's debut on the Canon RF mount is a triumph," I wrote in my review. 

"Super light yet super fast, pint-sized yet power-packed, I keep coming back to the same key selling point: this is a standard trinity lens that fits in your pocket. What's not to love about it?"

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C for Canon RF goes on sale July 11, priced £479 in the UK (US and Australian pricing to follow). 

Take a look at the best Canon RF lenses, along with some of the best standard zoom lenses currently on the market.

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C (for Contemporary) is, first and foremost, Sigma's debut lens for the Canon RF mount. Without going into all the politics, I've waited six years for my first RF Sigma lens and the wait has been worth it – provided you're an APS-C user.

That's because the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C is specifically an RF-S lens. Which means that, while you can use it on full-frame EOS R cameras in crop mode, it has been designed for APS-C bodies like the Canon EOS R7, R10, R50 and R100. 

With an equivalent focal length of 28-80mm, weather sealing and a constant f/2.8 aperture, this is essentially a standard trinity lens for Canon's APS-C cameras – and thanks to Sigma's incredible engineering, it's barely bigger than one of those tiny cans of soda you get for mixing cocktails.

All this does come with some optical compromises, though whether you'll really notice them is another matter. Let's take a closer look…

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Specifications

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Price & Availability

Announced on April 23 2024, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C goes on sale July 11, priced at £479 in the UK (US and Australian pricing to follow). 

It doesn't have any direct competitors, with the closest alternative being the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM – typically sold as a kit lens with APS-C RF bodies, and selling for a much lower price of $299 / £339 / AU$299. The two lenses offer similar focal lengths, but otherwise very different propositions; Canon's is much smaller and is stablized, but offers a much slower f4.5-6.3 aperture, while Sigma's is faster, has a faster and constant aperture, and is weather-sealed. 

Sigma's lens feels appropriately priced, even without a benchmark to compare it to, as you're effectively getting a trinity lens for under 500 bucks. 

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Design & Handling

The Sigma 18-50mm fits perfectly in the palm, and pairs beautifully with Canon's smaller APS-C bodies – particularly the compact EOS R50 and R100, but also with the larger R7 and R10. 

Bear in mind that, while this lens is weather-sealed, the R7 is the only one of the above cameras that also possesses sealing (so you are not protected from the weather if you use it with any other RF-S body).

This is an incredibly small and lightweight lens, at just 69.2 x 74.5mm and 300g (making it slightly larger than the E mount version we reviewed in 2022). Out of interest, since it's the closest comparable RF-S optic, here's the Sigma 18-55mm next to the Canon RF-S 18-45mm. 

As you can see, in its collapsed form, the Canon is about half the size of the Sigma, but it cannot shoot until you extend it into shooting mode – whereupon it becomes the same size (though the Sigma does extend further when you zoom). 

The lens has an external zoom mechanism that telescopes out about an extra third as you zoom towards 50mm. Even so, it remains small and well-balanced at all times. For my fingers, the zoom ring has the perfect amount of throw for a barrel this compact, enabling seamless coast-to-coast racking.

Likewise, the focus ring offers "just right" tactility for manual focusing – though it should be noted that, with such a streamlined design, there is no physical switch to flick between AF and MF. 

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Performance

I tested the Sigma 18-55mm on both a full-frame Canon EOS R5 (in crop mode) and a Canon EOS R100. Obviously the latter is the sort of camera that the lens was designed to be used with, but I was curious about how it would perform in crop mode on a full frame camera. 

This is such a fascinating and fun lens to use. Fascinating because, as I've mentioned, it's a powerhouse akin to a 24-70mm trinity. And fun because, instead of being heavy and enormous (and expensive) like a 24-70mm trinity, it's feather-light and supremely small – taking what is usually an unwieldy workhorse for professional jobs and making it one of the best street photography lenses I've ever used!

It could serve any number of other purposes, of course. The focal length and fast aperture make it perfect for things like sports, wildlife and weddings. But I had an absolute blast, pounding the pavement and snapping shots to my heart's content. Having a lens this powerful and portable is such a game-changer for reportage.

While the R5 has a far more advanced AF system, I found this lens an absolute dream for autofocusing on the R100 as well. It's so quick to acquire focus and it keeps right up with the action, even on erratic subjects like bumblebees and moving people. The AF is ninja-quiet, too, and incredibly smooth, so this would be a great lens for shooting video. 

When shooting wide open, the Sigma 18-55mm renders really pleasing bokeh. You're not going to get the same shallow depth of field on an APS-C sensor, but the aperture enables you to create subject separation and there's a lovely quality to the defocused areas. 

This lens is also super-sharp in the center when shooting wide open, which is exactly what you want of a constant f/2.8 lens. Our lab results (see below) revealed the corners to be far less impressive, though in real-world shooting I can't say that I really noticed it. 

What I definitely did notice, though, was the distortion. As was the case with the Sony E mount version of this lens, barrel distortion is enormous at the wide end with less obnoxious pincushioning as you go long. 

It should be noted that this is all corrected in-camera for JPEG shooting, but you'll obviously see it if you work with RAW files (though it's only a few clicks to correct in post-production). I personally don't mind lenses that rely on camera correction, but I know some purists feel betrayed by a lens if it's not achieved optically. 

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Sample images

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Lab Data

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

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

Sharpness:

Center sharpness is excellent, even wide open at f/2.8, though it takes a slight dip at 35mm. Corner sharpness is inevitably lower, especially at each end of the lens's focal range where it's distinctly average at all apertures.

Fringing:

Color fringing is noticeable at middling focal lengths, and most obviously so at 18mm, though it never becomes severe.

Distortion:

Barrel distortion is extreme at 18mm, quickly transitioning to moderate pincushion distortion at longer focal lengths. Thankfully in-camera auto distortion correction will compensate for this, and evidently the lens has been engineered to rely heavily on this firmware correction.

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Verdict

Sigma's debut on the Canon RF mount is a triumph. Super light yet super fast, pint-sized yet power-packed, I keep coming back to the same key selling point: this is a standard trinity lens that fits in your pocket. What's not to love about it? 

Well, maybe a couple of things. It suffers the same minor optical quibbles as the earlier E-mount version, but again – in my day-to-day shooting, I didn't find these to be at all an issue. It would also have been cool, given how many of Canon's APS-C bodies lack image stabilization, if this lens was stabilized. 

Still, this lens delivers everything I could have hoped for – and if you're shooting on one of Canon's RF-S cameras, this is probably the most essential lens out there right now. 

Good work, Sigma. Now, about those full-frame RF lenses… 

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C: Alternatives

The Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx compact cameras are to get a couple of useful new features with a new firmware update that has just been released.

The Ricoh GR III is one of the best compact cameras for street photographers with its big APS-C sensor - and the latest firmware update will be the 13th update to the camera since it first went on sale just over five years ago.

The newer Ricoh GR IIIx, launched in September 2021, which is similar to the GR III but with a less wide-angle lens, will also the feature-enhancing refresh through the firmware.

The updates will also work with the customized GR III Street Edition and GR III Diary Edition models.

Arguably the most useful update is to the autofocus system, which gets the "Zone Select AF" as an option in the focus selection menu. 

By selecting Zone Select AF and pressing the OK button on the live view screen, the user can freely move the 3x3 area using the up/down/left/right keys to automatically focus on the appropriate position within the area. The area can also be moved by touching the screen.

Additionally, the two cameras now get three custom white balance settings. 

By selecting one of Custom 1-3 and going to the detailed setting, you can set a combination of the base white balance of your choice and then fine tune the color temperature to a more precise value.

The v1.91 firmware for the Ricoh GR III is now available to download here.

The new v1.41 firmware for the Ricoh GR IIIx is available to download here

Ulanzi is launching its first-ever interchangeable lens. The new Ulanzi AF 27mm f/2.8 is designed for use with Sony E-mount APS-C mirrorless cameras, and will have a budget price ticket of under $140. 

China-based Ulanzi is perhaps best known for its tripods - such as the impressive Ulanzi F38 travel tripod. However, despite only being founded in 2015, the company boasts that it has designed over 3,000 products and has 400+ patents for its rapidly-growing range of photo accessories. And now it is entering the lens game...

Unusually, Ulanzi is not taking the usual step for a newbie lens manufacturer of starting off with manual focus primes. It is instead going for an autofocus model for the popular Sony E-mount. It is not a full-frame lens, however, and therefore on an APS-C crop-sensor camera gives an equivalent focal length of 40.5mm.

Constructed with six elements in five groups, the AF 27mm f/2.8 weighs 182g and has a close focusing distance of 0.3m. 

There is a 52mm filter ring at the front, and a neat addition on the side is a USB-C socket, to simplify firmware updates.

The lens is already listed for sale direct on the Ulanzi website for $139.95.

See the best lenses for the Sony A6000 series of cameras