We all know that DSLR sales have declined, but they have far from flatlined. In fact, Canon still sells up to 620,000 of them each year – which is an astonishing number, when you consider the current market in terms of both trends and overall sales figures.

Moreover, Canon – one of the last three brands still making these cameras – has no plans to abandon them, telling me that it will support DSLR customers as long as they are out there.

I was fortunate to talk to Canon's senior management earlier this year at CP+ 2026, where we discussed some of the more traditional segments of the camera industry – including the fact that Canon is the only company still supporting beginner photographers with a true entry-level body.

I also wanted to take the opportunity to ask the Canon brass about the tenacious nature of the DSLR market – which still makes up a significant amount of the company's business.

As Go Tokura, executive vice president and head of Imaging Group at Canon, explained to me, "90% of the market is dominated by mirrorless cameras; DSLR cameras only account for 10% of the market, and currently it is about 700,000 unit shipments."

That figure is the total number of DSLRs shipped in 2025, which according to market overseer CIPA was 690,911 – of which Canon sold between 600,000 and 620,000 units.

Which means, despite it 'only' accounting for 10% of the market, 700,000 sales is still a considerable figure – meaning that there is a considerable user base still buying and using this kind of camera.

"In other words, we have that many customers still there!" smiled Tokura. "So as long as there are still customers for DSLRs, we would like to continue to offer our products."

Currently, the company still sells three DSLR models: the flagship Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, the workhorse Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the entry-level Canon EOS Rebel T7 / 2000D. And there are still 27 current Canon DSLR lenses listed on the Canon USA store.

The company said in 2020 that it had officially shifted its focus to RF-mount development, while also noting that "should the market demand it, we are ready to create new EF lenses."

While that seems implausibly unlikely in 2026, it's reassuring to know – and speaks very highly of the company – that Canon is still supporting both its existing DSLR customers, as well as newcomers who are still buying into the EF-mount system.

But how long will DSLRs keep selling? Before I could get the words out of my mouth, Tokura added: "Now, your question is until when? We cannot even imagine that!"

You might also like…

Take a look at the best DSLRs still on the market today. If you want to go more modern, check out the best Canon cameras and the best Canon RF lenses for mirrorless models.

Just about every photographer has a bucket list lens – a dream camera lens that they would love to see before they die. But only a handful of photographers run a company that manufactures lenses – and thus, can make that bucket list lens a reality.

One such photographer is Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma. And there was a lens on his bucket list for years – and he wanted to make it, even though it's a pretty niche lens that may not sell many units.

In fact, it's because it's a niche lens that may not sell many units that made him want to bring it to market.

"I’m always thinking, what is the raison d'être of Sigma? In other words, what is the reason why Sigma does business in this industry?" Yamaki told me, when I spoke to him in Japan earlier this year.

"If we only make similar products to major companies and just release them at a lower price, I don’t think it’s worth existing in this industry.

"We really want to contribute to the development of the industry and to the culture of photography. So we want the challenge to deliver something innovative, something new.

"And also, we believe it’s one of our missions to deliver niche lenses. Even though such products don’t have a huge demand, there is demand from a certain kind of photographer. So it’s our mission to satisfy those photographers.

And so, the Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS Sports lens was born. "That lens has been on my bucket list for many years. And I always – I'm not a smart person. So I always try to listen to opinions from others.

"For example, in the [Sigma] office, I don’t have my own office; I only have my one desk on the engineering floor, because I can hear opinions from the engineers. So from the conversation with the engineers, I can learn.

"At the same time, I always try to listen to the opinions from photographers. And many photographers asked me to make a 200mm f/2. Although they said this lens would be very niche, and Sigma won’t be able to sell a lot, but they really need it. And so it’s been in my bucket list, and then I believe it’s the right time to do it.

ABOVE: Watch us discuss the lens on our podcast

"Every year, every one or two months, we have a product planning meeting including me, the engineers and the product planning team. And we make a road map for the, let’s say, next three to four years.

Because we know every time we discuss – especially because probably the road map for the next year, and then two years later, it’s probably fixed, but three years later we can change [the roadmap].

And every year we take the balance between the lenses that can sell a lot and support our business – like the 24-70 f/2.8, that kind of lens – but also we try to include one or two very niche lenses, although we understand that we cannot sell a lot.

But again, in order to contribute to the development of the industry, we try to makes such lenses. So the 200mm f/2 is one of those."

My hat is absolutely off to Yamaki. In a world where camera brands increasingly play things safe, only launching products that are guaranteed to please the masses, seeing Sigma cater to photography's niches is a welcome tonic indeed.

You might also like…

Check out our Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS | Sports review (spoiler alert: it's a five-star lens) and see how it compares to the Laowa 200mm f/2 AF FF.

It's not fashionable with journalists and YouTubers, but the Canon EOS R100 is one of the most important cameras on the market.

While the industry focuses on the latest, greatest, cleverest and most advanced mirrorless cameras, the entry-level segment has almost completely disappeared. Except, that is, for the Canon EOS R100.

As photographers, we have lost all context of what "entry level" means – especially when it comes to price. You always see the Fujifilm X-M5 recommended as one of the best cameras for beginners, but that's $1,000 with a lens.

I don't know about you, but whenever a non-photographer asks me to recommend a beginner camera, the idea of a thousand bucks being "entry level" absolutely blows their minds.

But the Canon EOS R100 can routinely be had for under $500 with a lens – an affordable price point that is truly geared towards newcomers.

This is important because the industry needs new blood. It needs to be inclusive and accessible to everyone – especially in a world where prices are out of control.

There are no other cameras that offer what the Canon EOS R100 does – built specifically for the needs of beginners, eschewing extras they won't use to maintain a price they can afford.

And, thus, there are no other mirrorless manufacturers doing what Canon does, meaningfully supporting beginner photographers with affordable, entry-level cameras.

"Thank you for saying that," said Go Tokura, executive vice president and head of Imaging Group at Canon, when I had the opportunity to talk to him about the subject in Japan.

"I believe we are the only ones who are supporting [beginner photographers] with the R100 series."

I asked about the company's strategy not just for attracting new photographers, but especially encouraging young people to buy their first camera.

"It is our understanding that the cost is important, but the functions and performance is also important for the younger generation," replied Manabu Kato, executive officer, IMG Business Unit 1 and Imaging Business Operations.

"They also put importance on the joy of owning a camera, the joy of capturing the images."

I was discussing cameras with a fellow journalist recently, and he told me that while Canons "are clearly the best," they "aren't very fashionable". I don't think that's important. Gucci is fashionable, but it's hardly accessible to someone wanting to buy their first outfit.

Having a camera you can actually afford is far more important than having a fashion accessory hanging around your neck. And that's why the Canon EOS R100 isn't just one of the most important cameras on the market, it also sells huge volumes – despite what sniffy journalists might say.

You might also like…

Take a look at the best lenses for the Canon EOS R100 along with the best Canon RF lenses across the range. If you've got a bit more budget, check out my Canon EOS R50 review as it offers more bang for your buck. See how they stack up in our Canon EOS R100 vs R50 comparison.

Compact cameras remain popular, even in a world dominated by smartphones and mirrorless systems. While brands like Fujifilm are pushing 102MP point-and-shoots such as the GFX100RF, Canon appears to be following a different path.

At the CP+ Expo in Yokohama, Canon executives, including Go Tokura, Executive Vice President and Head of Canon's Imaging Group, discussed their compact camera strategy in an interview with DPReview.

The interview insights make clear that Canon prioritizes accessibility, usability, and catering to an audience that's "new."

Interview insights

Canon explains that with the advanced technology and cameras in smartphones, occasionally shooters thought to be good snapping away with camera phones – as there's no need for a physical camera – but there was.

"They started to find the joy of using cameras. When they choose a second device after the smartphone, are they going to use the mirrorless camera? Possibly not, because it's a bit large and also it's pricey as well," Canon told DPReview.

Smartphones act as a gateway, introducing photography to new users. "The compact camera is there for their choice, so this is a totally new need we see."

Tokura also stressed that for this audience, experience matters more than pixel count; it's more about the physical feel and joy a compact camera brings, and how "fashionable it is to own it."

Given this focus, it's clear why Canon hasn't launched professional-grade, niche compacts like Sony's RX1R III, and likely won't in the near term.

Accessible compact cameras win

Companies focusing on affordable and accessible cameras dominate the compact camera market. This principle isn't new. Kodak is a classic example: its Pixpro line is incredibly successful with devices priced from $99.99 / £79 (C1) to $249.99 / £249 (AZ528).

When Canon released the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Lite in 2024, it demonstrated the same kind of strategy that helped brands like Kodak succeed: offering affordable, easy-to-use compact cameras built on proven technology.

Despite using largely unchanged specs from the original 2018 SX740, the Lite version continues to sell strongly, regularly appearing on Yodobashi's best-seller charts in Japan.

While Canon technically could produce ultra-high resolution compact cameras, the current strategy prioritizes approachable, user-friendly models that appeal to a broader and younger market.

Canon also plans to ramp up production, so popular models like the Powershot G7 X Mark III should be easier to find. Backorders might finally ease.

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Browse the best Canon cameras, the best cheap cameras, the best compact cameras, the best point-and-shoot cameras, and the best camera phones.

In a world where headlines are dominated by flagship cameras and cutting-edge tech, it's the midrange category in particular that's driving sales for Canon right now.

However, with ostensibly midrange cameras like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III offering pro-level specs, I asked Canon about the challenge of designing mid-level models without cannibalizing the top-tier bodies. The answer was simple: you can't sacrifice high standards.

Canon's lineup is incredibly diverse, covering everything from absolute beginner to world-class pro. So, when I met its senior management and design leads at CP+ 2026 earlier this month, I wanted to know which cameras were selling well for the company.

"The midrange class – R50, R6 series," Go Tokura, executive vice president and head of Imaging Group, proudly replied. "Very favorable sales."

It's often said that the 6-series is Canon's biggest seller, dating back to the 6D DSLRs and through to today's R6 mirrorless cameras. And the Canon EOS M50 was an absolute sales juggernaut in the company's first foray into mirrorless.

So it's no surprise that these midrange bodies – rather than powerhouses like the EOS R5 Mark II – were highlighted as sales successes. But today's market is radically different to the one in which the 6D series existed. Modern "midrange" cameras like the R6 Mark III and Sony A7 V offer specs that feel far more geared to professional performance.

I asked Canon about this seemingly paradoxical situation. How do you make a camera that sits beneath the professional tier in the hierarchy, given today's consumer expectations?

"We have to juggle the balance between the needs of the customers, but at the same time [achieve an] accessible price; it shouldn’t be too expensive," explained Yoichi Sato, senior general manager of IMG Products Development Center 1 and IMG Development Unit.

While flagship products set a certain standard in terms of performance and expectation, you cannot simply make a lesser-performing product just because it sits lower on the family tree.

"For example, the accuracy of autofocus directly impacts the quality of the image. We have to follow a high standard, so that core function remains the same – we are not going to sacrifice that."

I think Canon has nailed a great balance with the R50 and, in particular, the R6 families. There was once a time (perhaps even with the original EOS R6) where junior Canon bodies could feel a little bit compromised in terms of specs.

Today, though, that's clearly no longer the case. The R6 Mark III offering features like open gate that even flagship products don't possess. Which does make you wonder how the next R1 and R5 models can possibly up the ante even further…

So, you've shelled out your money on one of the best instant cameras – but no matter how good your shots, unlike digital images, your physical photographs will deteriorate over time.

But Ashisei, a manufacturer of film preservation products, unveiled a new solution at CP+ 2026 to help protect Instax and Polaroid prints from discoloration and warping due to the effects of age and atmospherics.

After a brief period of exclusivity at Amazon, the catchily-named Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent has gone on sale at retailers across Japan – and I suspect may make its way overseas before long.

For ¥1,100 (approximately $7 / £5 / AU$10) you get a pack containing 4 sachets of mixed polymer, good for 20 sheets of instant film. This protective agent rapidly dehumidifies your photographs and offers long-lasting humidity control.

Ashisei showed off some samples of Instax Mini prints stored in different conditions, both with and without the Siglo agent, to demonstrate things like 365 days of ageing, 21 days sat on a car dashboard, the effects of 122°F / 50°C and 70% humidity and so on.

The effects were quite pronounced, with the Siglo-treated photographs exhibiting far less physical warping to the print itself as well as far less fading to the colors.

The below graph illustrates the change in color difference for the CMYW tones with (the left of each pair of color bars) and without (the right bar) the Siglo treatment.

As you can see, magenta and cyan fade rapidly without the chemical protection. While yellow and white don't deteriorate as much individually, they are mixed to express other colors – so Ashisei says that the overall image is still likely to fade without being treated.

As somebody who still has boxes of 40-year-old Polaroids from my childhood, I can assure you that instant prints really do fade and deterioriate. Storing photos in a cool, dark place is the best way to preserve them, but that obviously isn't ideal if you want to actually look through them or display them.

So personally, while there are a whole lot of Instax and Polaroid accessories that are just junk, this Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent is something I would actually use – even though it has a daft name!

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Take a look at the different instant camera film sizes and check what type of instant film you need, whether you're using Instax vs Polaroid cameras.

Canon is planning to expand and modernize its range of compact cameras – but, at the same time, it can't say for sure whether the compact camera boom is real or artificial.

I was privileged to spend an hour talking to senior Canon executives and product developers – including the company's executive vice president and head of the Imaging Group, Go Tokura – at the CP+ 2026 show in Japan.

"It is true that the compact camera market is growing," Tokura-san told me. "Therefore we are going to review the lineup of compact cameras and would like to enrich it."

However, when I asked him whether he thought the compact bubble would burst, he gave an insightful answer.

"Honestly speaking, we are in a situation where we cannot satisfy the existing demand in the current market. In other words, the supply is still insufficient." He pointed at the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III on the table as a prime example.

"We might see that the market is full of demand for compact cameras, but a portion of that may be due to the insufficient supply. Of course, we are now enhancing our production capacity; once our capacity can meet the current demand in the market, then we will see the real picture, whether this is a real boom or not."

We've discussed many times on this website – and on our Bokeh Face podcast – that most manufacturers, Canon included, have simply updated older compacts rather than releasing new, modernized models.

Tokura-san is very aware of this and says that Canon is working to offer new products that meet the modern demands for compacts – in particular, the flagship PowerShot line.

"What we see is, currently the compact camera market is growing. But this is not because of past users coming back to the market; the growth of the current market is driven by new customers, not the return of past customers.

"Therefore, we will need to start to offer new products that match the current customer's wishes and also demand, which is not satisfied by the current lineup. So we are going to expand our lineups in the compact camera field. But right now, our imminent challenge is how to increase our production capabilities."

The boom for compacts is certainly a perfect storm of circumstances; Gen Z's fascination with retro tech, a social movement to detach from smartphones, an anti-AI desire for authentic straight-out-of-camera shots, an appetite for smaller and cheaper cameras… and, as Tokura-san says, a demand that exceeds supply.

Canon has navigated the first wave of this boom pretty well, refreshing the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A to satisfy the lower-cost market and launching the PowerShot V1 to target video-savvy creators. I'm very excited to see what its next move will be.

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Take a look at the best compact cameras and best point-and-shoot cameras, along with the best Canon cameras across all categories.

Have you ever wondered how your camera's in-body image stabilization (IBIS) actually keeps your sensor still? Then you should definitely watch this short video!

I saw dozens of cool things at the CP+ 2026 show in Japan, but perhaps the coolest was this camera exhibit by OM System. To demonstrate how sensor-shift stabilization actually works, the company had a special rig of its flagship OM System OM-1 Mark II with an exposed sensor and IBIS system.

As you can see in the video below, as I introduce movement to the camera body, the stabilization system moves the sensor in the opposite direction to compensate:

IBIS systems from all brands work in the same way, so this is what's going on inside your camera whether you use Canon, Nikon, Sony or any other mirrorless camera with sensor-shift stabilization. (In fact, some Pentax DSLRs actually possess IBIS as well!)

Earlier IBIS units topped out at three axes, but modern systems boast five-axis stabilization like the one depicted here – which compensates for pitch, roll and yaw, along with horizontal and vertical movement.

Once upon a time, crop sensor systems like Micro Four Thirds and APS-C were able to achieve superior real-world stability thanks to the fact that the sensors were physically smaller (and, thus, easier to stabilize than larger sensors).

Today, however, cameras like the OM-1 Mark II and Canon EOS R5 Mark II can achieve up to 8.5 stops of shake compensation, while the Hasselblad X2D II 100C delivers an astonishing 10 stops despite having a huge medium format image sensor.

Some in-body image stabilization systems can actually work in tandem with the optical stabilization systems in lenses, amplifying the native compensation offered by the camera or lens alone.

And some cameras still offer stabilization even though they don't have an IBIS system. This is known as electronic stabilization, and is achieved by cropping into the image and using that "dead" area to reframe and digitally compensate for motion (similar to tools like Warp Stabilize in video editing software).

So there you have it. The next time you're shooting handheld, you know exactly how your camera is cleverly keeping your images nice and stable!

You might also like…

Read my full OM System OM-1 Mark II review to see what else this technological marvel is capable of. And if you're looking for the sturdiest stabilization on the market, the best Panasonic Lumix cameras are hard to beat!

A year ago, I got to use a prototype of the TTArtisan 203-T Folding Camera at CP+ 2025 in Yokohama, Japan. However, it was conspicuously absent on the show floor at CP+ 2026 – and, indeed, it was conspicuous by its absence pretty much ever since its initial reveal.

So what exactly is going on with this camera?

Well, not long after its CP+ debut last February, the 203-T began appearing on sites like B&H for preorder. But then it seemed to vanish, with no more word from anyone – least of all TTArtisan – on what was happening.

There were even rumors that Fujifilm had slapped a cease-and-desist order on TTArtisan over the 203-T's use of Instax film, presumably without authorization. But there are plenty of instant cameras that use Instax film (such as a personal favorite of mine, the JollyLook Auto) and I'm fairly certain that none of them are paying a license.

I was hoping to see the camera on the show floor in Yokohama this year, but it was nowhere to be found. I tried to ask TTArtisan what was happening, but didn't have much luck.

However, the 203-T Folding Camera has suddenly resurfaced and can now actually be purchased… with a huge caveat: only "beta versions" of the camera are being sold, and they're only being sold via a lottery.

Chinese outlet, the Independent Photographers Association, posted new images of the camera announcing "First batch on sale by invitation only".

This was followed by further information courtesy of Asobinet. "You register your personal information and wait for the results (kind of like a lottery?)" wrote the Japanese site.

"I thought the project had completely failed... but it appears to have been completed. However, it is described as a "closed beta," so it is not yet an official production version. The beta version was priced at ¥2,780 [approximately $400 / £300 / AU$575], so the finished version may be a little more expensive."

Of course, the assumption there is that anything more than the beta version of this product will ever go on sale. Have you ever heard of a camera company selling off prototypes of a camera, ahead of launching the final production models?

Did Canon sell beta versions of the EOS R6 Mark III before the final camera arrived at B&H? How about the Sony A7 V? Heck, I can't even remember Kickstarter cameras selling beta models ahead of the finished versions.

My read on the situation is that for whatever reason, Fujifilm or otherwise, production on this camera was forced to cease. And it feels likely there was a ruling that the manufactured stock could not go on commercial sale.

Selling "beta versions" via "invitation only" might be an elegant way of skirting whatever issues arose that prevented the camera going on sale at general retail.

I may be completely off-base. But given all the volatility in China right now among third-party manufacturers (such as Nikon apparently forcing Sirui and Meike to withdraw lenses from sale), there does seem to be a crackdown from Japanese companies on unlicensed product.

I'll keep digging and share more on this situation as I have it.

You might also like…

Take a look at the best instant cameras from all manufacturers (except, sadly, TTArtisan), and don't forget to check what type of instant film you need along with the different instant camera film sizes.

LK Samyang (known in the US as Rokinon) has again been showing off its 60-180 f/2.8 autofocus lens, made in collaboration with Schneider Kreuznach, most recently at the CP+ 2026 trade show in Japan.

Fans have been awaiting its release for some time now, as it made an appearance last year at IBC Amsterdam, alongside three other Schneider Kreuznach lens collaborations, though its creators have not given away any information on a release date.

The hush-hush around when this lens might finally go on sale has continued in Yokohama this week, as the 60-180 f/2.8 zoom lens has been on show with ‘coming soon’ written on the display tag.

The AF 60-180mm f/2.8 is the latest joint venture between LK Samyang and Schneider Kreuznach – a specialist lens and optical filter manufacturer – building on the AF 14-24mm f/2.8 and AF 24-60mm f/2.8 trinity zoom lenses released last year by the duo.

I can’t tell you too much about the re-revealed AF 60-180 f/2.8, as LK Samyang loves to keep us guessing, but so far we know it features an AF/MF switch, a customizable function button and a zoom lock switch.

My colleague James got hands-on with the lens in Yokohama, and he notes that it's impressively small and light – giving it a size advantage over conventional 70-200mm lenses. The lens' markings also revealed that it has a 77mm filter thread and a minimum focus distance of 0.35 to 0.78m (depending on the zoom).

If the lens performs as nicely as it looks, then it should give the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 a run for its money – at least for Sony users.

Samyang representatives at CP+ were incredibly tight-lipped about further specifications and specifics, including a release date. The closest they came to committing was saying it should be available “sometime in the second half of 2026” for Sony E and L-Mount cameras

The reps mentioned that the L-Mount version of the AF 14-24mm f/2.8 collaboration would also be coming soon, so it looks like a busy year ahead for Samyang, Schneider Kreuznach and Rokinon customers!

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Take a look at our expert takes on the best Sony lenses and the best L-mount lenses.

Wherever I went at the CP+ 2026 show, there were compact cameras everywhere. From Kodak and Yashica to Panasonic and Fujifilm, it felt like there were compacts in every direction I looked.

But while Canon's stand didn't have the most compacts (that honor went to Lomography), it had the most impressive collection. That's because Canon trotted out a lineup of all-time greats across its PowerShot and Elph / Ixus range, celebrating the 30th birthday of both product lines.

It's always fascinating to see which products a manufacturer picks out from its vast catalog, so I made a beeline for Canon's booth where I had to wait in line (yes, compacts really are that popular!) to get a look at the 12 compact cameras that the company had picked out from the last 30 years.

I have to admit, I was surprised to see some of the choices Canon made – not because they're bad, per se, but more because there are so many great cameras from the last three decades that are arguably more interesting or deserving.

Anyway, here's a rundown of the 12 Canon compacts showcased at CP+. I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you agree with the choices – let me know in the comments!

1) Canon PowerShot V1 (2025)

Launched last year at CP+ 2025, the Canon PowerShot V1 springboarded the company's premium compact line squarely into vlogging and video territory with its bespoke 22.3MP 1.4-inch sensor, equivalent 17-52mm lens (16-50mm for stills), built-in ND filters, oversampled 4K 30p video and bundled wind mufflers for its impressive internal microphones.

2) Canon PowerShot SX740 HS (2018)

A pocket powerhouse for stills, the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS boasts a 40x zoom lens (24-960mm equivalent), with double digital extension to 80x (maxing out at 1920mm), and a 20.3MP sensor packed into a truly tiny form factor that's just 39.9mm thick and weighs a mere 299g.

3) Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Elph (2000)

Sold as the Digital Ixus in Europe and the Ixy Digital in Japan, the Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Elph adhered to the playing card-style size of classic Ixus / Ixy APS models, this tiny 87 x 57 x 26.9mm camera features a 2.11MP 1/2.7″ CCD sensor and 35-70mm equivalent zoom lens.

4) Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS / HS A (2016 / 2025)

Originally launched in 2016 as the Elph 360 (or the Ixus 285 HS in Europe and Ixy 650 in Japan), this camera received a light refresh last year as the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A ( / Ixus 285 HS A / Ixy 650M), bringing back its 20.2MP sensor and 12x 25-300mm zoom (digitally extending to 24x).

5) Canon PowerShot G7 X (2014)

A cult classic from the moment it launched, the PowerShot G7 X came fully loaded with an everyday-friendly 24-100mm lens and a blistering-fast f/1.8-2.8 aperture. Throw in a 1-inch 20.2MP sensor with 6.5fps bursts and AF that acquires focus in just 0.14 seconds, this is a fantastic all-purpose shooter.

6) Canon PowerShot S120 (2013)

A high-end compact in its day, the S120 offered a lightning-quick 12fps shooting matched by an AF system that could focus in 0.10 seconds. Its 24-120mm equivalent lens, 12.1MP sensor and built-in WiFi rounded out an impressively complete package for the time.

7) Canon PowerShot Elph 185 (2017)

Another mismatched model across the world, the PowerShot Elph 185 was sold as the Ixus 185 in Europe and the Ixy 200 in Japan. Its handy 8x 28-224mm equivalent zoom (which could be digitally doubled to 16x) and 20MP CCD sensor brought beginner-friendly functions like a Date button (to add date information without drawing from the EXIF) and an Easy Auto mode that disabled other buttons to prevent accidental commands.

8) Canon PowerShot SD20 Digital Elph (2004)

The naming conventions are out of control with this one, as the Canon PowerShot SD20 Digital Elph was called the Digital Ixus I5 in Europe and the Ixy Digital L2 in Japan. Its refined catwalk looks were paired with a precision 39mm f/2.8 equivalent lens and a 1/2.5″ 5MP CCD sensor.

9) Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II (2017)

With a 1-inch, 20.1MP sensor for superb image quality, a 28-84mm lens for great versatility and Dual Sensing IS technology for solid stabilization, this was a real portable powerhouse – especially considering its 98 x 57.9 31.3mm size and 206g weight.

10) Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III 30th Anniversary Edition (2026)

An absolute monster seller for Canon, and for good reason! The original Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III from 2019 boasted the company's first-ever stacked image sensor, with 20.1MP of resolution and a chunky 1-inch format for top quality. It offered an equivalent 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens with flagship 30fps shooting and, for the first time in a Canon compact, full-width 4K video. Perennially popular, it was re-released in limited form as the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III 30th Anniversary Edition earlier this year to commemorate PowerShot's birthday.

11) Canon PowerShot A5 (1998)

An underappreciated gem, the A5 featured a svelte 103 x 68 x 32.5mm body encased in a special duralumin alloy. Its motorized retracting 35mm f/2.5 lens system kept it completely flat, with an 0.81MP 1/3″ CCD sensor delivering pleasing results despite its lack of pixels.

12) Canon PowerShot G3 X (2015)

This G-series premium compact featured weather sealing, an amazingly useful 24-600mm equivalent zoom lens and a 20.2MP 1-inch sensor featuring a maximum sensitivity of ISO12,800 for impressive low-light and low-noise performance.

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Check out the best compact cameras and the best point and shoot cameras from all the brands, along with the best Canon cameras across all categories.

There's some groundbreaking world-first camera tech on the show floor at the CP+ 2026 show. But one company has more world-first cameras on its booth than any other: Panasonic, with a whopping 13 cameras.

However, they're not all world-firsts that the company has debuted in 2026. Rather, Panasonic is showcasing its groundbreaking mirrorless camera timeline dating back to 2008 in its History of Lumix exhibit.

In case you weren't aware, for example, the first ever mirrorless camera wasn't made by Sony – it was the Panasonic Lumix G1, a groundbreaking body that kickstarted the mirrorless revolution two years before Sony caught on.

It's easy to forget – and, in fairness, even easier not to have known in the first place – just how many pioneering moments Panasonic has had over the years. Taking in the exhibit was a fun little stroll down memory lane so I thought I'd share these magic moments with you.

Here are the 15 cameras and 13 world-firsts in the past 18 years that Panasonic thinks are worth remembering…

2008 – Panasonic Lumix G1

The world's first mirrorless single-lens camera

2009 – Panasonic Lumix GH1

World's first FullHD video recording camera

2009 – Panasonic Lumix GF1

World's smallest and lightest digital single-lens camera

2010 – Panasonic Lumix GH2

World's fastest autofocus (approximately 0.1 second)

2013 – Panasonic Lumix GM1

World's smallest camera body with SLR performance

2014 – Panasonic Lumix GH4

World's first camera supporting 4K video recording

2015 – Panasonic Lumix CM1

"Communication camera" (first camera phone with 1-inch sensor)

2015 – Panasonic Lumix GX8

World's first six-axis image stabilization system, Dual IS

2017 – Panasonic Lumix GH5

World's first camera to support 4K 60p recording

2018 – Panasonic Lumix G9

World's first 6.5-stop in-body image stabilization and world's fastest autofocus (approximately 0.04 seconds)

2018 – Panasonic Lumix GH5S

World's first camera with cinema 4K 60p recording

2019 – Panasonic Lumix S1R / S1

First full-frame Lumix single-lens cameras

2019 – Panasonic Lumix S1H

World's first 6K 24p, 5.9K 30p, 10-bit cinema 4K 60p recording

2019 – Panasonic Lumix BGH1

Box-style mirrorless single-lens camera

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Take a look at the best Panasonic Lumix cameras, comprising some of the best cameras for video and best open gate cameras.

If you're the sort of person who's still surprised when you hear that "film is still alive", wait until you hear that pinhole photography is still going strong!

In a show full of 100MP sensors, VR lenses and AI shenanigans, it was a breath of fresh air at CP+ 2026 to get my hands on the P-Sharan Ami-35 – a film camera made of paper card that only costs $18 / £13 / AU$25.

Packing a pinhole lens with an effective 20mm focal length and f/130 aperture value, the Ami-35 (the former short for "Amisango", the latter denoting the 35mm film format) is the latest camera from Sharan – and, amazingly, it boasts a crucial improvement over previous models.

No, the pinhole technology itself can't really be developed any further; rather, it's the camera's construction – or rather, the construction of the camera's construction – that has been refined.

Earlier P-Sharan cameras took as much as two hours to build (the initial model was two hours, which was improved to an hour with the next model and then forty minutes for the next). However, the Ami-35 can be assembled in less than half an hour.

Despite being a DIY camera, it has all the controls you need; Advance and Rewind dials on the top, and a tab that acts as a viewfinder and doubles as your shutter; simply pull the tab to open the shutter and start exposing light onto the film.

Unless you enjoy guesswork and underexposed film, you're going to need a clever light meter or an app to calculate your exposure times. With that f/130 aperture, it could take between minutes and hours depending on the conditions!

But this is part of the fun of pinhole photography. And the sample images from the camera are very pleasing – the Ami-35 produces better results than I've seen from some premium pinhole lenses being marketed for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

The P-Sharan Ami-35 a brilliant bit of fun – and a bargain photography gift, which isn't something I get to say very often. At less than 30 notes in price and less than 30 minutes in assembly time, this would make a perfect present for everyone from kids to fellow camera lovers. Just don't think too much about the price of film!

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If you're wondering "what is a pinhole camera", check out our explainer article. And of course, you can always make your own pinhole camera from scratch!

7Artisan’s Lite series aims to make mirrorless more compact – and the brand’s newest 40mm tips the scale at just 3.2 oz / 90g. The 7Artisan AF 40mm f/2.5 FE is a new budget pancake for full-frame Sony E-Mount and, despite the price, the compact prime still offers autofocus.

Introduced at CP+, the 7Artisans AF 40mm f/2.5 is a budget prime lens that’s focused on a retro but lightweight design. At 1.6 inches / 40mm tall, the lens is a bit larger than some of the brand’s tiniest pancakes, but crams autofocus and an f/2.5 aperture into a lightweight travel lens.

Interestingly, the lens is designed for full-frame, but the three previously announced Lite series lenses were made for APS-C.

The lens sits between the 35mm and 50mm members of the brand’s Lite series, but narrows the aperture a bit from f/1.8 to an f/2.5. That narrower aperture is likely a tradeoff for the smaller size, as the 40mm is significantly lighter than the 50mm from the same series, which weighs 6.3 oz / 178g.

The company says that the lens “fits in your hand, disappears on your camera,” so it sounds like the size was definitely a focus for the design. 7Artisan also says that design favors retro lines. Control-wise, there’s an aperture ring, a focus ring, a function button, and an auto-to-manual focus switch.

The 40mm is designed for more everyday storytelling, the brand says – and 7Artisans is even advertising less-than-perfect bokeh, saying that the lens has a subtle bubble bokeh effect, which some balk at, and others may find creative.

The lens uses an STM motor for autofocus, which is good as close as 0.4m from the front of the lens.

The Sony E-Mount already has lots of 40mm prime options to choose from, which is why, outside of the small size, the lens’ price is arguably one of its biggest features. The 7Artisans AF 40mm F/2.5 Lite retails for $159. International pricing has not yet been announced, but that converts to roughly £118 / AU$225 / CA$218.

The lens is already available for shipping from 7Artisans, but has already begun popping up at retailers, including Amazon and B&H in the US.

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Dig up more discoveries from the CP+ Show floor. Or, browse the best Sony E-Mount lenses.

2025 proved to be the best year for camera sales in more than five years, but experts are predicting a more modest year for 2026 – including a slowdown for the mirrorless market.

The Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA), the same group that tracks data for camera sales from key Japanese brands, predicts that camera sales overall will see only a modest 1.6 percent increase in 2026. But, CIPA predicts that mirrorless is in for a slight decline in 2026 as compact cameras continue to grow.

Overall, CIPA predicts around 9.59 million cameras will ship in 2026, which is 101.6 percent of the 2025 numbers. While that’s an overall growth in numbers, it’s a slower growth than the previous year, as 2025 saw an 11.2 percent uptick from 2024.

The numbers look rather different when looking at the 2026 predictions by camera type. CIPA expects fewer mirrorless cameras to ship in 2026 at around 6.82 million bodies, which is a 2.6 percent drop from 2025’s 7 million units. Lenses are expected to fare a bit better but still decline by .9 percent at 10.51 million shipments.

The numbers swing a different way, however, for cameras with built-in lenses, a category that includes compact cameras and bridge cameras. CIPA predicts 2.77 million fixed lens cameras will ship in 2026, which is a 13.6 percent increase compared to 2025’s 2.44 million cameras.

While that’s a noticeable increase, it’s also a slower rate of growth, as 2025 saw a 29.6 percent uptick in shipments for the compact camera category.

The predicted 2.6 percent decline in mirrorless is small and still far outperforms the compact camera category. But in 2025, the gap between compact camera sales and mirrorless sales narrowed, and CIPA expects more of the same for 2026.

The predictions come from surveys completed by CIPA and presented during CP+ in Japan. Like the weather forecast, the camera forecast is not a sure thing. But it’s interesting to see what the organization known for tallying all the camera sales data predicts for 2026. CIPA doesn’t seem to think 2026 will be another year for double-digit growth, but expects the market to continue to stabilize.

Compact cameras have been trending up for the past few years, making a resurgence after being nearly obliterated by the smartphone. The trend can be traced to a number of different potential causes, including viral compact cameras on social media, a resurgence in retro tech in general, and perhaps even digital minimalism shifting away from smartphone photography.

CIPA only tracks data from its member companies in Japan, but that’s an extensive list that includes camera giants like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic, Sigma, and Tamron. Camera brands outside of Japan – such as Leica and Kodak – aren’t among the numbers tracked.

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Browse more news from CP+ in Japan. Or, take a look at the best compact cameras or the best mirrorless cameras.

Portrait photographers wax poetically on nifty fifties, but I love to go a bit longer for even creamier bokeh – which is why I took note when Sigma announced that it’s working on a new 85mm portrait prime.

The Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art doesn’t exist yet – unless you’re lucky enough to happen to be at the CP+ Show in Japan, where a prototype is on display – but it’s officially slated for arrival in September 2026.

For now, the development announcement is just a tease of what’s to come, but the few details already available are intriguing. First, Sigma says that the full-frame 85mm will complete the brand’s line-up of f/1.2 primes – so the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art, 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art, and this upcoming 85mm will be it for bright f/1.2 primes in the Art series.

Sigma drops several more phrases to hint at what’s to come, including “latest optical design” and “exceptional resolution.” The company also says the lens will have a dual High-response Linear Actuator autofocus motor.

The single photo that Sigma shared doesn’t make the lens look very small, but Sigma describes the lens as “compact” and “lightweight.” From the photo, we know that the lens will have a dedicated aperture ring, a focus switch, and will take 82mm, though, of course, the teaser comes with the usual disclaimer that the specs and appearance could change between now and the launch.

The longer 85mm focal length tends to create more flattering portraits and creamier backgrounds – and I suspect this will be a welcome addition to the popular Art Series. That will be especially true if it’s anything like the Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art. Reviewer Matthew Richards gave the lens five stars for its images and competitive price, the biggest complaint being that it’s a bit heavy. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the upcoming 85mm f/1.2 follows that same theme.

The Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art is expected to launch in September 2026 in the L-Mount as well as the Sony E-Mount.

The upcoming 85mm isn’t the only lens the brand announced the week of CP+ either – it follows the news of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art and the crop-sensor 15mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary.

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Browse more news from CP+ in Japan where a Digital Camera World editor is on site exploring all the new trends on the show floor, including a new Canon with a waist-level finder and a new lens from Nikon.

Don't care about 3D or VR? Neither did I – until Canon showed me what it's doing with the technology at the CP+ 2026 show in Japan. And I've honestly gone from being indifferent to genuinely being excited – and that's in large part due to how Canon has democratized this kind of imaging.

For starters, you don't need a special camera, lens or headset any more; thanks to an incredibly innovative implementation of Canon's Dual Pixel wizardry (yes, the same tech that powers your Dual Pixel autofocus) you can take a regular photograph on a standard EOS camera and lens and turn it into a 3D image.

This is just one of the multiple ways Canon has developed VR; take a look at my quick guided tour video below, which gives you an easy-to-digest overview of the company's exhibits being shown off in Yokohama:

Canon EOS VR

It starts off with Canon's EOS VR ecosystem – which will probably be the setup you're most familiar with, as it requires specific VR lenses and a headset in order to fully immerse yourself into the spatial video that is captured.

It's built around Canon's stereoscopic lenses: the full-frame Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye (compatible with the EOS R5, R5 Mark II, R6 Mark II, R6 Mark III, C400, C80 and C50), along with the APC-C tag team of the RF-S 3.9mm f/3.5 STM Dual Fisheye and the RF-S 7.8mm f/4 Dual (both compatible with the EOS R7, R50 and R50 V).

I had the opportunity to try the latest showcase of the technology, which involved interacting with multiple animal scenes involving dogs chasing a ball, cats going nuts over a catnip lollipop, a hedgehog being quite a bit less dynamic than the dogs and cats, and an owl being fed using a pair of tweezers.

It's pretty cool to experience, but ever cooler when you consider that Canon is the only brand that offers these kinds of creation tools. The fact that dual-lens, same-sensor outfits like this are available to consumers is a grossly underappreciated fact.

Think about it: right now you can buy a RF-S 7.8mm f/4 Dual for $409 and an EOS R50 V for $569. So for less than a grand, you can start creating seriously impressive VR footage – that's an incredible proposition for anyone wanting to get in on the ground floor of the next frontier in video, or just anyone who wants to shoot some cool stuff.

But still, this is the traditional hardware-based entry point into 3D creation – and as affordable an entry point as it might be, there is still a cost involved. However, part of Canon's 3D strategy is to open the ecosystem to users without investing in dedicated equipment.

MReal x Dual Pixel 3D

This is where things get really clever, because it enables you to create 3D images without any dedicated 3D or VR hardware. No special glass, no special goggles, just a regular Canon body and lens – all thanks to the marriage of Canon's MReal (mixed reality) and Dual Pixel 3D.

Dual Pixel 3D is an evolved version of the technology I saw at last year's CP+, which uses the dual photodiodes of Canon's sensor technology to map the distance between the camera and subject in order to create a spatial image.

As you can see in the GIFs below, the image can be fully interacted with in all three dimensions. I tried this using a computer touchpad on a standard screen, and it's pretty eye-opening to consider how this kind of interaction could enhance your experience.

We've all spun around 3D models of products we want to buy on ecommerce websites, which gives a great idea of how goods look from all angles. However, Canon interest in 3D isn't just using it to encourage people to buy things from websites.

What if you could use the same technology to interact with photographs of your pets, or even your friends and family members? To that end, had a portrait booth set up at the show to demonstrate the potential next generation of family photos – photos where you can experience a three-dimensional, visceral memory of your loved ones.

As someone who has recently lost family members, the idea of being able to truly see the shape of their faces, to move around them and feel memories of them come to life, feels like an incredible application of 3D imaging.

MReal x Volumetric

Lastly, I experienced Canon's MReal tech working in tandem with its volumetric video advancements. If you're unfamiliar with volumetric capture, Canon first showed it off at CES 2021 and it was also rolled out at the Paris Olympics in 2024. In short, it tracks and maps a three-dimensional space in order for users and observers to view or interact with it.

Last year, Canon exhibited MReal in the form of a fencing duel. By wearing a headset, you could become part of that physical encounter and even view augmented reality-style annotations in the form of statistics and trajectory diagrams – like a cross between physically stepping into the duelling space, while a sportscaster uses a Telestrator to highlight the action.

Canon's CP+ 2026 exhibit married MReal and volumetric video with what I can only describe as a real-life version of Nintendogs – which you may remember as the animal simulation videogame that took the world by storm on the Nintendo DS console a couple of decades ago.

There was an empty doggy playpen full of toys – but it was only empty until you held a pair of Canon's MReal glasses in front of you, whereupon a couple of virtual pooches were spatially mapped within the area and started playing and performing tricks.

This was the first time I'd seen the MReal glasses, as opposed to the full headsets (which is what I wore for last year's demonstration of the tech). As someone who already wears glasses (and needs varifocals, at that), I'm not the biggest fan of having to wear a helmet with goggles that smoosh my specs into my face.

Unsurprisingly, I much preferred these "opera glasses"-style viewing devices, which can be comfortably held in front of you – though of course, the result isn't as immersive as a headset that fills your peripheral vision.

All three implementations of Canon's VR, 3D and MReal technology were pretty mindblowing – and gave a much better idea of how this kind of imaging can go beyond just being a showy tech demo to being something that genuinely enhances your enjoyment.

This, famously, is a hump that everyone from Oculus to PlayStation VR are still trying to get over. It's interesting that while gaming might seem like the most obvious avenue to exploit these experiences, I actually find the idea of more passive immersion in photo and video a much more valuable proposition.

I'm fascinated to see where this technology goes next – and, as I said in my hands-on with the Canon Analog Concept Camera, my hat is off to the manufacturer for being so bold in trying new things, beyond just churning out the same cameras and the same lenses that every other manufacturer makes.

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See what else is happening at CP+ 2026, along with the best Canon cameras and best Canon RF lenses for non-VR photo and video.

Canon has debuted its box-style Analog Concept Camera, featuring an optical waist-level finder and manual focus, at the CP+2026 show in Japan.

While the company has been widely anticipated to launch a mirrorless retro camera based on the classic Canon AE-1 for the SLR's 50th birthday in April, Canon gave us quite a different retro-inspired body at the camera supershow in Yokohama.

The Analog Concept Camera is styled after classic box cameras of the past, but in a form factor small enough to fit in your palm. I was able to try out the camera, which sits in your left palm while your right hand manipulates the focus ring – which is entirely manual.

The protoype I used features a focus ring around the lens barrel, but the pre-production designs feature a focus wheel on the side of the camera:

The focus throw on the prototype felt a bit limited, and it was tricky to judge focusing distance in the confined test area, but it this is an incredibly early build and is far more proof of concept than finished product.

The viewfinder is a top-down affair, using a mirror to reflect what is seen by the camera lens. It felt both surreal and cool to be focusing with a top-down finder on a Canon camera!

When you engage the shutter – which on the prototype is a rocker switch on the right-hand side of the camera, but on the pre-production designs is a traditional circular button on the front of the body – a second mirror flips out to reflect the image again to the sensor.

So this is an analog process, but capturing onto a digital image sensor – which I suppose is similar in a way to Instax's Evo cameras.

The prototype I was using seems to have been built with a Canon PowerShot V10 on the back, likely to accommodate the live view which was being displayed on a monitor for convenience on the Canon stand (all the controls and rear LCD on the apparently V10 body were inoperable, and I do not believe form part of the Analog Concept Camera).

"The combination of a clean, simple form and a sophisticated lens creates an appealing design that makes you want to keep it close by," reads Canon's description on the official exhibit (machine translated). "A new type of camera that everyone will want to carry around with them.

"The lever and release protruding from the side, and the stepped lens ring that allows for a firm grip create a comfortable and pleasant operation feel, and the design evokes the image of a film camera, catering to those who want to enjoy taking their time with photography."

Canon is inviting those who use the camera at CP+ for feedback on everything from its handling to the vintage-looking quality of the images it takes, along with which design is preferred and whether they would be interested in purchasing it if it comes to market.

I'm amazed at how increasingly experimental Canon has become in recent years. This is far from the conservative, risk-free company of a decade ago; away from its dependable EOS ecosystem, it is definitely coloring outside the lines and looking for new ways to experience and share photography.

I hope that the reception to the Analog Concept Camera is as warm as it felt on the show floor, because this is a product I would love to see come to market!

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See what else is happening at CP+ 2026, and check out the best Canon cameras in more conventional form factors.

The first images of a trio of Samyang lenses rumored to be showcased at the CP+ trade show in Japan later this week have been leaked online.

Shared by Sony Alpha Rumors, the images show three Sony FE (Sony full frame E-Mount) autofocus lenses: a 20-50mm f/2.0 zoom, a 200mm f/1.8 prime and a 300mm f/4.0 prime.

The standout for me is the 200mm f/1.8 prime, which is an unexpected development as recent buzz was that Samyang would unveil two 300mm telephoto lenses at the CP+ show. However, it now seems like that was partly untrue and that one of these 300mm lenses is in fact the 200mm f/1.8 pictured above.

I think the 200mm f/1.8 will put a grin on the faces of sports photographers more than anyone, as the tasty telephoto-aperture combination should create stellar subject-background separation.

An underserved focal length in prime lenses, Samyang has an opportunity to make a name for itself here too. Aside from the Laowa 200mm f/2 AF FF and Sigma 200mm f/2 DG OS Sports, competition is slim.

The Laowa and Sigma lenses retail for roughly $2,000 (approximately £1,500 / AU$2,800) and $3,000 (approximately £2,200 / AU$4,200) respectively. If the Samyang can slide in somewhere between while including respectable autofocus and image stabilization, then we’ve got a new contender for the best 200mm FE telephoto prime.

Coming to the 20-50mm f/2.0; I can see this piece of kit doing well sales-wise. Despite the uncommon zoom range, the fast aperture makes it an attractive prospect for a range of shoots and, with a Samyang price tag, many photographers might say “why not”.

Finally, we have the 300mm f/4.0 prime, confirming that at least half of the rumor around two new Samyang 300mm prime lenses is true.

I can’t see this lens making much of a splash, though, as the the f/4 aperture doesn’t seem competitive enough to make you choose the prime over a zoom alternative such as the Tamron 50-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD or 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD.

However, the word is that the Samyang 300mm f/4 is only a prototype for the manufacturer to test demand, so we’ll see if my prediction is right…

Wider Samyang rumors have been teasing a flurry of FE lenses to be revealed at the CP+ trade show. Reports have come in thick and fast in the past few weeks, including of a 60-180mm f/2.8 FE, a 28-135mm f/2.8 FE and a 28-85mm FE – the latter also a prototype.

All will be revealed in the next few days as the CP+ trade show gets underway, and I'll be keeping our eyes peeled.

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Find out our expert take on the best Sony cameras as well as the best Sony lenses for your mirrorless setup.

Photography gear enthusiasts have a fresh reason to circle Japan’s CP+ 2026 show (Feb. 26–March 1) on their calendars this year: two brand-new M-mount lenses from independent makers that promise classic rendering with modern precision.

Via Leica Rumors, Shotenkobo has confirmed that the DK-Optic Chiaro 75mm f/1.9 and the Optics Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 Classical will make their world premieres at the event, delivering new creative options to Leica M shooters hungry for unique optics.

The DK-Optic Chiaro 75mm f/1.9 takes inspiration from the legendary Dallmeyer “Super Six” 3-inch f/1.9 lens, blending vintage character with contemporary build quality. Designed as a mid-telephoto portrait lens, it pairs gentle subject compression with a rich, creamy bokeh that’s ideal for portraits, environmental shots, and still lifes. Wide open at f/1.9, photographers can expect an airy, softly gradated look, while stopping down yields sharper, more contrasty images - a versatile balance that will appeal to both street shooters and fine art portraitists.

What makes the Chiaro especially interesting is its dual-finish approach: a blue-coated version that boosts color saturation and contrast for punchier modern images, and an uncoated variant that embraces classic flare and light bloom for nostalgic, film-like character. It’s a smart nod to the old school without sacrificing the precision and reliability that contemporary shooters demand.

On the wide end, the Optics Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 Classical revives the spirit of the revered original 35mm Summilux, often nicknamed the “Steel Rim.” This faithful reinterpretation stays true to the look and tactile feel of the classic while beefing up mechanical rigidity and stability - a welcome improvement for rangefinder users who truly put their glass to work. The package also includes a reproduction of the rare “OLLUX” hood from the E41 model along with related accessories, giving owners a complete experience rooted in Leica heritage.

Together, these two lenses underscore a broader trend in the Leica M ecosystem: a resurgence of thoughtfully engineered, character-driven optics that give photographers alternatives to conventional factory glass.

With the CP+ 2026 show a couple of days away and the world premiere set to unfold in Yokohama, M-mount fans will be watching closely as these new primes hit the stage.

Zeiss has announced the latest Otus ML lens. Joining the existing Otus ML 1.4/50 and 1.4/85, the Otus ML 1.4/35 is a large-aperture, moderate wide-angle lens that promises unparalleled optical quality.

The Otus ML lens series for mirrorless cameras features a new optical design inspired by the legendary Otus series for DSLRs, renowned as the world’s best manual prime lenses. This series brings Zeiss's exceptional optical performance to mirrorless cameras: Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and Canon RF-mount.

Through ultimate precision engineering and mechanical design, these lenses deliver extraordinary sharpness, vibrant colors, and Zeiss's signature "three-dimensional" rendering, allowing photographers to capture every detail of a moment exactly as they see and feel it.

While the new 35mm lens captures a wide field of view, its focal length and aperture also allow the subject to stand out beautifully. It offers complete manual control over focus, depth, and detail. The design incorporates aspherical surfaces to suppress distortion and anomalous partial dispersion glass to combat chromatic aberration. Furthermore, the Zeiss T coating minimizes lens flare and internal reflections, enhancing contrast and color fidelity. With a fast maximum aperture of f/1.4, it excels in challenging low-light conditions and features a 10-blade diaphragm for soft, harmonious bokeh.

The all-metal construction of the Otus ML 1.4/35 reflects top-tier craftsmanship. The precision-engineered mechanics provide a unique physical sensation. The metal exterior features a knurled focus ring that operates with a silky touch from infinity to a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m.

The aperture ring operates with 1/3-stop clicks (1-stop between f/11 and f/16) and features a switchable de-click mechanism for seamless, stepless adjustment. For reliability in harsh conditions, the mount features a blue silicone weather seal, and internal seals protect all moving parts from dust and water droplets.

The optical formula consists of 15 elements in 11 groups, including two aspherical elements and seven anomalous partial dispersion glass elements, for the ultimate in optical quality.

The optics are optimized for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon RF mounts, and each version is equipped with electronic contacts to support EXIF data and various camera-assist functions. All versions include a metal petal-shaped lens hood (reversible) and a Zeiss-branded cushioned lens pouch.

The lenses will be available in all three mounts from April 2026 and will set you back a sizeable $2,299 in the USA (pricing in other territories to follow).

Sigma’s new bright ultra-wide prime for crop sensor cameras is drastically lighter than its predecessor – and it even comes in three different mounts. Unveiled on Tuesday, February 24, the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary is a lighter upgrade to the brand’s earlier 16mm f/1.4 lens for APS-C cameras.

The Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary will be available in three different mounts for APS-C cameras – a list that even includes the Canon RF mount, which has been notoriously more closed off but is now steadily gaining more third-party autofocus lenses, at least for crop sensor bodies.

The lens will also be available in Fujifilm X and Sony E mounts. Curiously, that list doesn’t include the Nikon Z Mount, L Mount, or Micro Four Thirds, all mounts that the predecessor, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, has available. Of course, it’s not unusual for Sigma to launch an existing lens in a new mount – so it’s possible those other mounts could arrive later on. After all, the earlier 16mm initially only launched in Sony E and Micro Four Thirds.

One of the key changes is that the new 15mm is 50 percent lighter than the earlier 16mm – which now makes the 15mm f/1.4 DC the lightest lens in Sigma’s Contemporary series. The lens weighs 7.8 oz / 220g. It measures 2.6 inches / 64.8mm long for the E-Mount version, which also makes it 30 percent shorter than the older 16mm version.

Despite the smaller, lighter design, Sigma says that the optics on the new lens outperform those of the 16mm. One focus in particular was on improving edge-to-edge performance and suppressing sagittal coma daltre, a type of flare that is particularly noticeable in astrophotography. The company says that the design also works to eliminate lens flare and ghosting.

Sigma also says that the lens is designed to shoot both stills and video, including the lens’ stepping motor for autofocus and efforts to reduce focus breathing.

The lens is designed with dust and moisture seals, while a control ring on Canon RF and an aperture ring on Fujifilm X and Sony E offer users quick access to settings.

The new Sigma 15mm f/1.4 joins the Contemporary series, a line that focuses on bright, portable primes for APS-C cameras that spans from 12mm to 56mm.

Announced ahead of the CP+ photography show in Japan, the 15mm was announced alongside Sigma’s new 35mm f/1.4 full-frame lens. The Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC DN begins shipping on March 12, costing $579 / £449.

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Browse the best Canon RF lenses, the best Sony E lenses, or the best Fujifilm X lenses.

When Sigma said that it was developing 28-45mm and 28-105mm cinema lenses, the announcement marked what’s likely a world first: cinema zooms with autofocus. But the Sigma 28-45mm T2 FF launched in November without the promised 28-105mm. Now, cinematographers finally have a launch date for the Sigma AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF: April 16, 2026.

Originally teased alongside the 28-45mm FF, the Sigma AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF doesn’t just bring autofocus to a zoom – it marks the arrival of a Sigma favorite for photography, the Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, in a format re-imagined for high-end video.

The lens, which will be available in L-Mount and Sony E-Mount, brings that unusual wide to telephoto zoom range and bright aperture to a cinema design. The lens uses cinema-style mechanics and operability, Sigma says. That list includes a limited-rotation focus ring, 0.8m pitch gears, and a clickless aperture ring.

Cinema lenses are traditionally manual focus, but recent developments have brought a number of different types of autofocus cinema firsts, including prime and anamorphic and Sigma’s first-ever cinema autofocus zoom, the Cine 28-45mm T2 FF, which was originally teased alongside the 28-105mm in June but launched on its own in November.

That autofocus capability is powered by a High-response Linear Actuator motor. Sigma says that the autofocus capability is particularly useful for scenarios, like action scenes and unpredictable movements.

The Sigma AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF will sell for $3,399 / £2,799 from mid-April.

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When Sigma launched the DSLR-mount 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, the move sparked the beginning of the brand’s popular Art line. Now, Sigma has re-imagined the lens that sparked the Art series revolution – again. The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art refreshes the popular prime with redesigned optics in a lighter, smaller package.

Sigma says the new lens is “the best optical performance ever in Sigma’s 35mm f/1.4 Art line,” which is the company’s way of saying that the new lens is better than the 35mm f/1.4 Art mirrorless and DSLR variants that came before it. At launch, the lens is available in both L-Mount and Sony E-Mount.

While the lens carries a “II” in its name, Sigma says that the lens has been “completely redesigned,” a change that makes the lens about 20 percent lighter and around 14 percent shorter than the previous mirrorless lens.

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art uses a 15-element design in 12 groups (the predecessor used the same number of elements but in 12 groups). Sigma says that the new design focuses on bringing enhanced resolution across the entire frame to match today’s higher resolution mirrorless bodies.

The updated lens, Sigma says, corrects for chromatic aberration. The surface accuracy of the lens’ aspherical elements has also been improved, which works along with the lens’ 11-count rounded aperture blades for smoother bokeh.

The lens also uses a new flare-prevention coating called Advanced Amorphous Coating or AAC. Sigma explains that this coating uses a low-refractive index, which is tech speak for helping to suppress the reflections that cause lens flare and ghosting.

The lens’ lighter and smaller design, however, is largely attributed to a new floating focus system, which also uses Sigma’s dual motor design dubbed the High-response Linear Actuator or HLA. Sigma says the lens also keeps focus breathing to a minimum, making the lens geared towards both stills and video.

The lens comes in at 530g / 18.7 ounces for the L-Mount variant, a noticeable drop from the 22.8 oz / 645 g of the predecessor. (The E-Mount is slightly lighter.)

On the exterior, the lens is made with aluminum, a thermally stable composite, and other materials. Seals also make the lens dust and splash-resistant, while coatings to repel water and fingerprints help protect the front of the lens.

Sigma unveiled the lens alongside the new crop-sensor 15mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary, just days ahead of CP+, a major photography trade show in Japan that often brings a number of new gear announcements.

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art is expected to begin shipping on April 16 for $1,059 / £849. This sits significantly less than the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II lens, which retails for $1,549 / £1,299 / AU$3,099 / CA$2,099.

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Tamron will have a Back to the Future-themed booth at CP+ 2026, taking place next week at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center in Kanagawa, Japan.

The optical giant is hailing the film as “the greatest science fiction adventure film in cinematic history” and, while the George Lucas fanboy in me might take the teeny tiniest exception to that, I doubt there’s a science-fiction fan on the planet who doesn’t list Doc and Marty’s 1985 outing in their top five sci-fi adventure flicks (at the very least).

And great Scott, judging by the official renders of the booth, it’s going to be awesome!

The stand itself surrounds what looks to be a life-size DMC DeLorean time machine from the film, against a backdrop of the iconic Hill Valley Courthouse. What better way to test out a selection of Tamron lenses than travelling back to 1955?

Tamron buffs will know that the company can trace its roots back to November 1950, with the company currently celebrating its 75th anniversary.

CP+ revellers will be able to travel back through Tamron’s decades of history via a special Tamron Lens History Board, showcasing some of its milestone creations – and, of course, the newly announced Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 and Tamron-Link remote focus and aperture dongle.

With regard to the collaboration, Tamron has devised the slogan ‘Focus on the future’. The idea behind the Back to the Future collab is that the company resonates with the message, “You create your own future.” And what a future that might be, if the manufacturer manages to make good on its promise of ten new lens models over the coming year.

The booth will also feature a video shooting demo, where visitors can get to grips with the Tamron Lens Utility and a slider, enabling them to “experience filming a scene from the movie.”

A collaboration concept movie called Together, Towards an Exciting Future will also be shown at the booth, while those in attendance can look forward to original merchandise being given away, with more details to be released in the future.

This isn't the first time that Tamron has collaborated with a pop culture brand for a CP+ display. My colleague James attended the show last year, when Tamron's booth was built around a giant diorama of Godzilla fighting Mechagodzilla!

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Fujifilm’s GFX Eterna has officially taken center stage at CP+ 2025, with the company revealing a working sample of its first dedicated filmmaking camera.

This development marks a significant milestone since the initial announcement of a mock-up late last year. While no specific price has been confirmed, in a new interview with CineD, Fujifilm has stated that the camera will be available later this year, and the goal is to make it accessible not only for rental houses but also for filmmakers who want to own it.

Given that the GFX Eterna shares much of its internal tech with the GFX 100 II, it's likely to fall within a similar price range. However, Fujifilm is aiming to make this camera available at a price point that appeals to a wider market, marking a new step in the company’s expansion into filmmaking tools.

Above: CineD's interview with the Fujfilm GFX Eterna developers

The GFX Eterna stands apart from the GFX 100 II with its dedicated filmmaking features, focusing heavily on usability and filmmaking-specific specifications. Fujifilm has developed the camera with flexibility in mind, adding the ability to shoot in 4:3 open gate, in addition to the traditional 16:9 format, using the entire sensor. This enhancement provides filmmakers with more creative options, particularly for those seeking a more cinematic framing for their shots. The dual base ISO of ISO 800 and ISO 3200 ensures that the camera performs well in a variety of lighting conditions, offering filmmakers flexibility and control in dynamic range.

One of the most noteworthy updates from Fujifilm is the rolling shutter performance, a concern for many after the initial announcement. The company has worked to ensure that the GFX Eterna minimizes the issues typically associated with rolling shutter, a common problem for filmmakers when shooting fast-moving subjects.

Rolling shutter performance will depend on the shooting mode, with the 4K 16:9 mode ensuring a 15ms minimum rolling shutter speed. Fujifilm’s commitment to eliminating rolling shutter issues during filming is a key highlight, setting the Eterna apart from other filmmaking cameras in its class.

In addition to the camera, Fujifilm has developed a new monitor specifically designed for the GFX Eterna. This exciting 5-inch touchscreen monitor will be included in the camera package, offering filmmakers an intuitive way to view footage and adjust settings. Built by Fujifilm, rather than a third-party manufacturer, the monitor reflects the company’s focus on providing an integrated filmmaking solution.

There has been considerable interest in a viewfinder, and Fujifilm acknowledges this demand. The company is exploring how best to respond, but for now, the monitor serves as the primary tool for previewing footage and adjusting camera settings on set.

As Fujifilm works to finalize the GFX Eterna, more detailed specifications will be revealed at NAB 2025. This upcoming event will likely offer a closer look at the full capabilities of the camera, including performance metrics and potential workflow integrations for filmmakers.

For now, however, reading between the lines, Fujifilm is positioning the GFX Eterna as the first in a new family of cinema cameras, with plans to expand the lineup in the future. However, the company is taking a cautious approach, ensuring that the Eterna meets the needs of the market before expanding further.

With the GFX Eterna, Fujifilm is making a bold statement in the filmmaking world, offering a unique combination of medium-format image quality, cinematic features, and user-friendly design. While filmmakers will have to wait until later this year for official release details, the camera is already making waves with its dual base ISO, 4:3 open gate support, and newly developed monitor.

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First Zeiss, now Schneider-Kreuznach; vintage lens manufacturers are making a comeback as Samyang unveils a new lens at CP+ 2025, designed in collaboration with Schneider-Kreuznach.

Schneider-Kreuznach, commonly known as Schneider, is a German lens manufacturer that you may not have heard about in many years. Founded in 1913, it established itself as a leading name in optics, producing lenses for photography, cinema, and industrial applications. While Schneider remained active in specialized fields such as large-format and cine lenses, its presence in the consumer photography market had largely faded, which makes its return with South Korean lens specialists Samyang a surprising and intriguing development.

On display at CP+ 2025, and presented via Photo Rumors, is the Samyang X Schneider-Kreuznach AF 14-24mm f/2.8 FE, a full-frame ultra-wide-angle zoom lens designed for Sony E-mount cameras. Notably, this is Schneider-Kreuznach’s first mirrorless lens, marking a significant shift for the brand as it adapts to modern digital photography. This collaboration combines Samyang’s expertise in producing affordable third-party lenses with Schneider-Kreuznach’s optical heritage – perhaps an exciting sign of things to come.

The lens is the world’s first 14-24mm Sony E-compatible super-wide zoom that facilitates front filters with a 77mm filter size. It also enables ultra-close-up shooting with a minimum focusing distance of just 0.18m. Despite its wide focal range, the lens remains compact and lightweight, weighing only 445g.

Despite the announcement, there is still very little information about the extent of Schneider-Kreuznach’s involvement in the design and manufacturing of the lens, except a line stating "Jointly developed with Schneider-Kreuznach". Whether Schneider played a major role in the optical formula or primarily contributed branding and legacy expertise remains unclear. There is also no official news on the availability or release date of the lens.

This collaboration highlights an evolving trend in the photography industry. Established European manufacturers like Schneider-Kreuznach are joining forces with modern, innovative brands such as Samyang. At the same time the growing presence of young Chinese lens manufacturers is shaping the future of the market.

As lens development becomes increasingly reliant on software and advanced optical technology rather than purely mechanical engineering, partnerships between heritage brands and newer players are becoming more common. This dynamic exchange of expertise brings together the best of both worlds; decades of optical craftsmanship meeting cutting-edge advancements in lens technology.

For now, the Samyang X Schneider-Kreuznach AF 14-24mm f/2.8 FE lens stands as an exciting revival of a historic name in photography, albeit in an unexpected form.

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Viltrox has introduced the latest offering in its lightweight Air Series at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama Japan – the Viltrox AF 25mm F1.7 AIR tailored specifically for APS-C cameras. This lens is part of the Air Series from Viltrox which is designed to meet the needs of photographers looking for compact and lightweight lenses to match smaller APS-C camera bodies – but that don’t compromise on large apertures and optical quality.

Available for Fujifilm XF, Sony E, and Nikon Z mounts at launch, the Viltrox AF 25mm F1.7 AIR has been engineered with portability in mind at just 170g-180g and 54.4-56.5mm long depending on your mount, it's destined to be an everyday lens that can live on your camera.

The lens’s fast f/1.7 aperture should enable impressive low‑light performance but also offers a relatively shallow depth of field, making it easier to isolate subjects from busy backgrounds – and there is a total of 9 aperture blades making up the rounded bokeh.

The optical design incorporates 12 elements in 10 groups including one extra-low dispersion (ED) element, two high-refractive index elements, two aspherical elements, and a HD nano multi-layer coating to minimize chromatic aberration and enhance clarity, improve contrast and detail, and prevent flare and ghosting.

Optimized for APS‑C sensors, the 25mm focal length translates to an effective field of view of approximately 37.5mm in full frame terms. This classic “normal” perspective is ideal for a range of photography styles – from street scenes, travel, and everyday snapshots to more environmental portraits, weddings, and events.

The lens features an STM screw autofocus system geared toward delivering quick and precise focus performance in both photos and video designed to work with each camera system’s subject tracking, as well as in-body image stabilization (IBIS) – but unsurprisingly for an affordable lightweight lens, there is no optical stabilization to be found here. For close-up photography, 25mm is a bit of an unusual perspective, but the lens can focus down to 0.3m with a magnification of 0.11x.

The lens is available to order online now from stores or directly from Viltrox, with a launch price of just $176 / £165, it significantly undercuts camera manufacturers' own brand lenses, although faces some tough competition from rivals like TTArtisan and 7Artisans. We have the lens in for review so stay tuned over the next few days for our thoughts on how it performs!

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The opening presentation of CP+ 2025 in Yokohama, Japan, saw Canon kick things off in literal fashion, announcing its partnership with the Olympic Council of Asia via a blistering Karate demonstration.

Canon is sponsoring Aichi-Nagoya 2026, the 20th Asian Games, which will see over 10,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 41 sports. It will be the third consecutive year that Canon has sponsored the event.

Taking center stage at Canon's opening presentation was Japanese Karateka, Hikaru Onu, gold medallist at the World Kata (forms) Championships and double gold medallist at the Asian Karate Championships.

While Karate is not yet an Olympic sport, it is a popular part of the Asian Games. Onu performed an impressive Kata demonstration in front of the enthusiastic audience in Yokohama.

As a partner, Canon offers organizers full technical support in the form of everything from imaging – cameras, lenses, broadcast equipment and network cameras – through to copiers, printers, multifunction devices and medical equipment.

In addition, Canon's CPS will be present throughout the games to help photographers with camera and lens equipment as well as offering technical support.

The Canon EOS R1 and Canon EOS R5 Mark II, along with professional optics like the new RF 70-200mm f/2.8L Z hybrid lens will be a key part of photographers' arsenals at the Games.

"We are expecting 10,000 athletes coming to Achi-Nagoya and I am sure with Canon’s support they will have a fantastic time competing at the Asian Games," said a representative of the Olympic Council of Asia.

"Canon’s support of the Achi Nagoya Asian Games will be highly appreciated by the Asian Olympic family."

The 2026 Games in Achi-Nagoya will mark 75 years since the first Asian Games took place in New Delhi, India, in 1951.

Canon has become a regular sponsor of the event, following its support of the Jakarta 2018 and Hanzo 2022 Games.

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Lens and accessory brand TTArtisan has unveiled its first camera – and it’s an instant film shooter that takes some serious inspiration from the retro camera trend. During CP+, TTArtisan revealed that it will soon launch a folding instant film camera.

The folding camera, which the company has not yet shared a name for, uses instant film and a fully mechanical design. Despite not yet revealing the camera’s name, price, or specifications, TTArtisan is displaying the upcoming camera at CP+ 2025 in Japan, telling fans on Instagram to “stay tuned for the official launch.”

The announcement comes just hours after photos of the camera leaked online ahead of the opening of the show. The official teaser reveals a few additional details about the upcoming camera. The camera will support “soft bokeh and bulb mode” suggesting some level of manual controls, a feature that’s harder (although not impossible) to find among modern but mostly automatic instant film cameras.

TT Artisan says that the camera will have a mechanical design, with a spring driven shutter, and won’t require batteries. The list of teased features also includes a Cooke lens design.

Images shared by the company offer further hints at the upcoming camera’s potential features. The lens appears to have a focal distance scale printed on the end, with two metal levers suggesting there’s some sort of controls there, such as manual focus or aperture. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a retro camera has features purely for looks and not function. The images also suggest Instax Mini film, rather than the Instax Wide format. The camera also has a viewfinder and a cold shoe slot as well.

Digital Camera World Editor James Artaius is on site at CP+ and was able to demo the camera at the show, so stay tuned for additional details from the show floor.

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While many third-party optics brands are known for being more budget friendly, Laowa is, perhaps, an optics brand best known for unusual lenses like its strange-looking macro probe lenses. But, Laowa’s lenses often fill a gap where few comparable options exist – and five upcoming lenses continue to follow that trend. During CP+, Laowa shared a sneak peek at five upcoming lenses.

Laowa shared a list of the upcoming lenses that are currently on display at CP+ on social media, but did not share specs, prices, or images of the optics yet. The list includes a 35mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift, a 15mm f/4.5 Wide Angle Macro and an 8-15mm Fisheye, as well as two cinema lenses, an Ultima 12-20 and a zoom coming to the Proteus lineup.

Laowa has only shared that the lenses are coming and on display at the CP+ show, but did not share when the lenses are expected to launch; it also has yet to reveal the specifications and pricing details. However, Sony Alpha Rumors suggests that the 35mm, 15mm and 8-15mm will be available across several mirrorless mounts, including Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z and L-Mount.

The teased 35mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift will join the brand’s growing list of specialist tilt-shift lenses, sitting between the existing 20mm and 55mm primes.

Laowa already has a 15mm f/4 Macro lens, but the existing optic is only available in DSLR mounts and the mirrorless L-Mount. Including the 15mm f/4.5 Wide Angle Macro among the list of upcoming lenses suggests that a similar optic could be coming to more mirrorless mounts.

Laowa’s Proteus cinema lens lineup currently only includes primes, with the teaser revealing that a zoom option is coming without naming the actual focal length. The teased Ultima 12-120mm lens was also on display at IBC last year, with some specs already available.

Laowa’s sneak peek on the upcoming lenses did not include an estimated launch date for the upcoming optics.

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Canon has developed a new app that enables you to shoot 3D imagery using a standard issue camera and lens – no need for special 3D optics or expensive camera rigs – effectively democratizing this previously cost-prohibitive form of content.

Unveiled at the CP+ 2025 show in Japan, the new app exploits the Dual Pixel sensor in the Canon EOS R5 to record two images in a single file – combining a regular image and one with parallax information.

It's the same technology as Canon's Dual Pixel RAW – which, for example, enables you to make adjustments to bokeh, lighting and sharpness after you've already taken a picture on the R5.

"This Canon camera has a Dual Pixel sensor," a Canon engineer explained to me. "That means two photodiodes in one pixel. Currently, we are using that for the autofocus. However, we can use that pixel to [produce] 3D.

"So we can take a photo as RAW data – we call it DPRAW, the extension is .CR3 – and then we made special application software for 3D."

In front of me is a stock EOS R5 and lens photographing a (slightly unsettling) doll. He takes me to a large screen where the photo is displayed, and using a mouse starts rotating the image – revealing that it has a third dimension.

"This is made from one picture," he beams. "We can make a 3D data from the one picture."

Very cool – and it appears to achieve a similar 180° level of 3D modeling as the very expensive Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual FIsheye lens, which will set you back a cool $2,000 / £2,100 / AU$3,300.

"Of course, then we want to make it 360°," he continues, taking me to a rotating turntable where an Asian ornament is being photographed by another R5. "So we just rotate and we take 12 pictures, or a little more, then combine them."

I'm led to a large touchscreen, where a selection of 360° 3D images are able to be fully panned, zoomed and rotated at the pinch or swipe of my fingertips.

I ask him to confirm again if an app and a stock camera / lens combo can really achieve what the Dual Fisheye optics are able to.

"Yes, you just need [the] application software. We also sell Dual Fisheye, but you have to pay more. But this is regular [camera and lens]. Many solutions, so you can try [the app] and then move to Fisheye [if you like the technology]."

It's really a remarkable feat – and as it was explained to me, you can use any lens to shoot 3D images, even a standard kit lens. So this app is real, it works, but how do we get access to it – is there a release date?

"Actually not yet – but if it has a good reputation here [at CP+] it might be good for the future!"

Check out the below video I took of the exhibit, where you can see the whole process in action.

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Viltrox is set to expand its lens lineup, with four new lenses alongside a new battery charging case debuting at the 2025 CP+ photography show held in Pacifico Yokohama, Japan.

Viltrox offers a huge range of camera equipment, from lighting to on-camera monitors, but the brand is perhaps best known for its lenses – and the company is showcasing several new products designed to meet the needs of amateur and professional photographers alike. These include the; Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB FE, Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE, Viltrox AF 50mm F2.0 Air, and the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB Z.

The AF 35mm F1.2 LAB FE lens is part of the new Viltrox Lab series – the series is the creme de la creme in Vitrox’s lineup, competing with Canons’ L series or Sony’s G-Master. The new 35mm lens is designed to perform well in low-light conditions with its wide aperture and offers a classic focal length great for weddings, events, travel, and street photography.

From the Pro series, the AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE lens targets portrait work with its mid-telephoto focal length and wide aperture. Lastly, another addition to the small, lightweight, and affordable Air series – the AF 50mm F2.0 Air lens looks like a nifty-fifty to provide a versatile option for everyday photography, and will launch in Sony FE and Nikon Z mounts.

The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB Z is not technically a new lens, as it was revealed several months back for Sony cameras – we have already reviewed it, and TLDR; we really liked it. However, the lens is now making the jump to the Nikon mount. Can we expect to see a Canon or L-mount version soon?

In addition to its trio of lenses, Viltrox is also announcing a camera battery charging case. Looking like a giant AirPods case, the battery case can recharge two batteries at the same time. There is no official information on exactly which batteries will be supported, but images show there will be at least four models at launch for compatibility with Canon LP-E6, Nikon EN-EL15, Fujifilm NP-W235, and Sony FZ100 batteries.

Dates and prices are yet to be revealed, but all products are scheduled for release shortly after the show concludes in a few days.

A keynote presentation by award-winning Japanese photographer and videographer Haseo is also on the agenda. Scheduled for March 1 from 2:30 to 3:00 PM at Hall D, Booth 49, the session is expected to offer practical insights into photography but might feature more from Viltrox’s new offerings.

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Normally, it’s hard to get overly excited about a rain cover, but when I heard the Photo Storm Cape is set to become the French editing software company, DxO Labs’, first physical product, it certainly caught my attention. It supposedly offers “uncompromising protection, premium high-tech materials, exclusive innovations, and exceptional comfort and style,” and was unveiled at the opening of the CP+ 2025 Camera and Photo Imaging Show in Tokyo, which is happening right now.

The Photo Storm Cape certainly is something different from the best rain covers in that it's a wearable rain cover. You heard that right. Think poncho and hood but with extra provision for your camera. The beauty of this is that it's designed to keep your camera sheltered even when swapping lenses. Pretty neat!

DxO tells me it has "two combined protective envelopes shielding upper and lower body of the photographer and gear". A clear PVC window and viewfinder access. A "fast-securing lens attachment," presumably to attach the lens to the rain cover. Two protected lens pockets, so you don't have to keep reaching into your camera bag to access lenses. Wrist attachments, so that the protective material remains over your hands and thus the camera. A "zipped abdominal pocket". And "zipped pant access," I imagine so you can access your trouser pockets, which might be housing your phone or memory cards.

It's a Kickstarter, so I’m not expecting to keep my camera (and myself) stylishly dry anytime soon. However, what makes this announcement slightly more enticing is the accessory’s link to the launch of the DxO Photographers Club, which has been dubbed: “a community-driven initiative dedicated to crafting innovative solutions for passionate photographers.” I don’t have much more information than that, but this does suggest that club members might have a say in future products. If that’s the case, I think this has the potential to be a cool idea.

DxO says that the Photo Storm Cape owes its existence to a chat around the coffee machine, so it seems likely that the DxO Photographers Club will encourage similar discourse.

DxO states that joining the DxO Photographers Club will allow you to “stay updated and be among the first to brave the elements like never before.” DxO also mentions that there's more to come, with the company, "already working on a range of innovative products and services designed for photography enthusiasts."

I doubt the Photo Storm Cape is going to win any fashion awards, but as somebody who's wrestled with plenty of camera rain covers in my time, if this wearable cover makes operating the camera and switching lenses easier, DxO could be on to something...

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When I first laid eyes upon the Sigma BF, my first thought was: Why have they slapped a lens mount onto an external hard drive? And: Well that looks like the world’s least ergonomic full-frame camera… But the moment I stopped acting like a practical photographer and more like a lover of cameras and design, I slowly came to the realization that I absolutely love it!

My less-than-favorable first impression of the Sigma BF isn’t exactly surprising. We live in a world where interchangeable-lens cameras come in two flavors: cool-looking retro throwbacks or bulbous utilitarian workhorses that look like a hodge podge of consumer tech and power tool design cues. But once I set my prejudices aside, I found myself thinking: far be it from Sigma to produce a modern camera that actually looks good.

I get it, you don’t buy a Nikon Z9 or a Canon EOS R5 Mark II for the looks. You want a deep grip, easy-access controls, and weather sealing to keep that high-resolution sensor safe and sound. But not all cameras are used to weather the storm and – let’s be honest – we all know we spend more time looking at the best mirrorless cameras than actually using them. Perhaps fair-weather photographers deserve more. And evidently, Sigma believes that, too.

The Sigma BF bears a strikingly similar concept to the now-discontinued Leica TL. But as far as the current market goes, its form factor will no doubt be compared to the Panasonic Lumix S9, but I feel its minimalist design is more aesthetically akin to the Hasselblad X2D 100C or Leica M11. It's not a huge departure from the Sigma FP, but the simple, avant-garde design looks like it was conceived by a luxury tech brand – think Bang & Olufsen or Bowers & Wilkins – rather than a camera manufacturer.

Very often – although not always – luxury brands emphasize simplicity. Ferrari is an excellent example. Look at the interior of a car from the Prancing Horse and it’ll be exceedingly clean and simple. The Submariner – Rolex’s most famous watch – has changed very little over the years and still sports an uncluttered dial, with the option for a simple day complication.

The Sigma BF follows these design cues. At its core, I guess it’s a modern (dare I say futuristic) take on the traditional rangefinder design. Rectangular and flat, with no real grip to speak of, but with an unapologetically minimalist design, thanks to those clean, angular edges, mono color palette, and overall clean aesthetic. Gone are the Sigma FP’s comparatively fussy physical controls and heat sink. Even the Sigma logo etched onto the camera is different: sleek, thin, a hint of serif.

The exposure-settings LCD has received similarly eye-catching treatment, with its lozenge shape and white, sans-serif fonts. But what I really like is the Sigma BF’s use of texture. The embossed grid on both the rear command dial and the left-hand side of the lens (when facing the camera) elevates the design somewhat, adding a dash of pizazz and functionality without too much fuss.

I’ve yet to hold the Sigma BF in my hands, unlike Digital Camera World Editor, James Artaius, so I have no idea how it handles. But you know what? I don’t really care. It’s never going to be a camera for serious wildlife and landscape photographers. Besides, why do people still buy mechanical watches post-quartz crisis? Why buy a Ferrari in a world with the far more practical and comfortable Ford Mondeo? Because luxury ain’t always practical, but it is something to marvel at and enjoy.

If the walls of your home are painted a crisp white. Your greyscale wardrobe largely consists of turtlenecks and slacks. And your home is devoid of all clutter, save for a few choice ceramic jugs and abstract paintings, then the Sigma BF should be right up your street.

That said, I don’t agree with Sigma’s sentiment that “the BF’s design cuts out everything that distracts from your interaction with the image.” If I had a BF, I don't think I'd ever stop looking at it!

And that’s no bad thing…

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Bokeh is often one of the key considerations for photographers picking out a new camera lens, but one upcoming lens from Voigtlander wants to give photographers control over the way that bokeh looks. An upcoming Voigtlander Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8 lens includes a spherical convergence control ring that will adjust the look of the out-of-focus areas of the image from a soft focus type look to hard-edged bubble bokeh. The company explains that the new bokeh control gives photographers more control over the look of the images, but comes at the cost of increased chromatic aberrations.

Teased during a YouTube video on February 25, the Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 for E-mount uses the unusual spherical convergence control ring to give photographers the ability to customize how the bokeh should look. The video explains that, on one side of the ring, the bokeh appears soft. On the opposite side of the control ring, the bokeh is overcorrected, giving the out-of-focus light dots a hard edge that’s often referred to as bubble bokeh or onion ring bokeh.

That gives the photographer the ability to control whether or not the bokeh is well-defined in-camera, rather than using tools like Lightroom Classic’s AI-based Lens Blur that also allows photo editors to add bubble bokeh along with other effects.

While bokeh control rings aren’t common, Voigtlander isn’t the first to launch a lens aimed at customizing the look of the bokeh. Petzval lenses, for example, use a control ring to enhance or reduce the swirling bokeh effect.

There’s a reason that most lenses don’t have such a control ring, however. Convergence is the term that refers to how a lens bends light to meet at a single point, which is the focus point. Adjusting the lens’ convergence will mean increasing chromatic aberration, or colored fringing, the teaser video warns.

“This lens is designed to vary the convergence, so it does have optical disadvantages,” the Cosina staff member in the video says. “I think this lens is recommended for those who enjoy these disadvantages as an essential part of their work.”

The new lens’ spec sheet includes a configuration made from six elements in three groups, with a nine-blade aperture. The lens weighs 560g and measures 88mm long. The full-frame lens does use electronic contacts to communicate EXIF data to the camera body, however, the spec sheet does not mention autofocus.

The new lens will be part of Cosina’s “touch and try” booth at the CP+ 2025 show in Japan, which begins on February 27. Cosina, a lens distributor for Voigtalnder and Zeiss, will also be displaying the new Zeiss Otus ML lenses.

The company has not yet shared the price or availability on the new Voigtlander Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8.

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I've spent the past couple of days at Sigma headquarters and the Sigma factory in Japan, getting intimately acquainted with the new Sigma BF – perhaps the most beautiful camera I've ever seen, and one that challenges the way we approach photography.

Some people have compared the Sigma BF to the Panasonic Lumix S9, based entirely on the fact that they're both teeny tiny full-frame cameras with a 24MP sensor and no electronic viewfinder. But this misses the point completely.

ABOVE: Watch my TikTok overview of the Sigma BF

If you're going to compare the BF to anything, it should be the iconic Leica TL – a similarly breathtaking camera, similarly machined from a single ingot of aluminum and similarly "smooth" to shoot with. Because make no mistake, whatever else this camera promises, the way it looks and the way it operates will always come first.

The former, you can see for yourself – and hey, maybe the way a camera looks means nothing to you. But I think the market has more than enough soulless black boxes with a fancy sensor inside that are merely a means to an end – they take a picture, but they don't inspire you to take one.

The BF is a camera that doesn't just sit on your shelf until there's call for you to use it – it's a camera that sits on your shelf and calls you to use it. Screams at you, in fact.

Not many cameras do this. Leicas do. The OM System OM-3 does. The Nikon ZF and Hasselblad X2D do. All cameras that might (and, indeed, have) been accused of being "style over substance". But, if you're a visual artist, then surely you understand that style is substance.

The BF's beauty isn't just skin deep, though; there is an experiential philosophy that complements the aesthetic one.

Sigma's CEO, Mr Yamaki, told me two key things: his belief that technology is an art in and of itself, and that the rise of smartphones made him seriously consider the relevance of digital cameras in today's day and age.

The Sigma BF marries these principles perfectly; the camera, in Yamaki's words, is "radically minimalist" – not just in looks, but in use. Gone is the clutter of buttons and dials and switches and hatches. This is a camera stripped of all the fat, bloat and excess. A camera that gives you exactly what you need to take pictures and gets rid of absolutely everything else.

With only a shutter, three buttons and a single wheel, I've seen people complain that there is only one "control dial". But many photographers only shoot in a priority mode anyway – and this is, I dare say, part of the point of the BF. Not to take options away, but to strip what may not be necessary.

The BF sets out to bridge the gap between smartphone convenience and dedicated camera performance. In other words, the experience is supposed to be streamlined.

And, once you get your head around that experience – of shooting without constant settings and icons and numbers and distractions plastered all over the rear screen – you understand that you don't need all this stuff. Just as you don't need it when you use a camera phone; you just use the damn thing and take the damn picture.

In support of that, the BF packs in a host of JPEG shooting modes – a selection of beautiful smashmouth and subtle styles, from crunchy monochrome to soft serene colors. That's how this camera is supposed to be used; shoot what you see, not shoot to edit later.

And, like the looks, that's something you either buy into or you don't. If you want a camera where you agonize over your ISO and you always want to check your metering and you can't possibly take a picture without a spirit level… yeah, this camera probably isn't for you.

But if you want a camera that keeps you in the moment, that enables you to capture exactly what's in front of you, a camera that you could just as happily take photos of as well as take photos with… you might just have found your new next camera.

See the new BF camera for yourself on the Sigma stand at The Photography & Video Show 2025, where they'll be on show to the public for the first time outside Japan.

Book your ticket to The Photography & Video Show and save 20%

The Photography & Video Show 2025 is at the London Excel exhibition center, running for four days from Saturday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 11. It is open 10:00 to 17:00 every day. You'll find everything you need to know here.

The Photography & Video Show is presented by Future plc, which is also the parent company of Digital Camera World.

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Sigma has announced "a camera with a new concept": the Sigma BF, an L-Mount camera with 24MP full frame sensor, 230GB internal memory and minimalist design – "a modern-day camera obscura" with single-finger operation, priced $1,999 / £1,969 and available in April.

Addressing the raison d'être for dedicated cameras, in a world where smartphones are increasingly dominant, CEO Kazuto Yamaki revealed a dedicated camera for everyday life.

"The problem is, modern digital cameras are not compatible with frequent day-to-day use. So we wanted to create a camera that is small, simple and highly usable – perfect for everyday photography. The concept is an everyday system camera for creative minds."

Machined from one aluminum ingot, that takes over seven hours to produce. Superb feel, exceptional durability and screw-free. On the left side, only a strap hole; on the right, only a USB-C. On the bottom, only a tripod mount and battery compartment.

The Sigma BF is compact, at just 120.1 x 7.8 x 36.8 mm and weighs just 388g. There is no memory card slot – because it has 230GB of internal storage.

The UI is simplified to just one dial and three buttons. Aside from the shutter button, everything can be controlled with your thumb using haptic technology for precise feel.

The simplicity extends to the operational and live view system – boasting an option for an information-free live view screen for distraction-free shooting.

JPEG color modes are introduced, in addition to Rich mode (with cyan-focused, saturated colors for visual impact) and Calm mode (with muted colors, suitable for portraits and other elegant relaxed looks).

In addition to the new camera, Sigma has also unveiled a "dream lens", the 300-600mm f/4 DG OS, along with the Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary.

The 300-600mm f/4 promises the optical performance of a 600mm prime lens in an optic that's the same size, weighs in at 3,985g and boasts 5.5 stops of optical stabilization at 600mm. The lens also offers drop-in filters. It is available in L-Mount and E-Mount, for $5,999 / £5,899, shipping in April.

The 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 is the world's first mirrorless lens with 18.8x zoom. This APS-C lens has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-400mm, and offers 6 stops of optical image stabilization at the wide end, and 4.5 stops at the telephoto.

At just 121.4mm in length and weighing a mere 615g (in L-Mount), this is a remarkably lightweight and compact optic despite its zoom range. It is priced at $699 £599, and will be shipping in April for Canon RF mount, L-Mount, E-mount and Fujifilm X-Mount.

The company has dropped the "DN" in its nomenclature, as all lenses will now be mirrorless.

In addition, a new brand visual identity along with the creation of the Sigma Foundation to "contribute to the development of photo culture".

At an event at Sigma headquarters in Japan, Kazuto Yamaki reflected on his journey as the son of the company's founder and the founding ethos that "technology is an art in itself".

Continuing that legacy, Yamaki announced: "As part of our commitment to art, we are now preparing to launch Sigma Foundation, to contribute to the development of photo culture."

The brand will be partnering with two world-famous photographers, portrait specialist Julia Hetta and Selve Sundsba – whose recent work focuses on AI -generated images, created using his original photos as a database.

See the Sigma BF and two new lenses for yourself on the Sigma stand at The Photography & Video Show 2025, where they'll be on show to the public for the first time outside Japan.

Book your ticket to The Photography & Video Show and save 20%

The Photography & Video Show 2025 is at the London Excel exhibition center, running for four days from Saturday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 11. It is open 10:00 to 17:00 every day. You'll find everything you need to know here.

The Photography & Video Show is presented by Future plc, which is also the parent company of Digital Camera World.

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Many of the camera brands tend to time launches around the industry’s largest shows and exhibitions – and one of the biggest camera events is here. CP+, or the Camera and Imaging Show, is an annual photography show held at the end of February.

The event is held in Japan, the birthplace of many key photo brands like Nikon and Canon, and in past years the show has brought some of the biggest announcements of the year – and we're already seeing some of the biggest announcements so far in 2025.

So what does CP+ 2025 have in store for photographers and filmmakers? Several brands have trickled out teasers of launches to come during the show, while others decided to avoid launching during all the noise of the show and unveiled new cameras early, like the OM System OM-3, the Nikon P1100 and the Canon PowerShot V1. Now that the show is here, we've already seen the launches for the Panasonic S1R II, the Sigma BF, the Zeiss Otus MF lenses, and two new lenses from Sony. Adobe, who isn't actually listed among the CP+ list of exhibitors, even launched a version of Photoshop for the iPhone this week. Even TTArtisans has announced its first camera, a retro folding bellows camera that uses instant film.

But, there could be much more to come. Many of the camera rumors circulating around CP+ 2025 are just that: rumors. But some teasers make it possible to make some educated guesses. Here’s what we've already spotted at the show and what I expect could be yet to come.

Editor-in-Chief James Artaius will be on-site at CP+ – so be sure to check back as we update this article, sign up for Digital Camera World's emails below, or follow us on Facebook or TikTok.

What is CP+ 2025?

CP+ is the Camera and Imaging Show, an annual event held in Japan. Many camera manufacturers tend to time large announcements around trade shows – and, in the past, the CP+ show has meant a number of big launches timed for the end of February and the first few days of March.

For photographers lucky enough to attend the event in person at Pacifico Yokohama, CP+ means the chance to see and try the latest gear, along with attending seminars and workshops to learn a few new skills. But for photographers around the world, CP+ means we can expect some new gear launches to coincide with the annual event.

When is CP+ 2025?

CP+ 2025 will be held from February 27 through March 02.

While the event didn’t officially start until Thursday, a few launches have already came slightly ahead of the show. Either way, we’re expecting the event to be one of the biggest weeks for new gear launches for the first half of 2025.

What we expect from CP+ 2025

Many manufacturers tend to time big launches around shows like CP+. We’ve already seen a few launches and teasers, so we know some new gear is coming at the start of the show. But, other brands tend to be more secretive about launches, so we’re expecting a few surprises as well.

Here’s what has been announced ahead of or at the show, plus what’s rumored to be coming, based on the teasers and the list of brands scheduled to be part of the show.

Canon at CP+ 2025

Canon has let the cat out of the bag a little early, unveiling the Canon PowerShot V1 the week ahead of CP+. The V1 is poised as a vlogging camera, but the feature set is a hybrid one and the larger sensor and zoom lens could attract the same generation that’s reviving the old G7 X series. DCW Editor James Artaius got his hands on an early sample and, so far, the V1 looks to oust similar vlogging cameras in several categories with a larger sensor and faster speeds. But, so far, the V1 only has a launch date for Asia and it's unclear if the camera will be available in more countries.

Read the Canon PowerShot V1 hands on review

Outside of the V1 launch, Canon hasn’t yet shared any official teasers of what’s to come at CP+ this year. Will we see any new Canon cameras next week? Or perhaps some lenses?

Canon has stayed quiet on what’s to come so far, leaving only rumors. The Canon R6 II and R3 are starting to show their age a bit, so if I had to guess, I’d point to one of those two models seeing a successor.

But then again, there’s always the chance that the V1 is it for this year’s CP+ show. Canon was fairly quiet at the show last year – and if the early V1 launch is any indication, they may prefer announcing new products away from the noise of the big photography shows.

Nikon at CP+ 2025

Like Canon, Nikon hasn’t unveiled any teasers ahead of the CP+ show yet. Nikon has already had a busy month announcing the P1100 bridge camera, the Z mount coming to some Red cinema cameras, and a 28-135mm f/4 PZ lens. Nikon also just updated its image cloud platform, so that will likely be a focus for the company’s booth as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nikon used up all its launches ahead of the CP+ show.

Of course, Nikon could still have a few surprises up its sleeve. Could the aging Nikon Z7 II finally get an update? With the Z7 II at a steep discount right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Z7 III launch this year. Or perhaps the Nikon Z5 could get an update? Maybe, but there’s always the possibility that Nikon’s launches earlier this month are the only ones slated for the first part of 2025.

Sony at CP+ 2025

I predicted that Sony might follow the same route as last year, when the brand launched three lenses at CP+ 2024, and I was right on track. Sony has announced two new lenses just ahead of the CP+ show, the Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS and the 16mm f/1.8 G.

The new telephoto lens is notable because the zoom is the longest focal length lens Sony has made so far for mirrorless. While the lens will be both pricier and heavier than Sony's 200-600mm lens, it offers far more reach, which can also be expanded up to 16,000mm with the 2x teleconverter.

The new Sony 16mm is notable for the opposite reason – it's more affordable than the high-end G Master 14mm lens, but wider than Sony's 20mm f/1.8.

Many Sony fans predicted a Sony A7 V would arrive in 2024. When that year came and went, the rumors focused on the CP+ show as a potential launch date. Sony’s video-focused cameras are also fodder for current camera rumors, and with compact cameras trending, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea for the company to refresh one of its popular compact cameras.

But again, some camera brands seem to shy away from doing a huge launch at a trade show – wanting to not share the stage with other launches happening that week (pun intended). So the new lenses could be everything that Sony has up its sleeves for the CP+ show.

Fujifilm at CP+ 2025

Fujifilm is booming right now, thanks to the popularity of the compact X100VI. That camera launched during last year’s CP+ show, which suggests the manufacturer isn’t afraid to launch a new camera during a big photography event. The company also launched a new kit lens at last year’s show, so new X-Mount optics could be a possibility as well.

Fujifilm has already confirmed that a medium format GFX Eterna camera made for filmmaking is coming – but the company has been quiet on a timeline for the video-focused medium format.

As a Fujifilm photographer myself, I’m hoping to see some X-series cameras launched soon. The popularity of the X100VI has a lot of similar mirrorless cameras hard to find in stock, so I would love to see some new options pop up. If I could make a wish, I’d ask for Fujifilm to launch a new rangefinder like a successor to the X-Pro3 or the X-E4. But, that’s just wishful thinking, as Fujifilm has stayed quiet on whether or not a new model is coming.

Panasonic at CP+ 2025

Panasonic decided not to wait around for the official first day of CP+ and unveiled the S1R II on February 25. The Panasonic Lumix S1R II is the brand's new flagship with a 44MP sensor with 40fps bursts. But, unlike the first generation, the S1R II is also being billed as a hybrid camera, with a long list of video features that start with 8K video.

Digital Camera World's Reviews Editor Gareth Bevan got his hands on an early sample. While we still have to put the S1R II through additional testing, so far it's shaping up to be "pretty much everything any Lumix fanboy would be begging for in a flagship camera."

Read the full Panasonic S1R II early review here

OM System at CP+ 2025

OM System already had a big launch earlier this month with the unveiling of the OM-3 along with three weather-sealed lenses. With that, I’m not expecting to see another big launch so soon – I think OM System wanted to get its camera out into the world before the mass announcements at CP+ divided photographers' attention.

But, OM System has several photographers scheduled for workshops and presentations, so the brand will definitely be heavily prevalent at the CP+ show.

Zeiss at CP+ 2025

Zeiss hasn’t launched a camera lens in several years – so some photographers got pretty excited when a teaser popped up on the brand’s social media earlier this month. Now, we finally know what all those teasers were about: the new Zeiss Otus ML 1.4/50 and 1.4/85.

The announcement finally brings Zeiss glass to mirrorless cameras, including the Sony E-Mount, Canon RF-Mount, and Nikon Z-Mount. Like the DSLR Otus lenses, the optics are high-end glass with a metal body. The lenses are designed for a mix of sharpness and bokeh that makes subjects pop. But the announcement also comes with a price that's actually lower than the DSLR series.

See the full story on Zeiss CP+ news

Sigma at CP+ 2025

Sigma has announced its big news for CP+ ahead of the show's opening – with news lenses and a new camera.

The Sigma BF is a radical new full-frame mirrorless camera which takes the small, simple approach of the Sigma fp even further. The BF features a 24MP sensor and uses the interchangeable L-mount lens system. Made from a single block of aluminum, the camera is designed to be much simpler to use than its rivals – offering a simple step-up for smartphone users.

The two big lens announcements are a monster 300-600mm f/4 supertelephoto zoom for full-frame L-mount and Sony FE-mount, and a 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 superzoom for use on APS-sensor mirrorless mounts.

See our full story on the Sigma announcements

Voigtlander

Here's a CP+ launch I wasn't expecting: The Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8 lens. While details are sparse so far, a video demo shows how the lens actually lens photographers control the look of the bokeh. A new control ring adjusts from soft bokeh to well-defined bubble bokeh.

While the odd control ring is most striking, the company will also be displaying the new Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 Aspherical VM lens.

Read the full announcement of the Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8 lens.

TT Artisan at CP+ 2025

Budget lens brand TT Artisan said that it will be showcasing a “new product” during CP+ – and that new product is the brand's first camera. TTArtisans will soon launch a folding bellows-style retro camera that uses instant film, the brand shared during CP+.

The folding instant camera is more of a tease than a launch, as TTArtisan hasn't shared a full list of specifications, a price, a launch date or even the came of the camera yet. But the images and few details reveal a colorful take on the old school folding bellows cameras. The company noted that the camera is all mechanical and won't need batteries.

Read more on the TTArtisan folding bellows camera

Who else will be at CP+?

Having a booth at a photo show doesn’t guarantee a new product is coming – often brands are just displaying their current line up and offering a hands-on look to show guests. For example, Tamron is slated to have a booth where guests can stop by and photograph Godzilla with one of Tamron’s lenses (yes, really!)

Third-party optics companies also introduced several key optics during the show. Viltrox has unveiled four new lenses at CP+ along with a battery case, while Laowa has teased new tilt-shift and fisheye lenses.

Film is alive and well at CP+ as well, with Lomography unveiling a developing tank that allows photographers to develop film without a darkroom.

Apparently, some brands that aren't even among the CP+ list of exhibitors are making announcements this week too, including Photoshop arriving on the iPhone.

But, we could see some surprises. DJI and Hasselblad are sharing a booth, and DJI has now unveiled a new dock for enterprise users.

Browsing the list of exhibitors, additional big brands that will be at the show include optics companies like Samyang, Tokina and Yongnuo. Yashica and Insta360 are also among the list of exhibitors, as well as lighting brands like Godox, Neewer, and Profoto, as well as accessory companies like H&Y, Sirui, Vanguard and Slik.

And, here’s a head-scratcher, even Sega (yes, the videogame maker and creator of Sonic the Hedgehog) is included among the list of exhibitors!

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Canon has officially announced the Canon PowerShot V1 – a compact camera boasting a 16-50mm zoom and a new 1.4-inch image sensor (similar in dimension to a Micro Four Thirds sensor).

The Canon PowerShot V1 is officially the flagship of the PowerShot V line, offering a step up from the novice-oriented PowerShot V10. It marries a large 22.3MP sensor with the Digic X processor to offer a new version of Dual Pixel CMOS AF II featuring face and eye detection for humans, dogs and cats (but not birds or horses).

As you can see from the imagery, it looks similar to the Sony ZV series of vlogging cameras – and I think it's pretty clear that this is squarely where the V1 is aiming, with the included wind muffler, tally lamps, 4K 60p video, 10-bit Canon Log 3 capture, and a product showcase ('Review Video') mode.

To support the video functions, the V1 has an active cooling fan for extended recording (the limits, if any, have not been stated) along with automatic horizon correction and digital image stabilization. With these latter features (which cannot be used simultaneously) the focal range is reduced to 17-52mm, with a resolution of 18.7MP.

ABOVE: Watch the Canon PowerShot V1 announce video

While the headline features are definitely skewed towards video, the PowerShot V1 is very much aimed at hybrid creators interested in taking photographs.

It boasts blistering 30fps burst shooting via the electronic shutter, along with Canon's Creative Filters for stills shooting – though Canon has only cited diorama and toy camera as examples, so I wouldn't expect any fancy recipes or film simulations.

Curiously, the camera has only been announced in Asian territories at present – though this does not necessarily preclude a release in the west, as other Canon products (such as the Canon PowerShot Pick) debuted in Japan before rolling out to the US and UK.

The Canon PowerShot V1 is due to be released in late April. I assume the camera will be on show at the CP+ 2025 event in Japan next week, which I'm lucky enough to be attending, so hopefully I can share more information with you soon.

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The CP+ 2025 imaging show in Japan that kicks off on February 27 should bring with it several product announcements – and the teasers are already beginning to trickle out. The China-based lens manufacturer TTArtisan is already teasing a new product that will be displayed at the show, but the brand is being ultra secretive at even what category the new item falls under.

On social media, TTArtisan shared a post with a photo indicating that a new product will be on display during the CP+ Show February 27 to March 02. The photo was accompanied by a simple caption spelling out the show details along with the lines: “We'll be showcasing a new product coming soon! Can you guess what it is? Stay tuned for the first look!”

Talk about an obscure teaser. Originally when I spotted the photo, I immediately started thinking a film announcement was coming, as the photo showcases what appears to be a roll of 35mm film. But then I realized that TTArtisan makes what’s probably the cutest $7 photo light ever that actually looks like a roll of film. Sure enough, a closer look at the photo reveals it's the little LED light sitting there, not actual film.

The LED light is pictured next to a 75mm lens and a 23mm AF lens. That doesn’t offer much for fans to go on as to what the announcement could be, especially since the company uses the words “new product” so it's unclear if it's even a new lens or an accessory like the LED light.

Based on the company’s past launches however, I feel safe speculating that whatever it is will be competitively priced, as TTArtisans is known for budget lenses. I hope it’s an item that’s totally unique and not a copy of something already available from a different brand, like TTArtisans tiny Fujifilm X-Mount pancake lens, or the swirly bokeh of the 75mm lens that’s pictured in the teaser.

Either way, photographers should brace themselves for an onslaught of new gear announcements at the end of the month to coincide with the start of the CP+ show in Japan.

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CP+ is the biggest camera event in the world and CP+ 2024 kicks off tomorrow in Tokyo with many new camera and lens announcements expected. Ahead of the event, Cosina has given us a peek at several new Voigtlander lenses scheduled to be unveiled. 

The Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical is the first of the lenses with scheduled releases for Nikon Z, Canon RF, and Sony FE mount. Much like other Voightlander Nokton lenses, it will be entirely manual focus, but it does include electronic contacts enabling a discussion between camera and lens to aid with technical recordings such as EXIF data. Although compact and lightweight, the lens' large diameter covers the full-frame sensor and offers a wide f/1.5 aperture, which will certainly be appealing to portrait photographers.  

The 75mm focal length sits right in the zone of the best portrait lenses, and when coupled with the wide f/1.5 aperture at full-frame you can expect some seriously stunning images. We all know that a shallow depth of field and bokeh isn't a necessity for a great portrait but at f/1.5 the lens will enable great fall-off and subject separation, drawing attention to only the pin-sharp focused area.

The lens is configured with 7 elements in 6 groups and a 12-blade aperture which will make the bokeh deliciously spherical. Cosina states that this lens will be perfect for 'bokeh photography', and having read the specs I can see why, but I think that this lens may also be a valid option for videographers.

The other two lenses announced by Cosina are the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM and the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM. Both of these lenses are for full-frame VM mount. Voigtlander VM mount is designed especially for Lecia M series cameras and often features among the best Leica M lenses due to its retro and manual focus nature and delivers great optical performance at a more affordable entry point for Leica M users.

The Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM 'adopts an apochromatic design that brings the axial chromatic aberration of RGB, which makes up the three primary colors of light, as close to zero as possible'.

4 types of this lens will be available, each with different focus extension structures, materials, and exterior colors. This is the first time I have seen a single lens with 4 different build options, so I will be interested to see the official reveal at CP+ and how they all differ.

The Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM is a lightweight and compact lens that offers excellent optical performance, and Cosina states that even at wide-open performance remains consistent.

50mm is a classic focal length and has been used on M-mount cameras by some of the greatest photographers of all time, most notably Henri Cartier-Breeson. Cosina has recently announced a super-fast 50mm f/1.0 for Sony mirrorless, which is also expected to be on display at this year's CP+.

Further information about the lenses, their release dates, and the prices will all be unveiled at CP+ 2024. We have yet to test these lenses so can only speculate after reviewing the specification sheets, but I imagine like with most Voigtlander lenses you can expect bang for your buck!

Voigtlander offers great affordable options for lenses, for more information on budget-friendly equipment see our guides to the best cheap lenses, the best budget telephoto lenses, and the best Leica alternatives. 

Is it Christmas come early, or late? Either way, CP+ 2023 – the biggest camera and imaging event of the year – is taking place in Japan tomorrow from February 23-26. 

After three successive years of being a virtual-only event, following its 11th hour cancellation in 2020 as the COVID pandemic broke out, CP+ 2023 will finally return to its home at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center in Yokohama, Japan. 

All the major players including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Sigma and many more will be in attendance to show off their latest products – as well as announce new ones. 

While traditionally the event was the platform for manufacturers to make their big announcements, a number of camera reveals from the likes of Canon and Panasonic have already taken place – but this is still set to be a significant event in terms for announcements and first looks. 

What is CP+ 2023?

Organized by CIPA, the Camera & Imaging Products Association – the body that certifies things like the number of shots you get from a single battery charge, or the number of stops of compensation on image stabilization – CP+ is the biggest camera and photo imaging show in the world. 

Historically it has been a launchpad for the major manufacturers to launch their big products for the year ahead. It is also an event where new technologies, innovative projects and concept cameras are showcased. 

According to the organizer, "the theme for this year's event is 'I found a new me.' By meeting new friends, having new experiences, and being exposed to cameras and photographs, you will begin to discover yourself and enjoy self-expression that you have not noticed before. We aim to create such opportunities."

What we expect at CP+ 2023

Sigma lenses

With the beans already having been spilled, it seems almost a certainty that Sigma will launch three well-leaked lenses in Yokohama (though there are rumblings they might be revealed in March).

First up we have a pair of prime lenses for full-frame cameras: the Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN Contemporary and Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary, both for Sony E and Leica L mounts. 

Not to be left out, APS-C shooters will be receiving a fast 35mm equivalent, in the form of the Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens for Leica L mount, Sony E mount and Fujifilm X mount.

• Report: Leaked specs for new Sigma lenses: 17mm, 23mm and 50mm

Voigtländer lenses – including Canon RF and DSLR!

Cosina confirmed that it will be unveiling four new lenses, including its first ever lens for the Canon EOS R system. It is likely that all four optics will come under the Voigtländer brand. 

First we have the Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Canon RF mount, which is described as "with electrical contacts" – meaning it won't be a 'dumb' lens, and will be able to communicate aperture and EXIF information, but don't go expecting a third party RF autofocus lens. This is modeled after the existing Nikon Z and Leica M versions.

Then there will be two optics for Fujifilm's APS-C system X-mount system. We have the super-fast Nokton 35mm f/0.9 Aspherical and the compact Ultron 27mm f/2  pancake lens, both of which are brand-new designs.

Finally, DSLR shooters rejoice! Cosina will also debut the high-speed Nokton 55mm f/1.2 SLIIS for Nikon F mount, complete with electronic contacts and exposure meter interlocking claws (see full story).

Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 for Fujifilm X mount

Initially expected to be revealed at CP+ 2023, Tamron surprised us with a sneaky development announcement a couple of days early – but the full announcement could well take place in Japan.

Already available for Sony E, the Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A RXD is now coming to the X mount – where it will be Tamron's fourth lens for the Fujifilm APS-C mirrorless system.

• Full story: Tamron opens up 11-20mm f/2.8 wide zoom to Fujifilm X-photographers

Sigma Foveon sensor update

After promising its 60.9MP Foveon sensor camera for 2020, Sigma has faced nothing but roadblocks and obstacles – to the point that it scrapped the entire project, fired its sensor manufacturer, and started from scratch in 2021. 

Then, in 2022, Sigma promised that its new Foveon X3 sensor (if not a camera to go with it) would arrive "this year". Obviously, however, it did not.

Now 4 years after its announcement, could CP+ 2023 be the place we finally see the latest Foveon come to fruition? We expect an update on its progress (or lack thereof), if nothing else – though an X3-powered successor to the Sigma fp and Sigma fp L would be a nice surprise! 

Nikon Z8

This one is a bit of a long shot, as it is expected that the Nikon Z8 will be launched in March or April. But Nikon is known to drop development announcements ahead of full reveals of its new products – as was the case with the Nikon Z9, among other notables.

What do we expect of the Z9? Well, it's being pitched as a Sony A7R V-beater and is thought to be Nikon's long-gestating high-resolution model with a 61MP sensor. 

Full frame Sony ZV camera

This one is a bit of a long shot, as it's rumored that this camera won't be revealed until March… but it would make sense for Sony to make an announcement on the camera world's biggest stage. 

Sony is said to be prepping an announcement for a new member of its ZV line of vlogging-oriented cameras – but unlike previous models like the Sony ZV-E10, this one will possess a full frame sensor. How will it differ from the Sony A7C? Hopefully we won't have to wait long to find out!

• Report: Sony's next camera will be… not the one you expect

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It's showtime! One of the biggest imaging events on the calendar, CP+ 2022, is taking place in Japan this week from 22-27 February. For the third year in a row, the exhibition be a virtual-only event, with the live show being cancelled with just two weeks to go due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Traditionally a live trade show attended by thousands of delegates at its home base in the port of Yokohama, Japan, CP+ 2022 may again be only online – but that hasn't stopped all the major players from taking part, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, and many more.

Thanks to Panasonic, Olympus and Sigma, the announcements from the show have being made ahead of the show opening its virtual doors. You can catch up with the online event at the CP+ English website.

Here are some of the highlights announced so far, and a few of the other things we are expecting…

Canon RF 800mm & 1200mm lenses

Canon has chosen CP+ as the place to give us full details on its monster mirrorless telephotos - the Canon RF 1200mm F8 L IS USM and the Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM. Already promised on the Canon RF lens roadmap, both lenses are designed primarily for professional wildlife and sports photographers, and for surveillance. The image-stabilized long-tom supertelephoto primes can both be used with Canon's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters - offering users even more reach. The prices are as eye-watering as the focal lengths, with the recommended retail price set at $20k and $17k each!

• Read full story

Panasonic Lumix GH6

After missing its 2021 release, the Panasonic GH6 was finally announced at CP+ – and the manufacturer's new GH flagship packs a brand new 25.2MP sensor, 5.7K 30p internal video in ProRes 4:2:2 HQ, unlimited recording, V-Log / V-Gamut, Dynamic Range Boost, support for 4-channel 24-bit audio and more. You can check out our Panasonic GH6 live blog to relive the live announcement as it happened.

• See full story
• Hands on: Panasonic GH6 review

Sigma launches Fujifilm lenses

At last! Sigma has announced its first ever lenses to fit the Fujifilm X-mount mirrorless family of cameras. There will be three primes to begin with – Sigma 16mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4. The trio of lenses have already been sold by Sigma in Sony E and Canon EF-M and L-mount versions – but are perfectly suited to the APS-C sensor of cameras such as the Fujifilm X-T30 II and the Fujifilm X-T4.

Sigma is also saying that it is working on a Fuji-X-mount version of its 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary zoom lens that it launched last year in Sony mount.

• See full story

Sigma sensor update

Sigma has also provided an update on its work developing a new version of its three-layer Foveon image sensor. In short, it tell us that its is still working on it:

"Based on the evaluation results of the prototype sensor, we will decide whether to proceed to Stage 3 [final prototype evaluation using a full-frame sensor] or to review the design data and re-prototype Stage 2 [using a smaller sensor]. When we proceed to Stage 3, we will verify the mass-producibility of the sensor with research institutes and manufacturing vendors based on the evaluation results, and then make a final decision on whether or not to mass-produce the image sensor."

Originally promised in 2020, Sigma had to announce it was going back to the drawing board at last year's CP+ show.

OM System Olympus OM-1

Olympus is no longer the Olympus of old - with the manufacturer selling off its imaging division. But last week, ahead of CP+, the new OM System company revealed its first major camera – that looked as much to the past, as the future, by being called the Olympus OM-1 (after one of Olympus's best-loved 35mm SLRs).

• Read the full story +
Read our Olympus OM-1 hands-on review

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The annual CP+ trade show has been cancelled as a live event once again. The annual photo exhibition where all the big Japanese camera and lens manufacturers reveal their latest kit will now, once again, be run as a virtual show. 

CP+ had been preparing to open its doors in Yokohama for the first time since 2019. However, the organizers have just announced that the physical event due to have run from 24-27 February will now be an online only affair due to the the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The press release cites the rise of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the Japan as the reason for the cancellation, as well as a shortage of antigen test kits

The full press release (auto translated from Japanese) reads:  

"CP + 2022 puts safety and security of visitors and exhibitors as the most important event as an event to be held in the corona disaster. We have been preparing for the Pacifico Yokohama venue and online hybrid holding on the premise of taking thorough safety measures. However, due to the violence of the Omicron strain, which has been expanding rapidly since the beginning of the year, the number of infected people and close contacts is increasing rapidly.

The supply of antigen test kits is tight, which is a hindrance to safe event management. Also, looking at the current infection situation, the number of infected people has decreased significantly by the end of February, and it is unlikely that the event will recover to a state where it can be held safely and securely. The psychological anxieties of visitors and exhibitors cannot be wiped out.

As the organizer, always watching the corona infection situation,
We have taken all possible measures, but the customers who come to the event,
As a result of giving top priority to the safety and security of exhibitor staff and all other event related parties, Judging that CP + 2022 should not be held in real time in this situation, we have decided to cancel the Pacifico Yokohama venue event and hold it online alone.

Customers who were looking forward to the event at Pacifico Yokohama for the first time in 3 years, we apologize for the inconvenience caused to all the exhibitors who have been preparing for the event and many other related parties.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but thank you for your understanding.
We also sincerely apologize for the announcement of the cancellation just before the event."

What is CP+ ?

In the history of photography, CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show is relatively new. It first took place in 2008, and last took place in 2019. The annual show takes place in Yokohama, the Japan's second largest city and a major international port. It takes place over four days and typically attracts some 70,000 visitors to the Pacifico Yokohama exhibition complex. 

The 2020 event was also cancelled at short notice, just as the Covid-19 pandemic was in its first wave - and in 2021 was held successfully as a virtual exhibition.

We will be bringing all the news from the CP+ 2022 online event as it happens.

Read more:

Camera rumors 2022: what new cameras are coming out this year?

Laowa has unveiled four f/0.95 prime lenses that comprise its new Argus line – two for full frame, and one each for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras. 

Venus Optics, manufacturer of the Laowa brand, revealed the fast glass at the CP+ 2021 imaging super show in Japan. They consist of mostly wide-angle lenses – 25mm (Micro Four Thirds), 33mm (APS-C) and 35mm – along with a 45mm option. However, given the associated crop factors, the first two behave as effective 50mm lenses. 

• Read more: Fastest lenses you can buy

They join the increasingly populated ranks of f/0.95 lenses, including the Mitakon Speedmaster f/0.95 and the Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct. Here are the specs of the lenses, courtesy of Venus Optics / Sightron:

Laowa MFT 25mm f/0.95

Micro Four Thirds

• Focal length: 25 mm
• Effective focal length: 50mm
• Maximum aperture ratio: F0.95
• Angle: 46.7 °
• Lens construction: 8 groups 14 sheets (1 aspherical lens, one special low-dispersion lens, including three high refractive lenses)
• Number of aperture blades: 9
• Minimum shooting distance: 25 cm
• Maximum shooting magnification: 0.17 times
• Filter diameter: φ62mm
• Dimensions: φ71 mm × 86 mm
• Mass: Approx. 570 g

Laowa CF 33mm f/0.95 APO

APS-C – Sony E / Fuji X / Nikon Z / Canon EF-M

• Focal length: 33 mm
• Effective focal length: 49.5 (Sony / Fuji / Nikon), 52.8 (Canon)
• Maximum aperture ratio: F0.95
• Angle: 46.2 °
• Lens construction: 9 groups 14 sheets (1 aspherical lens, one special low-dispersion lens, including three high refractive lenses)
• Number of aperture blades: 9
• Shortest shooting distance: 35cm
• Maximum shooting magnification : 0.125x
• Filter diameter 62mm
• Dimensions: φ71.5mm × 83mm
• Mass: Approximately 590g

Laowa 35mm f/0.95

Full frame – Sony FE / Nikon Z / Canon RF

• Focal length: 35 mm
• Maximum aperture ratio: F0.95
• Angle: 63.4 °
• Lens construction: 9 groups 14 sheets (1 aspherical lens, one special low-dispersion lens includes four high refractive lenses)
• Number of aperture blades: 15
• Shortest shooting distance: 50cm
• Maximum shooting magnification : 0.1x
• Filter diameter: 72mm
• Dimensions: φ76.8mm × 103mm
• Weight: Approximately 755g

Laowa FF II 45mm f/0.95

Full frame – Sony FE / Nikon Z / Canon RF

• Focal length: 45 mm
• Maximum aperture ratio: F0.95
• Angle: 51.3 °
• Lens construction: 9 groups 13 sheets (1 aspherical lens, one special low-dispersion lens, including one high refractive lenses)
• Number of aperture blades: 15
• Shortest shooting distance: 50cm
• Maximum shooting magnification : 0.12x
• Filter diameter: 72mm
• Dimensions: φ76.8mm × 110mm
• Weight: Approximately 850g

Read more: 

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It's showtime! One of the biggest imaging events on the calendar, CP+ 2021, is taking place in Japan this week from 25-28 February. 

Traditionally a live mega event attended by thousands of delegates at its home base of Yokohama, Japan, CP+ 2021 this year is an online-only virtual show – but that hasn't stopped all the major players from taking part, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Laowa, Atomos and many more.

Thanks to Canon, Sony, Leica and Pentax we've already seen a bunch of new cameras – and Olympus announced some fascinating plans for the future, not least the fact that it wants to partner with other companies going forward. 

Here are some of the highlights announced during CP+ 2021 – along with a few products we've been keeping our fingers crossed for but have so far yet to see…

Canon Posture Fit

Canon's latest concept camera looks like a Pixar character straight out of WALL•E, and dances on your desk. But why, and what does it do?

The ultra-adorable Canon Posture Fit monitors your posture while sitting at your desk and will "communicate with cute movement" to alert you when you've been sitting for too long, or when your posture is poor. 

Conceived in response to a Canon designer seeing his wife suffer with shoulder pain, since working from her home desk during the pandemic, the camera doesn't capture your face or background but solely monitors your spinal position. And instead of alerting you with annoying pop-ups on your screen, it dances to get your attention – the logic being that computer alerts are easily ignored, but nobody ignores a cute pet when it wants attention!

• Canon's cute new camera looks like a Pixar character – and it dances on your desk!

Sony FX3

The Sony A7S III is so nice that Sony has released it three times, this time calling it the Sony FX3! That may seem like a terribly cynical perspective, but internally the FX3 has a lot in common with the A7S III and the Sony FX6. It has a full frame 10.2MP back-illuminated EXMOR R CMOS sensor paired with Sony’s high-speed Bionz XR processor.

The combination offers video shooting speeds up to 4K 120p and 240p for full HD video, but the key innovation in the FX3 is active cooling – it has an internal fan to allow unlimited 4K 60p recording, and also supports USB power delivery, so that the battery capacity needn’t be a limitation either.

• Sony FX3 expands Sony’s Cinema line with its smallest, cheapest model yet

Olympus will work with other companies, considering photo tours, confirms PEN and Tough will continue

While OM Digital Solutions, new owner of the Olympus brand, didn't have any new products to reveal, it gave us some incredibly revealing insights into the future direction of the company. 

Crucially, it confirmed that the PEN and Tough lines – represented recently by the  Olympus PEN E-PL10 and Olympus Tough TG-6 – will continue alongside the company's principal products, the OM line of cameras (like the flagship Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III). It also confirmed that the Olympus brand name would continue to be used "until Olympus fans are satisfied". 

Fascinatingly, OM Digital confirmed that "Instead of just doing things on our own, we will work with other partners when necessary", which will no doubt get tongues wagging over potential technology partnerships. The company also stated that it is looking to broaden its offering to cater to the wider culture of photography – citing photography tours as an area that it is considering! 

• Olympus will work with other companies; is considering photography tours
• Olympus: PEN and Tough will continue, Olympus name will be kept "until fans are satisfied"

Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams

While Leica's original James Bond camera, the Leica Q2 007, has been delayed almost as often as the beleaguered No Time To Die movie it's set to release with, the manufacturer officially announced its second Bond-tastic body.

The Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams ditches the signature Leica red dot in favor of a black dot with gold writing, which continues a theme of gold lettering and adornments across the camera – and it even comes in a lavish presentation box lined with black silk. It's limited to 750 units and yours for just $6,995 / £5,600 / AU$9,990!

• Leica's first James Bond camera of 2021 is officially here!

Canon EOS M50 Mark II

After a limited release in select territories in October, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II (aka the Canon EOS Kiss M2 in Japan) has finally been granted a release on the global market. 

Sadly it's a disappointingly light refresh of the original Canon EOS M50 (Kiss M), with the only upgrades being software related – which begs the question of why they weren't released as a firmware update, rather than charging consumers for a whole new camera.

Still, if you don't already own the original M50, here you'll find a compact and capable APS-C camera with a 24.1MP sensor, 1080p up to 60p with Dual Pixel AF, 4K 30p (albeit cropped and without Dual Pixel), 10fps shooting, and the new addition of vertical video for those TikToks and Instagram Stories.

• The disappointing Canon EOS M50 Mark II hits the global market at last

Canon PowerShot Pic

There's no shortage of new camera rumors when it comes to Canon, with rampant speculation over both a flagship Canon EOS R1 as well as a Canon EOS R7 featuring an APS-C sensor (the first RF-mount camera to do so). There's also Canon's riff on the DJI Pocket that keeps popping up (see below).

In addition, there are also plenty of new lenses rumored to be revealed – including APS-C superzoom lenses, a series of f/1.4 primes, a Canon RF 300mm f/2.8 and perhaps even shift lenses. However, there have been reports that Canon's plans to announce a camera and two lenses at CP+ have been delayed due to industry wide production issues. 

Still, we will have no doubt that the Canon PowerShot Pick – the AI-powered PTZ camera that acts like your own personal photographer, able to capture moments you would otherwise miss whether you leave it on the table during a birthday party or mount it to your hot shoe while photographing a wedding.

• The AI-powered Canon PowerShot Pick costs $391 and "picks your moments"

Pentax K-1 Mark II J Limited 01

While CP+ 2021 was supposed to see the launch of the APS-C flagship Pentax K-3 Mark III, the brand delayed the product earlier this month (due to supply and production issues). 

However, we instead saw the launch of the Pentax K-1 Mark II J Limited 01 – a special edition of the full-frame flagship Pentax K-1 Mark II that features a wooden grip and custom pentaprism cover… and comes in gaudy metallic red and blue options (on top of the slightly more tasteful black or silver).

It's a Japan-only product, so you'll have to hit up eBay or your favorite importer if you need a metallic monstrosity in your life!

• Pentax' latest camera is a metallic red monstrosity

Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary

While we waited with bated breath for the Sigma fp L, Sigma instead announced its latest lens: the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary.

Unlike current full-frame 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms, which are pretty big, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary strikes a balance between performance and portability, with an optical design based on the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art lens, but in a significantly smaller body – achieved with a slight reduction in zoom range at the ‘wide’ end, from 24mm to 28mm.

This new lens weights 470g, which is 40% lighter than the Sigma 24-70mm, and it's also 20% shorter and slimmer. Sigma points out that fitted to a Sigma fp the combined weight is just 892g, which is less than the Sony 24-70mm G Master lens on its own! Available from 12 March, it also comes with a light price tag of $899 / £759.

• Sigma launches a new compact 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN contemporary

Stuff we're still hoping to see…

Sigma fp L

This one now seems less likely, since it was completely absent from the Sigma product showcase at which it revealed the new 28-70mm f/2.8 (below).

However, we know that the manufacturer has registered the mysterious new Sigma fp L – a new member of the Sigma fp family. While we know that it won't feature the again-delayed 61MP full-frame Foveon sensor, we wonder what that "L" could stand for – though it's difficult to decode Sigma's nomenclature. 

The Sigma SD Quattro H, for example (incidentally the last camera to feature a Foveon sensor) didn't seem to have an obvious meaning behind the "H". It boasted an APS-H sensor, but so did the regular Sigma SD Quattro. Since the Quattro H had a higher resolution (a 25.5MP sensor, but a "51MP-equivalent" according to Sigma), it is tempting to infer that the H stands for "high resolution".

So what of the L here? Perhaps it stands for "Lite", maybe thanks to the use of an APS-C sized image sensor in lieu of the Sigma fp's full-frame one. Perhaps it means something else entirely… hopefully we'll find out very soon! 

• Sigma fp L camera reveal next week – but it WON'T have a Foveon sensor

Canon vlogging camera (a la DJI Pocket)

Every year, the naysayers proclaim that this will be the one that sees Canon kill off its EOS M series – despite the fact that cameras like the Canon EOS M50 are perennial bestsellers for the company. 

However, what may be true is that the future of Canon's APS-C mirrorless system lies in this – a vlogging camera that's essentially an interchangeable lens version of the DJI Pocket 2. 

Patents for the camera have popped up incessantly over the past year, so we think it's entirely possible that Canon might reveal the device in some for at CP+ – perhaps in the same way it did with its many concept cameras it has debuted at the show over the years, including the Canon Ivy Rec and Canon PowerShot Zoom.

Sharp 8K Video Camera

We first saw the Sharp 8K Video Camera over two years ago, back at CES 2019, but since then there has been a stop-start release of new information… but it all came to a screeching halt last year. 

Once upon a time Sharp's device was set to be the first consumer 8K camera on the market, but it has since been beaten by both the Canon EOS R5 and the Sony A1. However, after being a no-show at CES 2021, we wonder whether the 33MP Micro Four Thirds camera with the 5-inch screen will ever actually materialize.

We're still pulling for you, Sharp – it's just a whole lot easier if you prove to us that there's still something to pull for! 

• The Sharp 8K Video Camera is still alive – will it have 8K 60p in 2021?

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CP+ 2021, one of the biggest camera and imaging events on the global calendar, will be going online-only for its February supershow, its organizer has announced.

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) had previously pivoted its imaging extravaganza to a hybrid show, running part online and part physically at its traditional home of Yokohama, Japan. Following rising cases of COVID-19, however, CP+ 2021 will now take place entirely virtually from 25-28 February 2021.

"In view of the fact that the number of COVID-19 infection cases has recently been soaring once again, we have decided to cancel the on-site organization of the event at Pacifico Yokohama and hold only CP+2021 Online," stated CIPA.

This year's show, CP+ 2020, was cancelled outright (on Valentine's Day, no less) at the start of the pandemic, prompted in part by a cruise ship full of 2,500 passengers being quarantined in Yokohama harbor – exactly where the CP+ venue is situated. 

It is the latest in a string of adjustments that the imaging events industry has had to make in order to accommodate the 'new normal'. CES 2021, which is traditionally held in Las Vegas, will likewise be an exclusively online event when it takes place from 11-14 January. 

The UK's leading photography and video supershow, The Photography Show, will also be hosting a Virtual Festival on 6 and 7 March 2021, following a highly successful online debut this year. 

The full statement from CIPA follows:

"Announcement about the online-only organization of CP+2021 

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) (president: Masaya Maeda; address: MA Shibaura Bldg., 3-8-10 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan) had been preparing to host CP+2021 in a new form by holding it on-site at PACIFICO Yokohama and also online as an international world premiere show for camera & photo imaging to introduce the latest products and technologies as well as to communicate the future of the industry and the fun and growing popularity of photo imaging culture. 

However, in view of the fact that the number of COVID-19 infection cases has recently been soaring once again, we have decided to cancel the on-site organization of the event at PACIFICO Yokohama and hold only CP+2021 ONLINE. 

As you know, many events have recently been successfully held in an online format, and we will ensure that CP+2021 ONLINE can be participated in by the maximum number of exhibitors. We will thus hold the international camera & photo imaging show online to introduce the camera & photo imaging industries and photo imaging culture from Japan to the world. We hope for your continued support for the event."

Register for The Photography Show Virtual Festival

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Another major trade expo has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. CP+ 2020 was set to take place from 27 February to 01 March in Yokohama, Japan, but has been officially cancelled by the show organizers.

The news comes 24 hours after the announcement that MWC 2020 – Mobile World Congress, a critical trade event for the mobile industry that welcomes some 100,000 guests each year – has also been cancelled.

Unlike MWC, however, whose cancellation was in large part due to the large contingent of Chinese exhibitors (given the dominant players in the smartphone sector), CP+ 2020 is dealing with a very unique problem. While Japan has relatively few instances of coronavirus, there is currently an infected cruise ship full of 2,500 passengers quarantined in Yokohama harbor – which is exactly where the CP+ venue is situated. 

"Given there is no effective treatment or containment measures of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we have chosen to cancel CP+ 2020 because we put top priority in the on the health and safety of visitors and exhibitors," said CIPA in an official statement.

"CP+ is a trade show for consumers. The main feature of this show is that visitors can actually handle the newest camera and related equipment and get a feel for how they operate. The event attracts around 70,000 unspecified visitors and therefore we cannot completely eliminate the risk of infection. The CIPA believes it is important to avoid such risk at all cost. While it is truly regrettable, we have decided to cancel this year’s show. We ask for your cooperation and understanding concerning this matter."

So where does this leave the industry's next major photographic trade show – The Photography Show 2020, taking place in Birmingham from 14-17 March? According to Jonny Sullens, Events Director for the UK event, the show is still on track to go full speed ahead – unlike MWC and CP+, which featured a significant base of exhibitors from the affected regions, The Photography Show is a local market show with limited direct attendance from Chinese manufacturers.

"Whilst the UK risk level of coronavirus has been increased from low to moderate, the risk to individuals has not changed at this stage and remains low. Events at the NEC are therefore going ahead as planned, and it is business as usual for The Photography Show & The Video Show. We continue to follow advice from the World Health Organization and Public Health England, as well as that of local government and if anything changes then we will respond accordingly."

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UPDATE: A potential announcement date for the Canon EOS Rs has been leaked, and it looks like we could be seeing this dazzling new camera by the end of next month. Rumors published by Canon Watch suggest that the Canon EOS Rs will be announced ahead of CP+, which starts at the end of February. 

Apparently, we might also see two new RF mount lenses as well, which could possibly be more budget-oriented. This would be a welcome addition from Canon, as the RF mount lenses are known for being quite pricey.

ORIGINAL STORY:

We might only be a hop, skip and a jump away from the end of 2019, but the camera rumor mill is already rumbling along happily for 2020 - and it looks like we're certainly not going to be disappointed by next year's camera offerings! One of the most exciting rumors we've heard is that Canon will reportedly be releasing a new EOS R-series camera, which has been dubbed the Canon EOS Rs by rumor sites. 

• Read more: Canon EOS RP review

With the Canon EOS R and Canon EOS RP having been released over a year ago - and Nikon having recently released its own new Z-mount camera, the Nikon Z50, it's not surprising that we're seeing a new R-mount camera from Canon. 

However, while the Nikon Z50 was positioned in the camera market as an enthusiast camera perfect for vloggers and influencers, the Canon EOS Rs definitely looks a little more professional.

According to rumor website Canon Rumors, the Canon EOS Rs is rumored to have a beefy 75MP full frame CMOS sensor, which is a huge step up from the 30.3MP sensor on the Canon EOS R. Plus, this sensor will also apparently "focus on the dynamic range". It's not clear what that specifically means, but we assume the Canon EOS Rs' sensor will have improved dynamic range.

However, the sensor isn't the only exciting aspect of the upcoming Canon EOS Rs. Professional Canon photographers everywhere may need to sit down for this announcement, as the Canon EOS Rs is rumored to have… dual card slots! Ever since the Canon EOS R was released, one of the main gripes about the camera has been its single card slot, which essentially made it useless as a professional camera. However, Canon has finally heard the frustrated cries of working pros and granted their wishes. Merry Christmas indeed.

Other interesting potential specs include a DIGIC 9 processor, the joystick from the EOS-1D X Mark III, a larger and higher resolution EVF than the EOS R and full weather sealing. The Canon EOS Rs will also have a fully articulating LCD screen and similar ergonomics as the EOS R. 

However, what we're most excited about is that the Canon EOS Rs will apparently be released in February 2020. This date makes perfect sense, as it gives pros enough time to buy the Canon EOS Rs and practice with it before the 2020 Olympics. It also means that we've got something new and shiny to look forward to as we're battling the January blues. 

We can't wait to see what the Canon EOS Rs will be like, but in the mean time, we'll be keeping you up to date on any new developments and rumors. 

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