Ever noticed a symbol that looks like a zero with a slash through it on the top plate of your camera? This often-ignored icon lines up precisely with the focal plane – essentially the surface of a digital camera's image sensor, or a film camera's film cell – and is your point of reference for measuring focus distance, no matter what focal length you're using. 

Some lenses – particularly vintage lenses – feature focus distance markings on the focusing ring. Match up the right marking with an object at the same distance and it'll be in focus. However, where do you measure from – the front element of your lens? Nope. The rear element? Nah. The lens mount? Try again… 

It's actually the front surface of the digital sensor or film cell. So, camera manufacturers like to give you a helping hand by including a handy little focal plane mark as a point of reference. Go ahead, check your Nikon Z6 III, Fujifilm X-T5, Canon EOS R6 Mark II or Sony A7 IV – they all have one. 

Now, if autofocus made the focal plane mark redundant, you'd assume that a combination of live view, EVFs and focus peaking would have finished it off with a suplex. After all, plenty of modern lenses have ditched focus ring markings altogether. But there are a few applications where the focal plane mark still comes in handy, even today. 

Many macro photographers still swear by manual focus and, while it's by no means a necessity, the focal plane mark still has its uses here. For example, you may use it to precisely measure your macro lens’ minimum focus distance.

It's also useful for pre-focusing. If you set up a camera on a tripod to photograph, say, garden birds on a bird table, measuring from the focal plane mark to the center of the bird table and focusing your lens accordingly would provide you with a good ballpark for capturing sharp visitors. 

And of course, the recent boom in film cameras means that the focal plane mark is definitely worth being aware of if you own a manual-focus-only body. 

But there's one area of image-making where the focal plane mark is readily used to this day: filmmaking. You see, manual focus is still very much a filmmaking staple. Higher-end productions employ dedicated focus pullers, whose job solely revolves around manually focusing cinema cameras. And they often measure the focus distance and focus the lens accordingly.

Skilled focus pullers get very good at gauging focus distance by eye, but nothing beats using the focal plane mark for ultimate precision. Rather handily, some cinema cameras such as the Canon EOS C500 Mark II (above) have a focal plane mark, which protrudes from the camera. This not only provides a reference for measurements, but can be hooked onto the end of a tape measure for speedy manual readings.

So there you have it. You might not ever need to use the archaic focal plane mark on your camera, unless you're an avid macro photographer, film camera buff or professional focus puller. But now you know what it is and why it's there.

You might be interested in the best cameras for filmmaking, as well as the best cine lenses.  

One of my favorite things about owning an interchangeable lens system is that I can simply swap over lenses when I need to shoot wider, more zoomed-in, or macro and close-up depending on the specific subject matter I’m shooting and what I’m trying to achieve creatively. While superzoom lenses such as 18-300mm exist and bring many focal length options into a single lens, they simply don’t cut it for professionals who need both razor-sharp glass and super-fast apertures too. 

When taking photos of fast-paced events, sports, or weddings however you rarely have the time to switch your lenses and that’s where a double camera harness can be a game-changer. Important aspects to look for in a good dual camera harness are first and foremost security - you want to be able to trust that your pride and joy aren’t suddenly going to go crashing into the ground. Secondly, there's comfort: if you’re shooting for a whole day with two heavy cameras loaded up, you’ll need decent padding to save your shoulders.

I recently got hold of both BlackRapid’s Double Breathe and Blackline II dual camera harnesses to test them out. On face value they look very similar - they’re both dual camera harnesses that allow you to carry two systems with different lenses attached, making them a good fit for weddings and events. The Blackline II however is a third more expensive, so I was keen to put it through its paces and find out if it’s really 33% better!

Specifications

Price: $199 / £199
Size: One size fits all
Colours: Black
Features: 2x Locking Swivel Carabiner ConnectR CR-3
Includes: 1 x CoupleR II; 2 x Nylon-Coated FastenR FR-5 (1⁄4-20”); 2 x Lockstar II; 2 x Camera Safety Tether II
Shoulder Pad material: Highly breathable Polyester Mesh, TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) Foam and Polyester Air Mesh
Shoulder Pad Size: Length: 16ʺ (40.5 cm); Width: 2.2ʺ – 3.7ʺ (5.5 cm – 9.5 cm); Thickness: 5mm
Webbing: 100% Nylon; Webbing Width: 1ʺ (2.5 cm)
Adjustable Strap, Maximum Length: 63ʺ (160 cm)
Weight: 11.6 oz / 45.3g

Features

I’ve recently reviewed BlackRapid’s Sport Breathe, Blackline I and Double Breathe camera straps, and following suit the Blackline II harness uses the exact same mounting system that I’ve raved about in those other reviews. 

It uses a ConnectR and FastenR system to secure your camera to a metal carabiner, this is then secured with a spring-loaded metal piece on the carabiner, and the LockStar Gate is clipped shut to stop it from being accidentally opened - the LockStar Gate can also only be closed in place with the carabiner fully secured and locked down for added security, you do this for both cameras on either side of you. Many of these security features are patented too, so you'll only find them on BlackRapid products.

For even more peace of mind, the Blackline II comes with two safety tethers which can be lashed to each carabiner and then to the strap lug on your camera for another point of camera and a failsafe should the main connection fail, though in our testing everything felt totally rock-solid and we never felt like it would be needed, though it’s nice to have nonetheless.

The camera straps on your left and right are both height adjustable so you can get them hanging precisely where you need them to be within easy grasp which you need to quickly grab one and start shooting. Unlike the Double Breathe harness however, there’s no Slim model, though it has to be said the shoulder pads are already a little slimmer than the Double Breathe and its padding is softer, so perhaps this isn’t needed as much here.

As with the Sport Breathe, Blackline I, and Double Breathe that I’ve previously reviewed, the Blackline II has front and rear bumpers on both left and right straps. These can be adjusted with just one hand to limit or expand the area of travel the carabiner with your attached camera can travel along. 

The rear bumper acts as a good backstop to stop it moving too far back out of reach, while the front bumper is great for those times you need to lean forward to adjust a lightstand or bend over to pick something up, as the front bumper can be slid down to prevent your camera from coming hurtling forward.

Performance

The Blackline II put in a solid performance by being constructed from high-quality materials and parts patented by BlackRapid. The FR-5 FastenR is metal but nylon coated for a premium feel and has a 3mm thick rubber disc to help you add just the right amount of tension when screwing it into your camera’s tripod mount port or lens foot. The metal carabiner feels high quality too and screws down to secure it in place, with the LockStar II gate then shutting to keep it from opening accidentally and keeping your kit safe.

One big difference between the Blackline II and the Double Breathe is that, as the name suggests, it has an all-black design. The Double Breathe has a bright white logo on the front right shoulder pad and a shiny metal buckle on the back too, whereas the Blackline II is dressed more like a ninja with all-black plastic buckles and a blacked-out rubber logo on the front too. This makes it much more nondescript and makes it easier to blend in, whether you’re wearing a tuxedo at a wedding, or just want to keep a low profile while shooting street photography.

Another noticeable upgrade from the Double Breathe is the Blackline II has slightly smaller yet more comfortable padding and larger ventilation holes too for ‘ultra’ breathability. I found this to be notably more comfortable as it molded to the contours of my shoulders a little better.

Both the back and chest straps have an elasticated piece of material in them so they move with your body a little and there’s some give which increases comfort. When using mirrorless camera bodies loaded up with lightweight primes or small zoom lenses you hardly notice you’re wearing it as the strain is on your shoulders rather than your neck. However, load them up with heavier DSLRs and big telephoto lenses and you’ll inevitably start to feel the strain a bit sooner.

We had full faith that the Blackline II could handle the weight of whatever we could throw at it. It’s a solid bit of kit with sturdy metal carabiners and attachment points that give you plenty of peace of mind. The carabiners also glide like butter over the nylon straps so you can effortlessly raise your camera up to eye level to take a shot and never get in the way.

Verdict

Alongside this harness, I’ve recently reviewed BlackRapid’s Sport Breathe and Blackline I slings as well as the Double Breathe Harness, and while I’ve been thoroughly impressed with all four products, in my opinion, this is the best camera harness to go for. It has a fully blacked-out design which makes it more nondescript and better padding too.

The padded shoulders are softer and also a little smaller than the Double Breathe, so this will potentially be a better fit for women and people of smaller stature without the need for a slim model (like the Double Breathe). Plus, it shares many of the great features of the other straps I’ve mentioned, such as the FastenR and LockStar Gate to keep your camera secured to each strap, in addition to an extra safety strap and bumpers to limit the travel of your camera.

Okay, it might not have the bougie style of a leather (or faux leather) strap, but it prioritizes substance over style with this reliable and solid harness, and for what it’s worth I think the all-black design looks pretty good! The shoulder pads can also be separated and you can use just one as a cross-body sling for those times when you just want to shoot with one camera which adds to its value too.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is not, however, Canon's first attempt to design such a product. 

Canon's aspirations to produce a handheld gimbal camera date back to at least 2021, which is when the first patents and designs were spotted. 

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

In 2021 it was speculated that this could be the EOS M system, supporting the EF-M lenses employed by Canon's first mirrorless system (which included popular cameras such as the Canon EOS M50). 

That said, it looks to me like the earlier diagrams (such as the one below) show a mount with 12 electronic contacts, which would suggest the RF mount (since the EF-M mount only had 9 contacts):

Either way, the latest design shows that these plans may have changed. Whether it's because the EOS M system has now been discontinued, the throat of the RF mount is too big, or because Canon has simply decided against interchangeable lenses of any kind, the most recent version looks to feature a fixed lens – albeit a zoom one. 

"Canon has been exploring this type of camera for some time, but it seems to be gradually moving towards a design similar to the Osmo Pocket," writes Asobinet, which spotted the latest patent. 

"Canon seems to be considering installing a zoom lens, rather than a fixed focal length lens like the Osmo pocket. This type of camera is fixed to a wide-angle fixed focal length, so it would be convenient if it could use standard or telephoto lenses. 

"It is unclear whether this will be realized, but it seems that they are considering a camera unit structure that has less center of gravity movement when zooming (making it easier to balance with a gimbal)."

Whether this latest design comes any closer to production than its predecessors from over three years ago, it's hard to say. However, with the DJI Osmo Pocket line being more popular than ever, it's certainly a fertile market for Canon to tap into.

You might be interested in the best Canon cameras, as well as the best gimbals for cameras and the best smartphone gimbals.

Nikon Japan has announced the return of its "MF Old Product Maintenance Service," according to Digital Camera Watch. This is available for a limited time starting on Monday, September 2nd, and running until Thursday, October 31st. 

The maintenance is paid for, with pricing varying based on the specific product being serviced. The initiative aims to help owners of Nikon’s older SLR cameras and interchangeable lenses maintain their gear in top condition to carry on taking analog photos.

The maintenance service is available for a selection of Nikon’s vintage SLR cameras and lenses, including models from the Nikon F, F2, F3, FM, and FE/FE2 series. The service primarily covers inspections and cleanings, as well as checks on the functionality and exterior of the equipment. For lenses, the service does include oil replacement in the helicoid mechanism, however, it is important to note that the service does NOT involve part replacements.

Customers interested in this maintenance service can apply by sending their equipment directly to the Nikon repair center or by making a request over the phone. 

The process is expected to take approximately three months for each item. However, only certain prime lenses are eligible for this service, reflecting Nikon's focus on maintaining some of its most iconic and beloved products.

This marks the fourth time Nikon has offered this maintenance service, with the most recent offering in 2021. The company decided to reintroduce the service following numerous requests from long-time users who continue to rely on their classic Nikon equipment. 

The initiative underscores Nikon's commitment to supporting its customers and preserving the legacy of its historic products. I think this is a great initiative, but I think it should be offered on a global scale, or at least at Nikon Japan and Nikon USA.

To my knowledge, Nikon USA has the experience to offer this service and, while I understand the logistics for it to be offered at Nikon Japan currently, it would be a massive win for Nikon to announce a similar initiative for analog users in the US and elsewhere.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thypoch is a relatively new player in the photography world, but it has quickly made a name for itself with a focus on producing high-quality, manual-focus lenses. While its first lenses were designed for Leica’s M series of cameras, Thypoch is now expanding these lenses to other mounts, quickly adding the Canon RF, Nikon Z, and Sony E mounts, as well as the version I am testing here – for Fujifilm X-Series cameras. 

So far the company’s lineup includes just a couple of focal lengths, catering mostly to street, landscape, and travel styles of photography with a Simera 28mm f/1.4 and Simera 35mm f/1.4 being the first, and currently only, two lenses in the Simera range. Thypoch also has a curious collapsible 50mm f/2 lens in a separate Eureka range that I also really enjoyed playing with.

A counter to the growing number of cheap lenses flooding the market from Chinese lens manufacturers, Thypoch has become recognizable for its robust metal construction and intricate designs and can be mentioned in the same breath as companies like Vogitlander. Thypoch lenses have become pretty instantly popular among Leica photographers who value precision and durability, but also optical quality.

But, while Leica cameras are made for lenses exactly like this, how well is the Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4 going to transition to Fujifilm and other more modern autofocus-first cameras?

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Specifications

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Price

At around $649 / £660 / AU$1,058, the Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4 lens offers great value for its price, with high optical quality, a wide aperture, and outstanding build quality. It is around $150 cheaper than the closest Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens, although you of course miss out on the autofocus of that lens, as well as weather sealing. But while it is a bit cheaper, it isn’t quite as drastic of a contrast as the price between the Leica mount version of the Simera and Leica's own brand lenses, which is more like a $7000 difference.

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Design & Handling

The Simera 28mm features an all-metal body, lending a premium feel and durability. The lens really is exquisitely designed, with lots of little touches that make it a real pleasure to use. The lens is available in black and silver finishes, and both come with matching square lens hoods. The black version has a silver ring on the front though, which is one design choice I could have done without.

The lens's compact size is well-suited for most Fujifilm cameras, and using it on my Fujifilm X-T5 the lens looked well-proportioned. Despite the metal construction, the lens was relatively balanced as well and didn't feel front-heavy, although it does weigh a reasonably heavy 347g for its compact size. For comparison, the Fuji 23mm does weigh 28g more, but it's a much larger lens with more glass and includes autofocus motors, and the wonderful, but aging, Fujifilm XF 35mm f/1.4 R lens is only around half the weight (187g). 

The aperture ring clicks decisively into place between stops, providing tactile and audible feedback and making it easy to adjust settings on the fly without taking your eye off the viewfinder. There is also a switch on the bottom to de-click the ring if you want to use the lens for video (or just hate the clicking) which is a nice feature. Thypoch’s really well-designed focus scale is also so enjoyable to use, with little red dots appearing on the lens to guide which areas of the shot will be in focus at different apertures.

The manual focus ring is smooth and well-damped and facilitates some precise focusing. I am happy that for this version Thypoch decided to ditch the focus lock switch from the Leica version of the Simera, as I didn’t find it that useful. The focus ring's textured surface also enhances grip but the larger thumb rest on the focus ring is quicker and more comfortable to use. 

However, just one drawback to an otherwise very well-designed lens is the lack of weather sealing, which could be a consideration for photographers frequently shooting in wet, dusty, or sandy conditions. 

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Performance

The optical performance of the Simera 28mm f/1.4 is exceptional. It produces sharp images with impressive clarity from the center to the edges of the frame. Even wide open at f/1.4, the lens manages to maintain a good degree of sharpness, with only minimal softness at the edges that diminishes pretty quickly when stopped down. 

However, there was a fair amount of vignetting wide open, although from f/2.8 onwards this was a lot better, and it was gone by f/4. Otherwise, distortion is well-controlled, as was flaring. There was the occasional bit of purple color fringing around harsh backlit scenes but this can easily be nixed in editing software. 

The lens excels in low-light situations thanks to the wide f/1.4 aperture, which is a bonus for Fujifilm cameras and their APS-C sensors having less light-gathering ability than full-frame rivals. The wide aperture allows for faster shutter speeds and lower ISO settings, so cleaner images – if you don’t add any Fujifilm grain of your own that is.

The bokeh produced by the Simera 28mm is smooth and pleasing, with a 14-blade diaphragm contributing to the creamy background blur that makes subjects stand out. The lens also has its own distinct look to it, which I think might be a holdover from the original design being for Leica cameras, but there is a certain style to out-of-focus areas of images that the Fujifilm lenses don’t produce.

The lens's close focusing distance of 0.4 meters isn’t going to produce any stunning macro detail, but it's close enough to enable some creative reasonably close-up shots.

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Sample Images

Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4: Verdict

The Thypoch Simera 28mm offers excellent build quality, optical performance, and a distinctive look that rivals more expensive lenses. The lens is manual focus only, however, it can be used with Fujifilm’s focus peaking and other focus guides and manual focus is smooth and precise. Image quality is great, with sharpness across the frame, although a little vignetting wide open. Background falloff is smooth and creamy, and the Simera has really pleasing characteristics not exhibited by Fuji's own lenses.

The build quality is the biggest draw to this lens, with an exceptional all-metal construction that looks very premium and feels really nice in the hand. A joy to use – and the aperture ring offers either precise clicked stops or smooth cycling through apertures at the flick of a switch. The depth of field indicator also is a quirky design flourish that I really enjoy.

The Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4 lens is a fantastic option for Fujifilm users looking for a high-quality prime lens at a reasonable price, however while the Simera was drastically cheaper than the Leica’s it was first introduced against – the savings are not that substantial versus the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens with its autofocus and weather sealing, so it depends on how much you value a manual focus experience and the unique characteristics of the Simera range.

Alternatives

It's not often a cheap 85mm fast portrait prime lens comes along, but that's exactly what 7Artisans have just launched for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. The new AF 85mm F1.8 has instantly become one of the most affordable portrait primes available for Sony shooters, and unlike many budget prime lenses from third-party manufacturers, this one has stepping motor autofocussing, a configurable Fn function button on the lens barrel, as well as a USB-C port in the lens mount to enable future firmware updates. The only obvious omission here is optical image stabilisation, but since this is a lens designed for Sony's IBIS-equipped E-mount bodies, that's not a deal-breaker.

Read more:
The best cheap lenses The best Sony lenses The best Sony cameras

Optically you get a 10-element stack structured in 7 groups, including a pair of extra-low dispersion elements and two high-refractive-index elements to improve sharpness and minimise chromatic aberrations. 7Artisans hasn't skimped on the lens diaphragm either, as it uses an 11-blade aperture to keep out of focus highlights well rounded, plus it should also make for very smooth bokeh. And if you'd rather use the lens for close-ups, the 0.8-meter minimum focussing distance allows for this.

Despite its full-frame coverage and the inclusion of autofocus, the AF 85mm F1.8 is fairly light, weighing 437.5g, though it should be noted that's still noticeably heavier than Sony's own 371g FE 85mm F1.8 lens. The Sony optic is also shorter, measuring 81mm long compared to the 96mm 7Artisans lens.

But if you can manage that extra bulk, the $299/£279 retail price of the 7Artisans AF 85mm F1.8 makes it almost half the price of the Sony competition. What's more, 7Artisans has already released an AF 50mm F1.8 lens for Sony cameras that we've already reviewed, and which we found to be very good indeed, with respectable image quality. If this 85mm version performs just as well, it could be an absolute steal at the price.

The 7Artisans AF 85mm F1.8 is available to pre-order now from B&H for $299 or at Amazon for £279. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Canon RF lens mount has already delivered some unprecedented lenses, but apparently we ain't seen nothing yet; according to a Canon executive, the company is working on "lenses with specifications that have never been seen before and that no one can imagine yet". 

Bold words, but not without precedent. Ever since the format launched, the best Canon RF lenses have included prestige "halo" optics that were simply not possible on any other lens mount. 

The second lens I ever used on the original Canon EOS R, back when it launched in 2018, was the mighty RF 28-70mm f/2L – a lens that no other manufacturer was able to make, either then or since.

How about the RF 600mm f/11 and RF 800mm f/11? While maybe not as exotic, they were still lenses that could only be achieved thanks to the unique properties of the RF mount. 

And then of course, there's the recent RF 24-105mm f/2.8L – a lens thought simply impossible, until Canon made it. And it's this lens that actually prompted the above quote, from one of the Imaging Business Unit staff who developed it. 

The team was interviewed by Japanese railway website Tetsudo.com (spotted by Digital Camera Info) about the groundbreaking lens, when the conversation expanded to what else Canon has in store for the future. 

"Since Canon announced the EOS R system for mirrorless cameras in 2018, we have released about 40 interchangeable lenses," said Kengo Iezuka of the IMG First Division. 

"However, there are still many lenses that have not been released to the world. I can't talk about the specifics, but there are lenses with basic specifications, and lenses with specifications that have never been seen before and that no one can imagine yet. We would like to develop these in a balanced way."

What could some of these never-before-seen lenses be? Well, I know that Canon has been working on autofocus tilt-shift lenses pretty consistently since at least 2021 – and they would definitely fit the bill for starters. 

A lot has been said about Canon's late entry to the mirrorless arena but, while everyone else has largely just made the same lenses that were already available for DSLRs, you can't argue that Canon has constantly broken boundaries with its RF glass. And it looks like this is only the beginning… 

It's not just great mirrorless glass; the best Canon lenses for DSLRs are still top of their class, and great for the best Canon cameras with or without a mirror mechanism.

If you prefer your camera system to make a statement while it takes photographs, an intriguing new entry into the world of modular medium-format cameras might just set your pulse racing. The Gibellini DCG66 is a precision-machined aluminum-and-gold body that’s designed to operate with Hasselblad camera backs and Rodenstock lenses. Made at Gibellini’s factory in Moderna, Italy, each part is checked by Gibellini to ensure it’s within tolerance.

The DCG66 connects the back and the lens, using a delicately engineered calibration system to ensure that the lens’s infinity-focus point and the camera back are perfectly aligned. The DCG66 accepts Hasselblad CFV50c II and CFV100c backs, as well as A12 and A16 film backs; if you’re familiar with Hasselblad systems, it’s essentially designed to be a bespoke alternative to the 907X body – one that enables you to use non-Hasselblad lenses.

The body’s GC (Gibellini Camera) lens mount is compatible with Rodenstock’s acclaimed HR Digaron lenses. The company fits a flange to each lens that enables it to lock swiftly into place on the DCG66 body. For each additional lens you want to use, you can order a lens mount flange; Gibellini can make custom-sized flanges for selected other lenses on request.

Once the lens is attached, the GFC (Gibellini Focusing Calibration) system enables you to fine-tune the distance between the lens and the sensor plane in the camera back. If you opt to buy the lens and back from Gibellini as a complete kit with the DCG66, the company does the calibration for you.

There’s a choice of materials for the handle if the default black polymer and leather design doesn’t suit: you could instead select aluminum, walnut, clear polymer, or titanium, each with an integrated shutter button for use with digital backs or a shutter cable release for film-based backs.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, Gibellini is best-known for its large-format cameras, including a limited-edition bellows camera it made in collaboration with luxury car designer Horacio Pagani. The complete Launch Edition package of DCG66 body, Hasselblad CFV100c back and Rodenstock HR Digaron 50mm f/4 lens is available for €15,100 plus sales tax (around $16,460 or £18,060) for your country of residence. 

If you already own a compatible Hasselblad back and prefer to assemble your own configuration, the DCG66 body with black polymer handle is €2,990 plus sales tax (around $3,260 or £2,500); each flange for a Rodenstock HR Digaron lens is €494 plus sales tax (around $540 or £415), with prices for custom lens flanges available on request.

Explore the world of medium-format photography with our guide to the best medium-format cameras

Cosina, Voigtlander's parent company, has unveiled the new APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 Type I/II. Two different variants of this interchangeable lens have been designed exclusively for the full-frame Leica M-mount under the Voigtlander brand. 

This manual focus lens is optimized for full-size M-mount sensors, boasting a sophisticated apochromatic design that eliminates various aberrations, including axial chromatic aberration.

This new lens aims for exceptional resolution and contrast reproduction. Its maximum aperture is f/3.5, reminiscent of traditional rangefinder camera lenses. Four of its eight elements, arranged in six groups, incorporate anomalous partial dispersion glass, ensuring uncompromised optical performance.

The Type I version of the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 features a high-precision rangefinder interlocking mechanism, providing a smooth operation with its all-metal helicoid. Users can experience the traditional pleasure of focusing with a rangefinder, with a minimum shooting distance of 0.45m, extendable from 0.7m depending on the attached camera. 

The lens has a retro-style filter diameter of 34mm and is available in two exterior designs: a brass model with two-tone black paint and chrome (245g) and an aluminum model with matte black paint (150g). Both models come with a matching metal hood and cap.

The Type II version also includes a high-precision rangefinder interlocking mechanism. However, it has a minimum shooting distance of 0.35m, extendable from 0.7m, and a helicoid rotation angle of 300 degrees, providing flexibility in focusing. 

The lens also features a 39mm filter diameter and is available in two exterior designs: a silver brass model (250g) and a black-painted model partially made of aluminum (175g). The silver model includes a matching metal hood and matte-finished black metal cap, while the black model comes with a metal hood and cap painted in the same color as the body.

Both versions of the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 aim to deliver ultimate optical performance in a compact, stylish design inspired by mid-20th century rangefinder camera lenses.

These new Voigtlander lenses reflect the company’s dedication to combining classic design with modern optical technology, providing photographers with tools that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally superior. The new APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 Type I/II from Voigtlander will be available in August 2024, offering users a blend of vintage charm and cutting-edge performance.

Check out our guide to the best Leica M-mount lenses

DZO Film has announced the release of the company's new Arles Prime lens series, drawing inspiration from the vibrant town of Arles in southern France, famously cherished by the painter Vincent van Gogh. Known for its abundant sunlight and rich seasonal colors, Arles played a crucial role in van Gogh's departure from conventional artistic styles.

These Arles prime lenses, with their T1.4 fast apertures, aim to encapsulate this dynamic interplay of light and shadow, opening up new avenues for artistic expression and cinematic creativity. The lenses come with interchangeable Arri PL and Canon EF lens mounts.

One of the standout features of the Arles prime lenses is the T1.4 ultra-wide aperture, which allows for substantial light intake, making them ideal for low-light and complex shooting conditions. 

This capability ensures a stunningly dreamy shallow depth of field, precisely highlighting every narrative detail. Even at wide-open aperture, the lenses maintain even brightness transitions and clear rendering of intricate light and shadow details, supporting high frame rate shooting without compromising image quality, and producing smooth, exquisite cinematic footage.

Additionally, the lenses are compatible with larger format sensors, offering coverage for medium format cameras with a sensor size of up to 43.8 × 32.9mm with focal lengths ranging from 25mm to 50mm, as well as large format cameras like the Arri Alexa 65 (54.12 × 25.59 mm) with focal lengths from 75mm to 180mm. This compatibility satisfies the diverse needs of independent filmmaking to large-scale film production.

The advanced multi-layer nano-coating technology utilized in the Arles series includes a specially calibrated blue coating to minimize reflections and effectively reduce stray light and ghosting. This results in stable and controllable flares, while the internal lens structure's sandblasting and anodizing techniques create a micro-level anti-reflective coating with ultra-low reflectivity. 

Consequently, even when shooting directly against the light, the lenses deliver clean and sharp images, ensuring consistent color temperatures around 5000K to faithfully reproduce vivid, true-to-life colors and present a natural, neutral visual style.

The Arles prime lenses also boast 16 aperture blades, delivering delightful circular bokeh and ensuring smooth transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus areas. At maximum aperture, the lenses provide a soft low-contrast look, with slight swirling bokeh adding a distinctive characteristic to the image. 

This feature enhances the emotional depth of each frame, while the built-in floating lens elements minimize aberrations during focusing transitions, improving optical performance. With minimal breathing, the lenses immerse viewers in each frame, amplifying the emotional impact of the scenes. 

Additionally, the lenses incorporate advanced optical materials and precision manufacturing techniques to correct spherical aberration and coma, reduce wide-angle distortion and astigmatism, and suppress chromatic aberration, ensuring exceptional optical performance. 

These new Arles lenses are priced individually at $2,149 (25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm) or filmmakers can buy all the lenses as a 5-lens set for $9,699 through authorized retailers.

Purchase lenses separately at B&H for $2,149

Purchase the 5-lens set for $9,699 at B&H

Since bursting onto the photography scene from seemingly nowhere, Thypoch immediately made waves in the photography community by challenging Leica's legendary lenses for build quality and optical capabilities – but aiming to do so at a fraction of Leica's hefty prices. 

The first two lenses from Thypoch in its Simera range are twin wide-aperture prime lenses – the Simera 28mm f/1.4 and Simera 35mm f/1.4 lenses. So the range is fairly limited right now, but as Thypoch has quickly launched the Eureka 50mm lens, as well as expanding the Simera lenses to most other lens mounts, we might be on the cusp of a lot more lenses from Thypoch in the coming months.

It's quite clear just how inspired by Leica's lenses Thypoch is, as the Simera lenses borrow a lot of design queues from Leica, although there is enough new here that they can't just be dismissed as cheap knockoffs. 

So let's take a look and see if the Simera lens can compete, or if Leica's particular magic is just too hard to imitate.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Specifications

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 ASPH: Price

When compared to any Leica alternatives, the Thypoch Simera 35mm offers excellent value for money and is priced very competitively with manual focus lenses from other manufacturers. Although with the exception of a few companies like Voigtländer, there are not many lenses that quite have the same feel and build quality as the Simera. And even coming close to Leica’s expensive lenses in terms of quality, makes it an attractive option for photographers looking for a high-performing prime lens without breaking the bank.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Design & Handling

The Simera 35mm lens boasts a sleek, all-metal body in either all-black or a two-tone silver version. The body is made of an aluminum alloy, rather than brass like some Leica lenses, or the newer Thypoch Eureka lens. But this metal construction exudes durability and a premium feel that feels like it belongs to a lens that should cost substantially more. 

This is no lightweight polycarbonate lens, but despite the premium metal materials, the lens still manages to be relatively compact and lightweight, making it an excellent companion for street and travel photography, and weightier products are par for the course with Leica cameras and lenses.

The focus ring is smooth and well-damped, making manual focusing easy and precise, and it feels essential to remind everyone that this is a manual focus-only lens (for a manual focus-only camera). The focus ring has raised and textured bumps, that not only do aesthetically look very nice but also help with finding and gripping the ring.

The only thing I don’t really like about the focus mechanism is the infinity lock switch. This is a little catch that locks the focus in infinity, however, I find it is very rarely necessary to do that, and in fact, it slows down focusing in key moments as I kept finding myself struggling to release the catch. The focus rocker on Leica lenses is so much easier to use, and I am glad to see that for the non-M versions of this lens, Thypoch has used that design, although alas the current M-mount Simera continues to be made with the infinity lock switch.

Moving on to one of my favorite design flourishes I have seen on a lens in a long time – the depth of field indicator. This is a series of dots on the lens that are filled in with a red background to indicate the distance from the lens that will be in focus depending on the aperture used. It might be one of those features that has to be seen to really appreciate, but it is just a wonderful flourish that I really love about this lens.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Performance

In terms of image quality, the Simera 35mm lens surprised me a lot. It delivers sharp, crisp images with minimal distortion. The lens handles chromatic aberrations well, and the color reproduction is accurate. 

As with all manual focus lenses, it is often hard to distinguish if the lens is not sharp or if I have missed focus, but on the whole, center sharpness was generally very good, with the lens capturing some beautiful detail, especially close up. Towards the edges, the lens was a little soft wide open, although this isn't entirely unexpected, and the edges did sharpen up considerably as the aperture was narrowed. 

One of the key features of a Leica lens is the unique ‘Leica Look’ and while I won’t say this lens replicates any Leica 35mm lens exactly, the lens has a Leica-esque distinctive contrasty look to its images, that I would associate with Leica, and online, I don’t think anyone would be able to tell the difference. I think you could easily mix and match with any other Leica lenses in your collection and they would blend pretty seamlessly together. 

The lens’ fast f/1.4 maximum aperture is ideal for low-light conditions, and as Leica M cameras do not have IBIS, being able to shoot with faster shutter speeds in these situations is fairly essential. The wider aperture also achieves a shallow depth of field, and at f/1.4 aperture the background blur and subject isolation were really pleasing, with Leica-like softness in out-of-focus areas.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Sample Images

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Verdict

Let's face it, Leica gear is expensive, you may have ended up with a Leica M camera, but can’t afford to flesh out your lens collection with premium Leica glass. Well, the Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 lens is here to save the day.

Whether you’re capturing portraits, landscapes, or street scenes, the Simera 35mm is a versatile and beautifully built lens that delivers great optical performance, the lens has the creamy out-of-focus areas and high contrast look that a lot of Leica shooters seek. The lens is also a standout choice for anyone seeking a high-quality prime lens that offers solid metal construction and impressive design with neat little features like the red focusing dots. Thypoch is really out to challenge lenses coming out of Wetzlar.

Of course, the biggest factor is the price compared to Leica lenses. At $699 (at the time of writing), this puts the Simera lenses at hundreds or thousands of dollars less than Leica lenses, so you can grow your lens collection faster – Thypoch just needs to make more lenses!

Alternatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

See the best lenses for the Sony A6000 series of cameras

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Thursday 23 May, OM Digital Solutions Co, previously known to photographers as Olympus, announced that its interchangeable lens, the M.Zuiko Digital Ed 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro, has won the 2024 Technology Award from the Society of Photography and Imaging of Japan. 

In 2023, the company won the same award for its mirrorless camera the OM System OM-1, making this the second consecutive year the company has been awarded the accolade. 

The award is given to innovators who have made outstanding technical achievements in photography and other related fields. Specifically, the award was for “expanding the scope of photography with the macro-oriented OM System M.Zuiko 90mm Macro.” 

The winners were Yuge Kazunori (Product Development), Hayashi Osamu (same company), and Hayashi Tetsuya (EL System) from the Development Division of OM Systems.

The judges were impressed by the 4x macro magnification in 35mm format, its fast and accurate focus mechanism, and its depth of field correction technology. The lens was also praised for its image stabilization function which allows handheld macro photography, allowing users to use their cameras in situations where a tripod would usually be needed. 

On 01 January 2021, 95 percent of the Olympus Imaging Division was transferred to holding company OJ Holdings, Ltd, owned by Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), with Olympus retaining a five percent stake.

As of 2021 Olympus cameras – such as the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III – along with new products began being sold and serviced by OM Digital Solutions Corporation.

In 2022, the first camera bearing the OM System brand logo was released, the OM System OM-5. In 2023, OM Digital Solutions opened its Production Technology Center, “a base for lens innovation.”

It said: “Located in Hachioji City, Tokyo, near our R&D center, this facility delivers one-stop verification of processes from the planning and development stage of optical lenses to the polishing, molding, coating, bonding, and exterior coatings. Traditionally this is a difficult process for mass production and is the key to accelerating OM System's lens development in the future.”

Check out the best OM Digital Systems cameras, as well as the best OM Systems lenses.  

We've also put together the definitive guide to the best macro lenses.

Last year Samyang joined the L Mount Alliance, providing another brand option for photography and video production for L-mount camera users - and now its lens for this mount is about to go on sale.

Although the lens will not be officially announced until next week, the Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 was first revealed at CP+ 2023 back in February and was met with much anticipation. The lens will provide the L mount with a fast zoom lens ideal for video and photography. As is usual, the lens will be sold under the Rokinon brand in North America.

The L Mount Alliance was a partnership between brands created in 2018, intending to provide one unified lens mount standard. Developed by Leica the L mount enables users to switch seamlessly between lenses and cameras from different brands without needing additional adapters. 

At the time of writing the L Mount Alliance is currently comprised of Leica, Sigma, Panasonic, Leitz, DJI, Astrodesign, Samyang, and Blackmagic Design, with more brands being added year after year. 

• See our review for the Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE

The 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is constructed from an all-metal barrel and mount, with a supporting weather sealing outer enabling use in different environmental conditions. The E mount version has 12 points of weather sealing enabling protection in 'dust, rain, and snow', so you can expect the L mount to follow suit.

An STM will enable fast and efficient AF, providing the user with continuous face and eye tracking, for people and fast-moving subjects. AF is relatively new for Samyang, but reviews have praised the AF system on the newest lenses. 

The lens will also feature a zoom lock, focus ring, zoom ring, focus hold buttons, and three custom options. 

As the lens is already available on the Sony E mount we know roughly what to expect from the L mount version. We reviewed the Samyang lens after it was released for Sony and it stood up well to testing, offering 'several popular primes in one lens'. The only downside was the large form factor which will hopefully have been reduced for smaller L mount cameras. 

In a bid to generate hype for its first L Mount lens, Samyang is looking to recruit freelancers to test the lens (you can see details in the post above). This could be a great opportunity to get your hands on the new lens, although there may be a recommended follow count to be classed as an 'influencer'. 

Rumors suggest the Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens will be released as early as next week in the region of $1,399 | £1,399 | AU$2,000, although this is not officially verified.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best L mount lenses, the best Leica cameras, and the best Panasonic cameras.

The camera world is currently buzzing about the launch of the Panasonic Lumix S9 – a full-frame camera that's gunning for the Fujifilm X100VI.

It's a strange notion. While the S9 is a compact full-frame camera, crucially it is not a full-frame compact camera. (A compact camera features an integrated, fixed focal length lens; the S9 has a mount for interchangeable lenses). This is in stark contrast to the X100VI, which very is much a compact camera – albeit an APS-C one.

Why the semantics? Because what Panasonic has done is challenge the APS-C X100VI with a full-frame body that is about the same size… until you start putting meaningful lenses on it. 

And here's the problem. The S9 truly is tiny for a full-frame camera. But no matter how small you make a full-frame camera, it still needs full-frame lenses – and there's a limit to how small you can make those. 

Case in point, the new Panasonic Lumix S 26mm f/8. This is a super slim pancake lens, made as tiny as possible to create an outfit that rivals the X100VI in size. However, to make it that small, we're faced with two big compromises: a fixed f/8 aperture and a 100% manual focus system. At a certain point, you just can't make lenses any smaller. 

But do you know how you can make lenses smaller? Panasonic already knows the answer: by using a smaller sensor. Which is exactly what Panasonic did, 11 years ago, when it released the even tinier Lumix GM1. How small was it? See for yourself:

Yes, the cameras are to scale. And not only can see how much smaller the actual camera is, but how much smaller the lens is as well. That's because Lumix GM1 was a Micro Four Thirds camera with a Four Thirds image sensor – which is about 75% smaller than a full-frame sensor, and almost 40% smaller than standard APS-C. Which means, in turn, that it can use far more compact lenses.

And this is what I wanted – in fact, judging by the reaction on social media, it's what a whole lot of people wanted – an update of the GM1. A truly pocket-sized camera with truly pocket-sized lenses. Not a tiny for a full-frame camera whose compactness is rendered completely pointless by having to mount comedically oversized lenses. 

The GM1 was, and in many ways remains, a brilliant camera that is such a better solution to the problem Panasonic trying to solve with the S9. It's hilarious to me that the company has an entire product line that exists for the sole purpose of being as compact as possible, yet its most camera (the Lumix G9II) is the size of a full frame body – and yet, Panasonic is trying to make its line of inherently bigger bodies as small as humanly possible. It's as if somebody forgot which product line was which.

All the criticisms of the S9 – the lack of hot shoe, the lack of viewfinder, the lack of mechanical shutter and so on – are because Panasonic has had to drop key features due to the unavoidable bigness of a full frame sensor. Yet every one of these features could have been included on a GM1 II and the camera would still be magnitudes smaller than the S9 turned out to be.

I'm not trying to bag on the latest Lumix, because the S9 looks like a very cool camera. But in terms of what it's trying to do? A full-frame interchangeable lens camera competing with an APS-C compact is apples-and-oranges – and the S9 is an apple that is never going to be an orange.  

An updated GM1 would never be an orange, either, but it could be a clementine. And I really hope it gets that chance. Because, contrary to popular belief, full frame really isn't the answer to everything. 

Take a look at the best Panasonic cameras, along with the best Micro Four Thirds lenses for the smaller G series bodies. 

The Fujifilm XF 18-55mm lens has been the default kit lens with Fujifilm cameras for over 10 years now, and that fact alone should serve as a testament to just how good of a kit lens it is. Or should I say; was – as Fujifilm has just debuted a replacement kit lens – the Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR.

The transition has begun swiftly too with Fujifilm replacing the kit lens option for the Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-S20 with the new XF 16-50m, as well as bundling it with the newly launched Fujifilm X-T50.

While the original kit lens is fairly legendary among Fujifilm fans, in recent years it has started to show its age, and with the release of Fujifilm’s latest 40MP sensors, it is unable to resolve all these pixels to their full potential – an issue that is thankfully solved by this newer lens.

But the XF 16-50mm has a tough act to follow, and the new lens is not exactly the same lens as the one it is replacing. Fujifilm has made a few tweaks here and there to its length and features, but is it risky messing too much with what many consider the gold standard of kit lenses? One thing’s for sure.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Specifications

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Price

The Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR on its own is $699 / £699 / AU$1,299. This is the same standalone price as the previous XF 18-55mm. Compared to other systems this might seem quite expensive, for example, Canon kit lenses come in at less than half that price, but the build quality and optical quality of this Fuji 16-55mm is a step above most other kit lenses. The closest challenger for all-around kit perfection is the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN C which costs $549 / £479 / AU$699.

To get the lens closer in price to other systems, you can always buy it with a camera. The XF 16-50mm bundled with the Fujifilm X-T50 brings the price down to $400 / £350 / ~AU$600 for the lens – although obviously at a far greater overall cost.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Design & Handling

Fujifilm’s lenses are some of the nicest feeling around, and the XF 16-50mm lens is no exception. The metal body feels premium and well-constructed – and has managed to shave 70g off the weight of the previous 18-55mm.

The lens has the usual three rings for focusing, zooming, and a manual aperture ring, although, like the previous lens, this only becomes an aperture ring when switched on. I have never really understood this, and I wish Fuji would just mark this ring with aperture value stops plus a lockable Auto mode like it has with other lenses.

The first thing most will notice upon using the lens is the new internal zoom mechanism. Where most lenses increase and decrease in length as you go through the focal range of the lens, internal zoom lenses stay the same length throughout.

This initially does take a little time to get used to for anyone more familiar with the tactile feedback of a lens extending while zooming. For moving around, it also speeds things up slightly as there is no need to collapse the lens when not in use. However, I do find this a little slower to get started again, as it can take a second to clock the focal length, rather than intuitively knowing how zoomed the lens is from its physical position.

However, the internal zoom has big benefits for video makers – specifically balancing the camera. When using a rig or gimbal, the camera usually needs to be perfectly balanced to get the most stable footage possible and make it easier to hold. When zooming with an external zoom, this throws the perfectly tuned balance off and you have to start again. The internal zoom on the XF 16-50mm makes this a perfect lens for video shooters who want the versatility of zooming without the faff of recalibration.

Another improvement in the lens is weather sealing, which will help keep out dust and moisture. This makes the lens a better companion for the X-T5’s weather-sealed body, although the X-S20 and X-T50 bodies are not actually weather-sealed, so you would still need to be cautious using this lens with either of those bodies in wet or dusty conditions.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Performance

The biggest difference in performance from the previous incarnation of Fuji’s kit lens comes from the change in focal length. Instead of the 18-55mm length, Fujifilm has gone for a wider length at the bottom, which is perhaps better suited to vloggers as well as street and travel photographers. Especially when you take into account that 16mm on an APS-C sensor is 24mm in full-frame terms.

At the top end, the overall length has been reduced by 5mm to 50mm (or 75mm in full-frame), which makes the lens slightly less useful for far-away subjects. But 50mm is still plenty for portraits and other situations where you might want to get a good amount of subject separation from the background.

However, not helping with subject isolation is the maximum aperture dropping from f/4 to f/4.8, which will make for a slightly shallower depth of field, but also make the lens slightly less effective in low light when zoomed in.

In all my real-world testing of the XF 16-50mm, I am very pleased to report that the quality of the lens looks just as good as the previous version. Images are very sharp in the center throughout the zoom range, even wide open at 16mm f/2.8. Moving into the corners, at 16mm the corners are also good if a touch soft with the aperture wide open, but stopping down to around f/4 shows quick improvement. At the other end of the lens, where the maximum aperture becomes f/4.8, the corners are also very good. An all-round great performance, and a solid improvement on the previous version.

Curiously the optical image stabilization (OIS) has not made its way over from the previous model. It’s not clear if this was necessary to achieve the internal zoom or full resolving power, or if Fujifilm just believes its in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is now good enough to make OIS unnecessary.

Most Fujifilm cameras currently on sale (except the X-T30 II and X-M5) now have IBIS offering around 5.0-7.0 stops of stabilization. In my testing, I certainly got sharp results at very slow shutter speeds when testing the lens with an X-T50 camera body.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Sample images

Dull, overcast lighting for outdoor shots and low-lit interiors are challenging for any lens. This gallery of example shots shows that the XF16-50mm F2.8-4.8 R LM WR takes them in its stride, taken at Wells Cathedral in the UK.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Lab results

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

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

Sharpness:

Sharpness is mostly better across the whole image frame, compared with the older XF 18-55mm lens. The only exception is in extreme edge/corner sharpness when combining short zoom settings with wide apertures, where it pays to stop down to f/8 for best results.

Fringing:

Color fringing is another facet of image quality where the new lens beats its predecessor, with remarkably little fringing even at the edges and corners of the frame.

Distortion:

As with many modern lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, there’s a heavy reliance on automatic in-camera correction for distortion. This is especially the case at the shortest focal length of 16mm, where barrel distortion is pretty extreme in the absence of correction.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm: Verdict

The original XF 18-55mm lens has long been my favorite kit lens from any camera system. It's known for its good quality, compact design, and versatility, so its successor had a lot to live up to. But the XF 16-50mm lens stands up as a worthy sequel with a catalog of improvements – although there are some compromises that won't suit everyone.

This new lens offers a slightly shorter zoom at the telephoto end and features a narrower aperture, but compensates with a wider maximum field of view. Some might miss the extra reach, however minimal, and the reduced aperture will have a minor effect on depth of field and low light performance. But for vloggers and travel photographers, that extra 2mm at the wide end might make all the difference for framing shots.

The most significant design change is the inclusion of an internal zoom mechanism, which helps maintain a more consistent balance while shooting on gimbals, and just makes the lens more compact for moving around. Additionally, the lens is now weather-sealed which will provide much better protection against the elements – although this is also dependent on the camera body having weather-sealing.

Perhaps most importantly, the new XF 16-50mm is designed to fully exploit the 40MP resolution of Fuji's latest sensors, ensuring it can deliver exceptional image quality, and in my tests, I found that the XF 16-50mm performed admirably, with sharp image consistency across the frame, as well as good color and contrast. If you are in the market for a compact zoom, then don't let the notion that this is "just a kit lens" put you off this fantastic option.

Alternatives

TTartisan has just launched its supertelephoto 500mm f/5.6 in Canon and Nikon lens mounts - ensuring this monster prime is now available for most cameras available.

The TTartisan 500mm f/5.6 was originally announced last year for a full range of mirrorless camera mounts - with options for Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, Canon RF-mount, Fujifilm XF- and GF-mounts, and Leica L-mount cameras. But now the budget-priced full-frame lens is available for the two most popular DSLR camera mounts too.

The manual-focus lens offers a 3.3m minimum focus distance (10.8 feet), an 82mm front filter ring, and a 12-blade aperture diaphragm and weighs around 1600g (57oz). The supertelephoto lens is constructed with eight elements in five groups, including two ED glass elements. The body is made from a metal barrel, and comes supplied with a tripod collar and a lens hood. 

The long focal length makes it appealing to wildlife, action, and astro- photographers - although the lack of autofocus and image stabilization means that it will be better suited to some subjects than others.

The new lens versions are now on sale, retailing for $369 / £409 / AU$675.

Also see our guide to the best 150-600mm lenses, and the best lenses for safari photography 

I started out in photography back in the days when there was no such thing as autofocus. If I focused a lens at the wrong distance, it was my fault, pure and simple. Nowadays, most of us rely almost exclusively on autofocus. That’s all well and good if an autofocus system is consistently accurate but, sadly, that’s often not the case. For interchangeable lens cameras, you’re relying on the electronics and mechanics of both the camera and any attached lens to play nicely together and work in complete harmony. They might not. 

Autofocus inaccuracy is more of a problem with DSLRs, which have separate autofocus modules and image sensors, in physically different places. That gives more room for error, compared with mirrorless cameras in which autofocus is based on the actual image sensor itself. Even with mirrorless cameras, there can be room for improvement, especially when using DSLR-style lenses via a mount adapter. A bit of fine-tuning or ‘micro-adjustment’ can pay dividends.

The Spyder LensCal is aimed predominantly at DSLRs but can also come in useful for the likes of Nikon Z system mirrorless cameras, which feature AF fine-tuning, and for Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras that enable fine-tuning for lenses that are attached via a mount adapter. It’s designed by datacolor, a company that’s held in high regard for making some of the best monitor calibrators and the best photo editing tools and accessories.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Specifications

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Price & Availability

The Spyder LensCal is available from various photographic retailers and online stores, as well as from datacolor’s own website. It costs around $69 / £49 / AU$129, which is naturally a lot more expensive than downloading free printable charts that you’ll find on the Internet. Even so, it seems a fair price for a well-made calibration tool that can be used with multiple cameras and lenses.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Design & Handling

I like the design of the Spyder LensCal. Although it’s made primarily from plastic, the plastic has a high-quality feel and the overall construction feels like it’s built to last. I also like that it folds flat for easy storage, taking up very little space, but snaps into operating configuration in just a couple of seconds, clipping into place.

When set up for use, the device consists of a flat base plate, a vertical focusing chart, and a calibrated scale that’s fixed at a 45-degree angle. Everything needs to be on the level for operation, so the base plate helpfully includes a bubble level. There’s also a brass tripod socket with a standard ¼-inch thread, so you can attach the device to any tripod head or other camera support. For leveling the camera during calibration, it can be useful to use a virtual horizon if featured, or a hotshoe-mounting bubble level (sold separately).

The upright focusing chart has a high-contrast pattern with a small area on the right hand side with a more intricate grid. The idea is that you use the single, central AF point mode in your camera and align it to this part of the chart, which is just adjacent to the calibration scale. The scale is marked with a line at ‘0’, which is at exactly the same distance as the focus point. Sloping forwards and backward from this point, the scale is marked with fine lines and major intervals marked from 1 to 6. This enables you to check if your camera and lens combination is front-focusing (in front of the ideal point) or back-focusing (behind the ideal point).

Operating instructions that come with the Spyder LensCal are, to be honest, completely inadequate. They’re very scant, printed on a card in the retail pack. Pull out the card, however, and you’ll find a link to datacolor’s product page that includes a free User Guide and Quick Start Guide, which you can download in PDF format, as well as a demonstration video. These give you all the information you need, and the guides are clear and easy to understand.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Photo Performance

Autofocus fine-tuning can be a moveable feast with many vagaries to contend with. If fine-tuning is needed at all, it might require different amounts of adjustment at different focus distances, and that’s just for prime lenses. For zoom lenses, the amount of adjustment can also vary at different focal lengths. I tested the Spyder LensCal with both a Nikon D7100 DSLR and a Nikon Z 6II mirrorless camera, both of which enable AF fine-tune adjustments.

It's often said that you should fine-tune lenses at the focus distance you most often use. Naturally, that can vary considerably from shot to shot. The recommendation from datacolor is that you should set the operating distance at 30-50 times the focal length of the lens. So, for example, the test distance should be 105-175cm for a 35mm lens. For zoom lenses, it’s best to use the longest focal length, if the camera only allows you to make one fine-tuning adjustment. That said, some cameras enable you to make separate adjustments for the shortest and longest focal lengths of a zoom lens. The Sigma USB Dock that’s available for its Global Vision line-up of lenses goes a step further, allowing for individual fine-tuning adjustments at various focus distances as well as zoom settings.

It’s important to use good lighting, a low ISO setting, and the widest available aperture when testing. This enables high-resolution results that make the actual focus distance on the scale easier to read while minimizing the depth of field so you can be more exact. It’s also best to mount your camera on a tripod and use a self-timer to avoid any camera shake.

After you’ve taken a test shot, you can review the results in playback mode, using maximum magnification to see where the focus position is. For the utmost accuracy, it can be better to download shots to your computer and view them on-screen in a larger format. The lines on the calibration scale aren’t intended to correspond to numerical adjustments in the camera’s incremental settings, so a little trial and error is required to tune out any front-focus or back-focus problems.

If you find that you’re having to set pretty much the same fine-tuning adjustment for a camera with all your lenses, it’s likely that the camera itself is the culprit. If this is the case, there’s generally an option in the camera menu to set a default amount, or to ‘adjust all lenses by the same amount’. Because the amount of adjustment might need to be different for individual lenses, and might also need to be different when using the same lens on different camera bodies, it’s usually best to make precise fine-tuning adjustments for each of your lenses on each of your cameras, if you own more than one. And naturally, you only need to make any fine-tuning adjustments if they’re actually needed.

Ultimately, the Spyder LensCal might be a gadget that you simply don’t need. Especially if you use a mirrorless camera with native mount lenses, you might find that everything just ‘works’. However, if you shoot with a DSLR or use lenses on a mirrorless camera via a mount adapter, and you notice consistent autofocus inaccuracies, this tool can help you put things right.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Verdict

I’ve had lenses that deliver very good image quality, except that on my camera, the critical point of autofocus is usually in the wrong place. Where featured in the camera, autofocus fine-tuning can fix the problem and the datacolor Spyder LensCal is a tool that makes the whole process of calibration relatively quick, easy, and painless. In my books, that makes it a gadget that’s well worth having and very good value at the price.

This week, Canon released its financials for the first quarter of 2024. While the company’s sales increased for the year, its operating profit was down for the first time in four years. 

Canon’s income from imaging, which includes both networked cameras and regular cameras, showed a significant drop in sales, according to the published results. 

Cameras, which includes both compact and interchangeable lens cameras, saw a 7 percent drop in net sales, while network cameras saw an even bigger decrease at 11 percent. 

Despite this notable loss, Canon is still projecting a 3.6 percent growth in sales for the entire year.

Canon says: "In the Imaging Business Unit, although sales of mirrorless cameras remained solid centered around new products including entry-level EOS R50, sales of interchangeable-lens digital cameras as a whole decreased compared with the same period of the previous year due to an increase in sales promotion expenses and decrease in shipment volume aimed at adjusting the inventory that accumulated in the market at the end of the previous year."

Canon’s unit sales also took a hit in the first quarter of this year, down 500,000 units at a reduction rate of 10 percent. However, Canon is still projecting 2.8 million unit sales for the entire 12 months of 2024. This is still a projected reduction of 3 percent in overall unit sales compared to 2023. 

Shedding some light on the situation, Canon Rumors suggests that the first three months of the calendar year are always tricky to predict due to stats and figures being impacted by the hangover from Black Friday and Christmas consumer habits.

“If retailers haven't sold all their Christmas inventory, then they aren't ordering new inventory,” they reported. Then we have the post-COVID bounce in 2023 and how that may affect year-on-year results. In other words, Canon isn't doomed.”

Despite their (hopefully) temporary financial losses, our editor James Artaius believes that currently Canon’s best overall camera is the Canon EOS R5.

“In my opinion, the best Canon camera overall is the mighty Canon EOS R5,” he wrote, “It's a camera I personally bought because there is simply nothing it can't do, between its 45MP sensor (capable of shooting up to 400MP images!), 8K video, 20fps bursts and weather sealing. It was so far ahead of its time that it's still a technological marvel – but because it was released back in 2020, there are some great deals on it.”

Dive in to the world of the best Canon cameras

The best camcorders are something of an anachronism in today's market. Yet, their barrel-shaped handheld format, built-in zoom lenses, and ability to get going with minimal setup see them continuing to be popular with a certain type of buyer. If you're an enthusiast looking for something that can shoot decent, stable 4K video out of the box then the Sony FDR-AX53 makes some sense. 

It makes even more sense if you're looking for good value, want to upgrade from a smartphone, and don't need or understand the features, codecs, and interchangeable lenses offered by the best cinema cameras.

The Sony FDR-AX53 4K Handycam was released in 2016 when the best phones for video recording were nothing like the conte-creating flagship devices they are today. Designed to offer high-quality 4K video to families and enthusiasts, it reflected the idea that 4K content was becoming more mainstream in the homes of enthusiast consumers.

Sony's mirrorless camera lineup is comprehensive, with advanced hybrid cameras catering to professional creators and the Z lineup leaning towards vloggers. So where do its remaining camcorders fit in for recording video? The FDR-AX53 is ideal for family users with more to spend or filmmakers on a budget. It's around three times the price of the entry-level Sony HDR-CX405, but half the cost of the Sony FDR-AX700 with its larger 1-inch sensor and phase-detect autofocusing system.

The Sony FDR-AX53's headline specs include UHD 4K video at 24 or 30fps, 1080p 120 fps for slow-motion footage, 16.6MP images, 20x optical zoom, an equivalent of 5-axis Image Stabilization, and a 5.1 channel microphone. You also get a hot shoe mount, but most of the ports feel outdated by today's standards. Despite its age, the AX53 has endured with consumers, and Sony doesn't appear to be stopping production yet.

But how does it compare to a similarly-priced vlog-friendly camera like the Sony ZV-1? Can an eight-year-old camcorder keep up with the AI-powered autofocus of today's best mirrorless cameras? And is it even fair to ask that? As a millennial, I can enjoy the nostalgic format of the Sony AX53 while also questioning who it's suitable for. Here's what I made of it throughout several weeks of testing.

Sony FDR-AX53: What's changed?

Launched in early 2016 alongside the HDR-CX675 and HDR-CX455 camcorders (no longer available), the Sony FDR-AX53 replaced the AX33. Compared to its predecessor, it's capable of smoother footage with Sony's 5-axis Intelligent Active mode and better audio thanks to a new mic structure picking up sound from more directions.

The XA53's back-illuminated sensor also features pixels that are about 1.6x larger than the previous model, which means it should perform better in low light and handle noise better in these scenarios. For handling, the 4K camcorder also has an electronic viewfinder (something you don't get in the cheaper, newer XA43) plus a customizable control ring on the lens that you can assign for focus, zoom, and exposure adjustments.

Sony AX53: Design & Handling

I've seen the FDR-AX53 described as having the dimensions of a beer or Coke can, and that's almost accurate, although it's a little longer and fatter. It feels well-built, with no rattling parts, and at just over 500g it's delightful to handhold. A sturdy velcro strap adjusts the grip to accommodate different hand sizes, and there's a standard tripod thread underneath the camera for static, stable footage.

Pulling out the flip-out 3-inch LCD screen or the viewfinder turns the camcorder, and I was impressed at how quickly it fired up and was ready to shoot. The ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T lens is hidden behind an automatic cover that unlocks when it's turned on, so you don't have to remember to open and close it as you do on cheaper camcorders. I can't imagine ever being able to clean the lens effectively, so you better hope that it doesn't pick up any real dirt.

I found the monitor too dim in Normal mode, especially when filming outdoors, but changing it to Bright (there are only two settings) improved the experience. The viewfinder also helped in bright sunshine, but - likely being spoiled by pro DSLRs - it’s small at just 0.6cm. You have to get your eye in just the right position to see it clearly, and it mirrors exactly what’s on the LCD rather than offering anything new.

One of the main distinctions between consumer camcorders and pro models is that they prioritize being easy to use over offering granular controls. The AX53 is designed to be picked up and used in automatic mode, meaning there are very few buttons on the body, save from power, Night Shot, playback, and a feature called "My Voice Canceling" (more on that later) behind the screen on the left-hand side. 

There's a button to toggle between video and stills up top (and one to take a photo) and a record button where your thumb naturally rests next to the battery at the back. The ports are sensibly placed, too. The SD card slot sits behind the screen with an HDMI micro port, and headphone and microphone sockets are on the outside so that you can use them with the screen tucked in.

For me what lets this camcorder down is the lack of any assignable buttons; something that I enjoyed when handling the Canon HF G70, and a design choice I think is still valid even for amateur filmmakers. It's hard to see where Sony would have added these custom buttons onto the body, but I feel they'd have sped up operation and taken away some of the fiddly menu navigation I experienced when changing settings like white balance (which I avoided, for this reason) on the screen.

The XA53’s interface is, to put it politely, clunky, as you might expect from a 2016 camcorder. The menu is accessed with a tap on the LCD screen, and it’s split into sections like Shooting Mode, Image Quality, and Playback. Generally, each section has a sensible label, although you’ll find all the manual shooting settings under the generic Camera/Mic. There are six submenus here, but they all appear on the screen, giving you over 30 to move through. 

Thankfully, the LCD is touch-sensitive, but modern scroll and swipe gestures don’t work and you have to tap the up and down arrows to move through each parameter. It’s not ideal, particularly when you’ve gotten used to the speed of smartphone apps or the fluidity of modern camera interfaces. But it’s not a dealbreaker either, especially if you’re going to stick to the camera’s automatic settings.

What Sony has done is made the AX53’s lens ring function customizable. It’s set to Zoom by default but you can assign it to Exposure, Shutter Speed, AE Shift, and White Balance Shift. Pressing the manual button under the lens on the left (for a few seconds) brings up the functions on the screen, and then you twist the lens and press Menu again to set it. All of this takes longer than it should, and that means you won’t want to swap modes too often.

Sony FDR-AX53: Performance

I’ve tested six camcorders in as many months, and I’m probably most impressed by the footage from the Sony FDR-XA53 – despite its average specs and features. I’m not saying it’s technically the best, but it performs admirably for its price bracket, age, and my expectations. The XA53’s 1/2.5-type sensor is back-illuminated, with larger pixels for improved low-light handling. 

I shot footage at sunset and night, and there was no evidence of the muddy details and dull colors I experienced with the XA45. When shooting at the highest 4K 100mbps in bright daylight, the tonal range and clarity blew me away, and at least matched the more expensive Canon GH70. 

I kept things largely in automatic mode, letting the camcorder choose settings for me. Great move. When recording videos to the camera, my skin tones were smooth and natural, and the Face Detection features did a great job of following my face in sharp focus around the frame. 

In outdoor shots, the greens were vivid and accurate, and the out-of-focus areas in front of and behind subjects at the long zoom range were impressive for a sensor of “children’s cute sleeping faces” (Sony’s words) or in my case, nocturnal wildlife visiting the garden. It does what it’s meant to, even if it does have a slight green tinge to it.

The widest angle is equivalent to 26.8mm, which is ideal for vlogging at arm’s length. While the 20x optical zoom let me get up close to springtime lambs several fields away. I can see it being seriously impressive for sports games or your kid's graduation ceremonies. While the digital zoom can reach 250x, I wouldn’t rely on this unless you’re not precious about image quality – given that it seriously degrades the picture beyond about 50x.

The lens is floating on a gimbal inside the camcorder, which helps with stability. The AX53’s (5-axis) stabilization compensates for vibration across five directions. While Sony says it’ll stop camera shake even while running, I’d say you’d have to be a very smooth runner for this to be true. I was able to walk fast on uneven ground and capture usable footage, while vlogging was very static with no distracting movements.

I’ve already talked about the fiddly lens ring, but it's possible to control the Sony FDR-AX53 remotely with a smartphone (or tablet) by downloading the Imaging Edge Mobile app. Within a few minutes, I'd paired the camera to my iPhone 15 and could start and stop recording, view the picture, and zoom in and out from a distance. This was perfect for moments when I didn't want to be in a shot and would be just as helpful for being in group shots with the camera on a tripod. Multi Camera Control means you can join several camcorders via Wi-Fi, but I didn’t get a chance to test this feature.

Sony’s XA53 battery lasted me around two hours of 4K recording, plus some menu faffing time on top of that. That’s a lot more than the Canon HF G70 and a great deal longer than the Sony ZV-1 vlogging camera. Once you’re out of power though, charging takes over three hours to get back to full capacity.

The audio quality could be better. The XA53 comes with a built-in 5.1 channel microphone, but this is sadly limited to stereo (2 channels) in 4K. Still, it offered brilliant clarity when I recorded pieces to the camera in a home studio. When filming in a city it picked up ambient noise from multiple directions and could distinguish between vehicles, people talking, and music in the distant background. 

Windy conditions caused a lot of noise disturbance (despite the Auto wind reduction being activated) but that’s not unusual for a built-in mic. I’d suggest adding an external shotgun mic for the best audio, which you can do without spending much extra or weighing yourself down.

If there’s any area of disappointment then it’s undoubtedly autofocus performance. Nine years is a long time in technological terms, and the AX53’s AF system can’t keep up with fast-moving subjects or rapid changes in zoom in the way that its latest AI-powered systems can. I always found myself zooming in and out gradually, rather than all at once, otherwise the camcorder would take a while to refocus properly.

And if you're a videographer or a filmmaker who likes control, you won't get it here. You can only turn off one automatic feature at a time, and all the features you've set manually then revert to full auto. Add that to the lack of customizable buttons, and it's a frustrating experience for more advanced users. 

Sony FDR-AX53: Sample video

Above: sample video show with Sony AX53

I had the Sony FDR-AX53 for several weeks and created dozens of short clips of everyday life (because that's what the camcorder is designed for). I captured footage inside and out, in low light and under LEDs. All the shots were captured handheld, relying on the FDR-AX53's microphone. These clips were shot at the maximum XAVC S 4K output (3840 x 2160 px).

Sony FDR-AX53: Final Verdict

If you're looking for a family-friendly camcorder that's easy enough to be used by most ages and skill levels, the Sony FDR-AX53 is a winner. It's bigger than the most compact of Sony's camcorders, the HDR-CX405, but still portable enough to pop in a bag. It's also very comfortable to carry around, and the built-in stabilization does a good job of keeping your wobbly walking shots steady. What it doesn't give you is the manual control over settings you'll need for professional work and documentaries.

Still, despite having a pro-level mirrorless camera with great video specs, I preferred using the FDR-AX53 for capturing footage on the fly, because of its light, one-handed handling. Although the viewfinder is a bonus in a camera of this price bracket, I preferred having the camcorder at a lower angle and using the monitor for composition and checking the audio.

The FDR-AX53 is also a good choice for film students, who want to create projects on a budget. But it's nothing like Sony's latest vlogging lineup, and although you get Wi-Fi to send clips to your phone, the process is more labored than I'd have liked. Of course, you also can't change the lens, which would be a great limitation if the wide-angle and 20x optical zoom offered didn't cover most scenarios effectively.

The Sony FDR-AX53 is a decent generalist camcorder for everyday clips but the autofocus technology is outdated. You'll notice this when zooming in and out quickly and in high-contrast lighting situations, but unless you expect it to be as zippy as the AI-powered AF on the best Sony cameras, you'll be satisfied.

Alternatives

Blackmagic Design's new 17K cine camera sensor is extraordinary. Unveiled as just one of over 20 new products at NAB 2024 – including two other new cine cameras – its 17K sensor and the cameras it will be used in are groundbreaking for many reasons.

Forget, 4K and 8K - this sensor allows you to record in 17K. But what does that actually mean? 

Essentially, 17K means that the sensor has a width of over 17,000 pixels - making it a monster, offering higher resolution than we have ever seen before from a cine camera, and four times more resolution than 8K cameras. 

In fact, the pixel dimensions of the new sensor measure 17,520 pixels by 8,040 pixels - offering a phenomenal 140 megapixel resolution for every frame that this movie camera shoots.

The sensor itself is huge - measuring 50.8 x 23.3mm - so it is around 35% wider than the full frame. These dimensions have been chosen to be similar to those of the 70mm 5-perf film used to shoot high-budget Hollywood movies.

Similar digital cameras are already available in Hollywood - the most obvious being the Arri Alexa 65 - which has a slight larger 54.12 × 25.59mm size, but a lower, 6K (6560×3102-pixel) resolution. 

The Arri Alexa 65 is a camera that costs well into the six figures - and it is not something you will even find listed at B&H Photo. We don't know the price yet of the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K - but it will be a fraction of this. We are told that it will be "a lot more" than the $15k URSA Cine 12K - but they will announce the actual price later in the year.

The design of the URSA Cine 17K is essentially the same as the 12K version. But a notable difference is with the lens mount - which needs to be larger to allow for that super-wide sensor. For this reason the camera, when it goes on sale later in the year, will come in two versions - either using LPL lenses (like the Arri Alexa 65) or using Hasselblad H-Series medium-format photography lenses. Another difference is that it won't have built-in ND filters - simply because they can't make them for a sensor this size.

But why would you want a camera with this resolution? Blackmagic CEO Grant Petty explains that it is about bringing IMAX to a greater number of filmmakers. "Imagine if every film could be shot in IMAX-style resolutions without being a complex process," he explains. 

"Our dream is to make high-resolution shooting really easy. I don't know why cinemas still use projectors. I think they should use high-resolution LED screens," he added.

• The highest resolution cameras you can buy today

I love weird and wonderful cameras, especially weird and wonderful film cameras. And I think this is the weirdest and most wonderful I've ever seen!

What we have here is an Exakta Varex – which is already pretty exotic as not only is it the grandaddy of 35mm SLRs, it's also a left-handed camera with the film advance and shutter release on the left of the body rather than the right. 

However, this one in particular is even more special thanks to the unique Exakta Magnifying Finder featuring a second lens, giving the setup a very Frankenstein feel… as well as the effect of looking like a piece of bad AI image generation. 

However, it's 100% real, and was shared by the fine folks at Blue Moon Camera and Machine, a vintage camera and processing shop in Portland, Oregon. "File this post in the 'cool stuff our customers bring in to share'," wrote the store in its Instagram post (below). 

"Longtime customer and Exakta collector @darryll_decoster brought by his Exakta SLR with the Exakta Magnifying Finder (also known as the 'Magnear Finder') atop it. The Magnifying Finder was an interesting accessory made by Ihagee for their Exakta cameras. On one hand, the idea of a top-down, magnifying chimney finder is not terribly strange. 

"But the Exakta version was a bit different in that you could detach the magnifying optic and the finder had a standard Exakta lens mount atop it allowing you to use normal lenses as your new magnifying optic. This could result in some interesting combinations with strange results. We suppose it could be an alternative means of keeping a second lens attached to the camera.⁠"

When asked the inevitable "but why tho" by someone in the comment section, DeCoster himself chimed in: "There's a specific eyepiece that goes along with the finder which was sold separately, which makes it more like you would expect, but you can get some serious zoom into that finder with a lens on it."

I thoroughly recommend checking out Darryll's Instagram page (linked below) as well as Blue Moon's, as they both showcase some glorious analog cameras from days gone by! 

If you're looking for something a little more modern, take a look at the best mirrorless cameras that feature some of the best Canon, best Nikon and best Sony cameras. 

Last year NiSi announced its cine lens debut with the Athena Prime lenses, which garnered a lot of attention for their full-frame manual design delivering sharp, detailed imagery with minimal chromatic aberration, gentle bokeh, and a uniform aesthetic across the whole set. These qualities quickly endeared them to both narrative and documentary filmmakers. 

Now NiSi is expanding the Athena Prime lineup with three new offerings: an 18mm, 40mm and 135mm, all available in Sony E, Canon RF, Arri PL, Fujifilm GF and L-Mounts. Notably, the E, L and RF versions feature drop-in rear filters for convenient use of neutral density or diffusion filters – making these a very versatile lens set.

The 40mm maintains the line's hallmark T1.9 maximum aperture for consistency in performance, while the 18mm and 135mm lenses introduce a T2.2 aperture. All the Athena lenses share uniform dimensions and weight, facilitating seamless compatibility with accessories like matte boxes and wireless follow focuses, as well as simplifying adjustments on stabilizing equipment such as gimbals and Easyrigs.

These new focal lengths will broaden the creative horizons for videographers – particularly the 135mm, extending beyond the original 85mm limit of the lens set. The user-friendly 300° focus ring, robust yet lightweight aluminum alloy construction, and the 10-blade aperture design ensure smooth, circular bokeh.

I'm sure cinematographers will appreciate the expanded versatility of these new lenses while maintaining a consistent color rendition, which is critical for documentary or commercial work.

The lenses are available individually, as an add-on kit for existing 5-lens kits, or as part of a comprehensive Master Kit featuring all eight lenses.

In addition to the new optics NiSi also introduced a nine-lens hardshell case to accommodate the full set, along with a PL to Z Adapter enabling the use of Athena lenses on mirrorless Nikon cameras – something that we could see more of, now that Nikon has acquired Hollywood cinema camera giant Red.

Those interested in the 8-lens Master kit will have to cough up $8,999 (approximately £7,100 / AU$13,600) in any lens mount, while the 18mm, 40mm, and 135mm can be purchased separately for $1,268 each (£1,000 / AU$1,900) – which is a steal if you ask me!

If you're a keen filmmaker using some of the best 8K and 6K cameras or the best cinema camera in the business, you might want to take note of the latest firmware Canon has introduced to the Canon EOS C500 Mark II.

In this latest firmware update, Canon has added 12-bit Cinema RAW Light formats: LT (Light), ST (Standard), and HQ (High Quality), which will expand workflow flexibility and offers additional post-production options. 

Previously accessible only on the Canon EOS R5 C and Canon EOS C70, this highly sought-after feature empowers users to choose from a range of internal RAW recording data rates, allowing for either enhanced fidelity of sensor output or reduced file sizes, all while preserving the rich 12-bit color information.

Featuring a 5.9K full-frame sensor, internal RAW recording, interchangeable lens mount, and its highly adaptable modular design, the Canon EOS C500 Mark II is favored in television and cinematic productions for its exceptional image quality, extensive connectivity, and compact form factor.

Aron Randhawa, Senior Product Specialist at Canon Europe, emphasized the evolving nature of Cinema RAW Light and its superiority over heavily compressed formats, particularly for color grading and VFX workflows. The newly introduced scalable formats maintain their 12-bit depth even at higher frame rates, without chroma subsampling, enabling cinematographers to fully unleash the potential of their production cameras.

The new firmware will be availably at the end of March.

A keen ornithologist and amateur photographer, Victor Hasselblad tried many camera systems in his quest to find the ideal tool for taking pictures of birds. He liked the image quality of 4x5- and 5x7-inch sheet film, but even ‘portable’ cameras like the Speed Graphic were still too unwieldy. He liked the size of Leica’s 35mm rangefinder cameras, but really wanted reflex viewfinding… and, ideally, a bigger negative with more cropping fl exibility. The solution? Victor came up with his own design, based on the box-form aerial cameras that his family company had built for the Swedish Air Force during the second World War.

The prototype was a 6x6cm format SLR with interchangeable lenses badged ‘Rossex’ and designed by Sixten Sason who, incidentally, also penned the first Saab passenger car, the 92. The visual similarity between the two products is obvious even though they were obviously very different.

Problems with registering the Rossex name in a number of countries resulted in it being dropped in favor of simply ‘Hasselblad’, and the first production camera, designated the 1600F, was unveiled in New York on 6 October 1948. It wasn’t quite the world’s first 6x6cm SLR, but it was the first with interchangeable film magazines and the first serious medium format reflex system camera. It was accompanied by four Kodak Ektar lenses, but by the time its next model arrived in 1952, Hasselblad had switched to Zeiss as its lens supplier.

Problems with obtaining a top speed of 1/1600 second from the 1600F’s big focal plane shutter (now you know what ‘1600F’ stood for), meant the second ’Blad’s shutter ran to 1/1000 second. This was the 1000F, and around 10,000 examples were made, but some problems with shutter reliability persisted, so in 1953, Hasselblad started work on a camera that used a leaf-type shutter in each lens. In addition to better reliability, the leaf-shutter could be synchronized with electronic fl ash (just introduced) at all speeds up to the fastest of 1/500 second. Linking the mechanics of the camera to those of the lens presented a number of problems and Hasselblad experimented with external linkages before perfecting a coupling system built into a new lens mount.

The 500C was launched in 1957 (the ‘C’ stood for Compur, the shutter made by Compurwerk of Munich). It established Hasselblad’s reputation for reliability and top-end performance. The 500C also resigned the comparatively cumbersome TLR to history and brought a new level of convenience and fl flexibility to medium-format photography.

Arguably, the best of the breed was the 500C’s successor, the 500C/M, which also had interchangeable focusing screens and could be fitted with a metering prism finder. Introduced in 1970, the 500C/M remained in production for nearly 19 years. Examples built from 1984 onward had a fold-away crank handle for the film advance instead of the knob Hasselblad had used since the beginning.

While they looked brick-like, Hasselblad’s 500-series reflexes actually handled very comfortably... everything was just where it should be and they operated very intuitively. The square format meant the camera never needed to be held vertically. The modularity extended to lenses, viewfinders, and film holders, so the system was immensely flexible, and it was widely used in many areas of professional photography.

In 1961, Hasselblad started work on a second stream of 500-series cameras which had a built-in battery-powered motordrive. The impetus for this was that the military wanted a high-speed camera for aerial reconnaissance, but a more likely reason was that Victor Hasselblad hankered after a camera for bird photography that could be remotely triggered. 

The prototype 500EL (‘EL’ being short for ‘electronic’) was completed in 1963, and the camera was launched in 1965 to a fairly skeptical audience. Users of the fully-mechanical cameras were suspicious of anything electronic, but the EL cameras did eventually start to sell and were adopted by NASA for its space cameras from 1968 until now (the space agency has since ordered a special version of the 203FE). A modified 500EL, called the EDC or Electronic Data Camera, was used on the historic first landing on the moon... possibly the most significant photo opportunity ever. 

The next major development was the addition of TTL off-the-film (OTF) fl ash metering, which was introduced with the motorized 500ELX in 1984 and the 503CX in 1988, which subsequently evolved into the 503CXi in 1994. This model had LED indicators in the viewfinder and, in 1997, was replaced by the 503CW which could be fitted with an accessory autowinder. 

The motorized 500 family tree progressed to the 553ELX in 1988, which had the brighter Acute-Matte focusing screen, and then the 555ELD (‘D’ for digital), introduced in 1998. Notably, it featured connections for fitting and syncing digital capture backs. By now though, Hasselblad was working on its all-new autofocus 6x4.5cm format H System (launched in 2002), as the mechanical cameras had reached the end of the road. Nevertheless, production of the last-of-the-line 501CM – essentially a revival of the 500C/M – didn’t end until 2013. What’s more, they’re all back in demand, especially the later models, as unique camera experiences take on a whole new life.

See the best Hasselblad cameras today, and the best medium format cameras

So, you might have heard that the brand Yashica is back – but it is far from the legacy brand it once was. It recently launched the Yaschica smart binoculars and has joined forces with I'm Back, to produce digital modules for some of the best film cameras. 

Now comes news that Yashica will launch a Kickstarter campaign to produce the "smallest mirrorless [camera] ever invented".

From the photos, this thing looks like a GoPro on steroids and features an interchangeable lens mount (for what looks like three lenses that will be available). It will also feature a flip-out screen and what looks to be a digital viewfinder attachment.

To my eye, this thing looks utterly bonkers. Personally, I can't see any rhyme or reason why anyone would want to buy and carry this around as their main camera or even for travel photography.

At this stage, there isn't anything else really to say about it, and no specs have yet to be announced by Yashica / I'm Back. But I don't think I need them, as it looks horrible! The only real positive thing I can say about it? It's good that it has three lenses, which I assume from the image are a wide-angle, tele and a standard, which can all be focused manually.

Again, from the side profile, we can see two slots that look right off of a GoPro – but I'd bet that the best GoPro cameras will eat this thing alive in a photography shootout. I will go as far as to say that it is an interesting concept, but personally, I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

While this might seem like a harsh overview of a product that we have no specs for, and don't really know what it wants to be or do, I've seen enough cameras come to market to know that this isn't going to be the "big seller" from Yashica. Could I be wrong? Maybe, but I won't hold my breath.

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

You might be interested in the best mirrorless cameras from more recently proven brands. If you're an analog shooter, take a look at the best 35mm film and the best film scanners. 

If you're looking for the best OM System OM-1 Mark II deals, you've come to the right place. Since its release, the Olympus OM-1 Mark II has been a long-awaited camera for those who loved its predecessor and are loyal to the Olympus / OM System brand as it's the perfect compact mirrorless camera for those wanting great stills and video while travelling.

Read our news on the OM Systems OM-1 Mark II

The OM-1 Mark II is the first flagship model under the OM Systems brand. This upgraded version of the Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera packs a punch with its 20MP stacked BSI Live MOS sensor and TruePic X processor, ensuring top-notch image quality, rapid autofocus, and impressive low-light performance across a wide ISO range of 200 to 102,400.

Thanks to the Micro Four Thirds system's crop factor, you can get closer to your subjects, making the OM-1 Mark II an ideal choice for wildlife and nature photography. 

Plus, with its 5-axis in-body image stabilization, handheld shooting becomes a breeze, resulting in sharper images. Whether you're capturing stills or videos, the OM-1 Mark II offers mobility, precision, and reliability, making it a dependable companion for all your photography adventures.

Read more: 

Best Olympus lenses
Best Micro Four Thirds lenses
Best professional cameras
Best mirrorless cameras

The Japanese Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has announced its outlook forecast on the 'shipment by product-type concerning cameras and related goods for 2024' and expects a decrease compared to 2023.

CIPA's reports provide an interesting insight into the digital camera market, looking at market trends among the best mirrorless and DSLR cameras. The 2023 annual report was released earlier this month, showing the market declined in Europe and the US but increased dramatically in Asia, with a significant increase in China. It also showed an overall decrease in digital camera and lens shipments globally, a decline that CIPA expects to continue.  

CIPA states, "Total digital camera shipments in 2024 (from January to December cumulative) are expected to be 7.41 million units, which is 96.0% of the previous year, including 860,000 units or 94.5% to Japan, and 6.55 million units or 96.2% to countries other than Japan".

This has also been broken down further by the category of digital cameras. Shipments of interchangeable-lens digital cameras (DSLRs and mirrorless cameras) are expected to be 98.2% of the previous year, and fixed-lens are expected to be 88.4%.

With so many new cameras scheduled or rumored to launch in 2024, especially compact cameras, it is a surprise that the forecast shows a decline in overall digital camera shipments globally. The freshly announced Fujifilm X100VI and a rumored successor to the Ricoh GR III, will certainly be trying to bump up the data of fixed-lens digital cameras. Likewise, the long-awaited Canon EOS R1's anticipated release will undoubtedly boost interchangeable-lens cameras.

CIPA's outlook also predicts lenses for interchangeable-lens cameras are to remain almost stable in 2024, with volumes expected to be at 99.3% of where they were last year.

CIPA summarises the report by stating, "As the market experienced a slowdown slightly toward the end of 2023, this outlook is less than bullish. However, digital cameras are items closely connected to 'outdoor demands' and 'outing demands'. In association with the current trend of breaking away from the COVID-19 pandemic, further growth is expected".

In a somewhat contradictory summarisation, CIPA states that they expect growth in the market despite a decrease in global shipments. It is unclear if this means long-term future growth or an increase in shipments after the dip at the end of 2023, but overall the digital camera market is in a healthy state.

2024 is set to become an exciting year for photographic equipment, with new releases scheduled for most major manufacturers. You can get hands-on with the latest equipment they have to offer at The Photography and Video Show 2024 at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. Tickets for the show are available now.

Canon announces that they have held onto the number one spot for interchangeable-lens digital cameras, a record it has held for 21 consecutive years. 

A survey taken by Canon showed that the camera manufacturer continues to hold the number one share of the global market for interchangeable-lens digital cameras, including both DSLRs and mirrorless. The best Canon EOS cameras are all designed on the basic concept of "Speed, comfort, and high image quality", which canon continues to constantly develop.  

Canon has seen much success with its transition to mirrorless cameras, retaining its title as the number one mirrorless camera brand in America, which would no doubt have contributed to the overall global sales. Last year saw the release of three additional interchangeable camera models into the market, with the arrival of the Canon EOS R8, R50, and R100.

Much like Canon has done with its DSLR systems, they continue to provide high-performance and highly trusted cameras for all levels of photography. Canon has a fantastic ability to rank highly in both the best beginner cameras and the best professional cameras, providing an entry point for all photographers.

A wide selection of lenses further supports the demands of shooters with over 115 Canon RF and EF series lenses, for every conceivable creative endeavor. The quality of lenses continues to improve and is a big aspect to consider when buying a camera body. 2023 saw the release of 9 new RF lenses, ranging from an entry-level telephoto with the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM to the trinity-busting powerhouse of the Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z, further improving equipment for all entry levels.

Canon also remains among the top choices for professional sports photographers and was the number one brand to be used at the Rugby World Cup 2023. With two major sporting competitions scheduled for 2024, can Canon hold on to its title for a 22nd consecutive year? 

The Sony A9 III will provide a stiff contest, and Canon will need to pull something big out of the bag if it's to compete. Camera rumors suggest a new professional flagship EOS R1 may come in time for the summer Olympic games, but no official statements have been made.

For more information on Canon lenses, see our guides on the best Canon telephoto lenses, the best Canon wide-angle lenses, and the best Canon standard zoom lens. 

Don't be fooled scrolling through Canon's website, it lists a lot of RF lenses with Macro in the title, but these are not true macro lenses – instead offering only half macro (0.5x) magnification. Canon currently only offers a single 1:1 macro lens for its RF cameras, although if newly uncovered patents are anything to go by – that might be about to change.

Canon wowed us when it released the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, building on what was already an incredible EF version of the lens but managing to make the lens even sharper than before. Not only that Canon managed to make the maximum magnification bigger, the image stabilization even greater, and add clever SA bokeh controls.

That's all great, except the current RF 100mm Macro lens is expensive! Cheaper 0.5x Macro lenses like the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM exist to fill the gap at the moment, but Canon's RF system is crying out for a smaller, lighter, and above all – more affordable 1:1 macro option.

The patents – uncovered by Asobinet – suggest that Canon has been working on designing several other options for RF mount cameras with a 1.0x magnification and floating focus. The lenses are all designed with narrower f/4 apertures, which would allow the lenses to be smaller but restrict their ability to gather light. 

The patents cover lenses with focal lengths of 52mm, 90mm, and 110mm. While two of these focal lengths are quite close to the existing Canon RF 100mm Macro, it wouldn't be unusual to see a cheaper version with nearly the same focal length, as this is the standard length for macro primes – Canon had two similar competing macro lenses for its EF mount.

Canon's RF mount has several great manual focus macro lenses to choose from Venus Optic's Laowa range, but with Canon still locking down its lens mount to autofocus lenses, we have the long wait for Canon to give macro fans without deep pockets more first-party macro options, but hopefully with these patents we won't have too long to wait.

For more, check out our top picks for the best Canon RF lenses, or the best Canon camera.

The Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is a Leica M-mount rangefinder lens that can also be used on a host of mirrorless cameras via inexpensive ‘dumb’ mount adaptors. It was tested on a Sony A7 II and a Canon EOS R8, and the results were very different – more on that later!

The Voigtländer name is well known in photography, and Voigtländer lenses are now made by Cosina in Japan. They are not budget lenses. They are high-quality optics made for modern cameras. This one comes in a Leica M mount and would make a great lower-cost alternative to Leica lenses for fans of the red dot.

But the narrower lens mount and slightly longer flange distance of the M mount means you can get adaptors for today’s mirrorless bodies. We used adaptors from Urth. This 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is a fully manual lens with no electronic connections, so it doesn’t need complex lens adaptors and works in just the same way on a mirrorless body as it would on a rangefinder.

The f/2.5 maximum aperture might seem a handicap, but how often do you need anything faster? Where the Color Skopar excels is its small size, the quality of its controls, and its manual focus and depth of field control – though there is one niggle to be aware of here.

It's not likely to make it onto our list of the best Sony lenses because it's both specialized and an acquired taste, but if you're looking for the best 35mm lenses with a real retro vibe, then it's right up there.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: specifications

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: price and availability

At the time of writing, the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is on sale for around $429 / £398, which makes it rather cheaper than own-brand 35mm f/1.8 lenses but also, of course, rather slower in maximum aperture. It’s certainly not a cheap lens, but it does cost less than regular 35mm primes and is substantially smaller. It seems pretty widely available in the US, but while it's carried by many UK retailers, it may not always be in stock.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: design and handling

This is such a compact lens that it’s almost a little fiddly to handle. The manual aperture ring is at the front of the lens, whereas on most digital lenses, or those that have aperture rings, it’s closer to the camera body. The Voigtländer’s focus ring is where your fingers might be expecting to find the aperture ring, so it does need a little acclimatization. 

The aperture ring is perhaps a little light but has very positive click stops in half-stop increments – not the one-third stops of modern systems – while the focus ring is beautifully smooth and has a focus lever on the base. It is rangefinder coupled for use on genuine rangefinder-focused cameras, but this coupling is redundant when used on mirrorless cameras.

It is wonderful to have a long focus travel and a detailed focus scale, together with depth of field index marks for apertures from f/4 to f/22, as these make hyperfocal focusing and zone focusing a breeze. These are forgotten arts well worth rediscovering in the modern era.

But there is a problem. We did not test this lens on a Leica rangefinder body which is, perhaps, what it is mainly designed for, but using three different adaptors on two different bodies we did find a discrepancy between the infinity mark and infinity focus. You can’t just turn the focus ring to its hard stop at infinity and expect the lens to be focused at infinity. In practice, ‘real’ infinity is somewhere between the infinity and 5m marks.

Whether you blame lens adapters or the lens, if you intend using the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II on a mirrorless camera, you should check the focus using the EVF or rear screen, ideally with magnification, or make allowances for any discrepancy in the distance scale.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: performance

This is a relatively simple lens in optical terms, but its performance proved surprisingly good. There is some softening of detail at the edges, even after stopping down, and our sample was a little softer on the right side than the left, which could be annoying.

But while there is some visible vignetting, you might want to leave it in because it’s part of this lens’s very interesting character and can often improve the picture. We were expecting some chromatic aberration and perhaps distortion, but there’s precious little of either.

That was using a Sony A7 II body. We also tried this lens on a Canon EOS R8, this time via a Leica M to Canon RF adapter, and got a very different outcome. 

One of the issues with vintage lens designs is that they were originally made for film, which is very tolerant of high angles of incidence where the image strikes the edges of the frame. It turns out our EOS R8’s sensor is not. Towards the edges of the frame it produced a strong magenta shift that effectively makes the images from this lens unusable for color work – though you might get away with it if you use the Voigtländer on an APS-C Canon RF mount camera.

We didn’t expect to see a difference like that between two full frame mirrorless cameras. On this showing, we would certainly try out other older lens designs on a Sony body (and have done), but we won’t rush to repeat this experiment with the Canon.

So there are some drawbacks and pitfalls with this lens, and it can take a little while to get the hang of it and get the most from it.

But it’s worth it. The edge definition might not be great and there is some moderate corner shading, but the center sharpness is pretty spectacular, and the relatively simple optics give a level of contrast and punchiness you don’t normally see with a modern lens. If you want to recreate the look of old transparency film, maybe you should forget about so-called film simulations but look at what lenses like this do instead.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: verdict

The Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is about as different as you can get to a modern digital lens, though for photographers who started out in film it will also be a reminder about how simple and effective lenses used to be.

You can zone focus perfectly well with this lens, though do check and make allowances for any discrepancies in the distance scale if you’re using it with an adapter. It’s also capable of extremely sharp results if you focus precisely – though this takes a little more time and effort than autofocus, so this is not exactly a point and shoot lens.

What this lens lacks in edge to edge sharpness it makes up for with superb centre sharpness, high contrast and a character that you don’t really see with modern lenses. With the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II, the handling and the look of the images are everything.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: alternatives

If you’re still shooting with a DSLR – and thousands upon thousands of photographers are – then it’s very likely that you’re completely happy with it, and don’t particularly want to be forced into making a change. Snag is, the DSLR’s days are basically done as just about all the mainstream camera makers pour all their resources into their mirrorless systems. 

While there are new mirrorless cameras arriving all the time, there’s only been one or two DSLRs in the last couple two years… and they are basically upgrades of existing models.

As often happens with new technologies, the development can be well ahead of the market and that’s exactly what’s happening here… there are still a great many photographers using DSLRs, but they’re rapidly running out of options in terms of upgrading or replacing their existing cameras. Models are steadily being discontinued, as are lenses and accessories so, like it or not, DSLR users are increasingly having their hands forced when it comes to buying their next interchangeable lens camera. 

On the plus side, there are many good reasons why the interchangeable lens camera makers are backing mirrorless and we’ll look at all of these shortly, but there is still possible to buy a new DSLR, at the moment, should you be inextricably wedded to the reflex mirror and the optical viewfinder. That said, most of these models are at least five years old (and many are much longer in the tooth), so you’ll be buying simply to get something newer than what you’ve got now rather than something that will give you increased capabilities and better performance. 

The reality is that, sooner or later for most current DSLR users, it’s going to be crunch time, so it’s important to know what’s involved and what are all the options. 

Views On The Finder

Probably the two biggest issues to contend with when making the switch from a DSLR to a mirrorless camera are the viewfinder and the lenses. Yes, both of these are real biggies, so it’s no surprise that you might be apprehensive or reluctant to give up something you know and love, and make a jump into the unknown. 

The mirrorless concept has been around for a very long time in the shape of the rangefinder camera, and it was Leica in particular who took advantage of the configuration to design its superlative M-mount lenses. Without a reflex mirror and its mechanism to accommodate, the distance between the lens mount and the focal plane (the point at which a lens is focused) is much shorter, which has lots of advantages when it comes to designing lenses. 

A shorter back focus distance – also called the flange distance – makes it easier to achieve more uniform center-to corner sharpness, and there is also greater flexibility with what can be done with a lens’ optical design, especially for wide-angles which, incidentally, was always the big strength of the rangefinder camera systems over those for SLRs. 

Of course, the rangefinder cameras had (and still have) optical viewfinders, but these are a non-TTL design and it limited the use of telephoto lenses to about 100mm in focal length (with the 35mm format), which is why the reflex camera with its TTL-type optical finder ultimately became a lot more popular. With the digital mirrorless camera, it’s possible to have everything, which is primarily what’s been driving the development of this configuration. 

The big breakthrough has been the refining of the electronic viewfinder (EVF) to the point where it delivered acceptable color, contrast, resolution, dynamic range and refresh rates. Think of the EVF as a mini flat panel TV that gets a live feed directly from the imaging sensor. Not only does this eliminate all the bulky componentry of the reflex camera’s mirror box and optical viewfinder – which is either a pentaprism or penta-mirror arrangement – it allows every camera setting to be previewed, especially useful when you’re applying special effects or filters. 

Also eliminated are the noise and vibrations created by the reflex mirror’s operation and the limits this places on continuous shooting speeds. Current pro-level DSLRs can shoot at up to 12fps with the reflex mirror, and going any faster requires the mirror to be locked-up, at which point they’re essentially operating as a mirrorless camera anyway. The higher-end mirrorless models can now shoot at 20fps, or even 30fps, when using the electronic shutter instead of the mechanical shutter (which is again limited by the mechanical operation of its blades). 

Dedicated DSLR users still point to the OVF as one of the reasons for sticking with the reflex camera, and while it’s true that the optical viewfinder is still superior – as Canon described it when the EOS-1D X Mark III was launched, it “ensures you are connected to your subject in real time with zero lag” – the latest generation EVFs are hard to fault. It’s a different experience, of course, but one that you will get used to very quickly. 

New Lenses… Or Old 

The lens question is perhaps even thornier for DSLR users thinking about switching to a mirrorless system. Note the word “system” because we’re talking about both camera bodies and lenses here. The mirrorless configuration demands a new lens mount, which – in 35mm SLR history – was always done very reluctantly by the camera makers as it caused so many issues for users of the old mount. 

Canon gritted its teeth when switching from FD to EF in order to enable a more efficient autofocus system, while Nikon tried to make its existing F-mount work in a bid to maintain compatibility, but encountered restrictions down the track and eventually ended up changing everything but the physical fitting. 

The saving grace this time around is the availability of adapters to help ease the financial pain that’s always associated with switching lens mounts. These adapters essentially reset the flange distance back to that of the SLR system, so the latter’s lenses can be used without any loss of capabilities (i.e. AE and AF functionality) or optical performance. 

It is, nonetheless, still a compromise as you’re missing out on the various benefits that the mirrorless camera configuration brings to lenses – among them even better optical performance, enhanced in-camera corrections, and the potential for more compact designs with faster maximum apertures. Once again, sooner or later, you will have to consider adopting dedicated mirrorless system lenses, but at least it’s possible to use a mirrorless body with all your SLR lenses so you can contemplate making the switch step-by-step. 

With some more specialized lenses – such as expensive fast telephotos, for example – you may well simply opt to go on using them with an adaptor because there’s virtually nothing to lose functionality-wise, but potentially quite a bit to lose financially with a changeover (assuming there is a mirrorless equivalent available). 

Staying Brand Loyal… Or Not? 

The big question that Canon and Nikon have been sweating on is whether its DSLR users will stick with them when they make the transition to a mirrorless camera. It’s a valid concern because, if you have to change lens mounts anyway, then why not consider everything that’s out there? 

The risk of defections has been greatly reduced now that both Canon and Nikon have rapidly expanded their full-frame mirrorless camera systems – making for a smoother switch on many levels – but there is credible competition from Sony, Leica and Panasonic or, if you’re contemplating a cropped sensor system, also Fujifilm and Olympus. 

For the record, Canon, Nikon and Sony also offer mirrorless systems based on the APS-C sensor size, while Panasonic pioneered the Micro Four Thirds format. The world’s very first mirrorless digital ILC was the Panasonic Lumix G1 (which my colleague James Artaius recently took a fresh look at) unveiled at the 2008 Photokina. 

In the full-frame sensor size, Sony launched its FE-mount system in October 2013 and has subsequently built it into a range that currently comprises nine camera bodies and over 70 lenses. It has also pioneered a number of new technologies especially in sensor design, and makes the most compact conventionally styled full-frame camera bodies. 

The lens system covers everything from ultra wide to supertelephoto and all points in between (plus the mount is well supported by third party lens makers), so Sony is the most logical place to look if you’re thinking of jumping ship from a full-frame Canon or Nikon DSLR. Mount adapters are available – something Sony actively encouraged in the earlier days, so it’s still possible to maintain full functionality – which means that you’re not entirely committed to swapping all your existing lenses. 

Long term, though, there may be more of an imperative to adopt Sony optics and, of course, in the meantime you will have to learn a whole new camera layout and operation. Nevertheless, both Canon and Nikon are still playing catch-up with their full-frame mirrorless lens systems (although certainly all the ‘staples’ are now there) and the choice of camera bodies, so you might well be convinced to look elsewhere. 

Panasonic’s Lumix S full-frame mirrorless system arrived at the same time as those from Canon and Nikon, but was immediately ahead in the lens race by virtue of using Leica’s L mount in a collaboration that also involves Sigma. Subsequently, there are already over 50 L-mount lenses from the three brands along with, currently, four bodies from Panasonic, and two each from Leica and Sigma. 

Thinking Bigger… Or Smaller 

If you currently use an APS-C format DSLR then there’s the option to move up to the bigger, full-frame sensor when you make the switch to a mirrorless camera, but this will more likely require you to replace all your lenses as well. The adapter route is still open as all the full-frame mirrorless cameras can be switched to the APS-C format when these lenses are fitted, but you will be using less resolution than is available, which seems like an unnecessary performance compromise. 

What about dropping down a sensor size… from full frame to APS-C or even to Micro Four Thirds (MFT)? Believe it or not, there a few good reasons for considering this route. Firstly, the Fujifilm X mount, Sony E mount, and both the Micro Four Thirds lens systems are extensive, and there’s also plenty of choice from third-party lens makers too. Secondly, the smaller sensor size allows for more compact camera bodies and lenses, the latter further enhanced by the crop factors involved… 1.5x for Fujifilm X and Sony E, and 1.97x for MFT. 

This means longer telephotos in particular can be made much smaller, lighter and more affordable. If you’re getting to a stage in life where the idea of lugging around a heavy bag of camera gear is becoming less appealing or you simply prefer to travel light without compromising your shooting capabilities, then the crop sensor mirrorless cameras have obvious appeal. Alternatively, mount adapters allow you to still use existing full-frame/35mm format lenses, which will also get a bump up in their effective focal length. 

All of these manufacturers offer excellent enthusiast-level and pro-grade mirrorless camera bodies, which serves as a reminder that sensor size really doesn’t make any difference in a great many shooting situations. However, it’s not entirely a free lunch; at a given resolution, the smaller sensors will have smaller pixels, which means they have a lower signal-to-noise ratio. 

This chiefly manifests itself as increased noise at higher ISO settings, so the higher sensitivity range is limited compared to a full-frame sensor with a similar resolution. More advanced noise reduction algorithms continue to deliver improvements in the high ISO performance of the smaller sensors, but ultimately there’s no getting away from the physics of a bigger photodiode with its increased sensitivity. 

If you’re considering a complete switch of camera system, then what about medium format? Digital medium format photography was really out of reach of most non professional photographers (and, in reality, many professionals too), but the mirrorless configuration has made it more accessible and affordable. 

We’re mostly talking about Fujifilm’s G-mount cameras here, but the Hasselblad X2D 100C is also comparably more affordable the now-discontinued H-system DSLRs. Fujifilm’s GFX series medium format cameras – which use a sensor sized at 44x33mm, 1.7x larger than full frame – are still at the more expensive end of the market, but there are already a good number of full-frame models in the same price bracket. 

The GFX cameras – even the 102MP models – essentially share all the same functionality as the higher-end X-mount bodies, so they’re a whole lot more flexible than has ever previously been the case with medium format. The big question to ask here is whether you really need 50 or 100MP, or is your money better spent on a couple of new lenses to go with a less expensive camera? 

Learning a new camera can take a bit of time, but you won’t really encounter anything dramatically different when switching from a DSLR to a mirrorless body. In fact, quite a number of mirrorless cameras are actually more traditional in their control layouts than most DSLRs – notably the higher-end Fujifilm X-mount bodies, Panasonic’s Lumix S line-up, OM-D, and Nikon Z mount. In reality, everybody has stuck with fairly conservative external designs – probably deliberately – so you won’t be in for any big shocks and everything is going to look pretty familiar, even though it’s a very different story on the inside. 

The main camera systems – AF, AE and white balance – are unchanged in operation, but all function off the imaging sensor in a mirrorless camera rather than using separate measurement devices. In practice, you really won’t notice much of a difference except that the autofocus systems have a much wider frame coverage that enhances subject tracking capabilities. Additionally, sensor-based AF allows for more advanced object recognition using AI technology to precisely identify the type of subject to enable much more reliable tracking. And there’s scope for a lot more development to come. 

As noted earlier, the electronic viewfinder enables previewing of any or all applied settings and, in most mirrorless cameras, can also show all the same displays as the rear LCD, including useful elements such as a real-time histogram, a highlight warning, and a level indicator. Additionally, most higher-end models also have a ‘touch pad’ facility that allows for the monitor’s touchscreen to still be used for selecting the AF point while you’re using the EVF. Enabling the EVF to replicate exposure settings enables you to see whether a shot will be under or overexposed or, perhaps more usefully, the effect of applying plus or minus exposure compensation. Yes, DSLR optical viewfinders are brilliant, but it doesn’t take long to become accustomed to using an EVF and making full use of all the extra information it can convey to you. 

If you shoot video then switching to a mirrorless camera from a DSLR is really a no-brainer. A DSLR can only shoot video with its reflex mirror locked-up, in which case it’s technically operating as a mirrorless camera anyway. And with the exception of Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark III, no DSLR operates as capably in live view as a mirrorless camera, especially in terms of autofocusing. 

Take It Slowly 

On balance, the pros do outweigh the cons of making the switch from a DSLR to a mirrorless ILC, but that’s probably not going to make it any easier for anybody who really loves their reflex camera system and doesn’t want to change. As we said earlier, you don’t have to do it right now, but you’re only putting off the inevitable, and it really is better to get started on your mirrorless journey sooner than later. No matter what you decide about brand or format, the transition can be as fast or slow as you like. 

A camera body and a mount adaptor will get you started, although it’s probably advisable to invest in at least one dedicated mirrorless lens (ideally close to whatever you’ve been using the most with your DSLR) and then slowly build a system as needed or finances allow. However, there is no truly compelling reason why you can’t go on using your favourite DSLR system lenses for as long as you like. 

The key advice is to do your homework thoroughly and look at all the possible options in the light of what you need and use regularly, but also in terms what you might want to do in the future. 

Mirrorless camera systems provide much more scope for the latter. It’s just a case of taking the first step and, as many parents often tell reluctant children, “You’ll like it when you get there”. 

While the DSLR vs mirrorless cameras debate rages on, take a look at the best DSLRs and the best mirrorless cameras on the market today. 

The Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 Aspherical X-mount is scheduled for release in February 2024, and will only be available for the Fujifilm X-mount cameras. The lens is manual focus and 'implements an optical system optimized for the image sensor of Fujifilm X system cameras' such as the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Fujifilm X-S20. 

This all-metal manual focus pancake lens measures just 23.5mm from the lens mount and weighs only 115g, making it extremely lightweight and compact. This is to be expected from a lens type named pancake but in this instance, the tiny form boasts many key features that would make this an exceptionally capable lens for street and travel photography - not to mention a lot of fun!  

Comprised of 7 elements in 5 groups and 10 aperture blades the 18mm offers a max aperture of f/2.8. The 10 aperture blades allow the aperture hole to become more spherical, enabling natural out-of-focus areas that render smooth rounded bokeh. The mechanical aperture ring is also connected to the opening and closing of the blades, and with 1/3 step clicks, 'you can enjoy the feeling of directly operating the mechanism'.

The 18mm focal length is the equivalent of 28mm on full-frame, a favorite amongst landscape, street, and travel photographers as it enables capture of a wide scene.

Other noteworthy features include a minimum focusing distance of just 0.17m, a focus ring lever for precise adjustments, and electronic contacts for information communication between lens and body. This last point is not a feature on all manual focus lenses but is a useful inclusion. As long as the camera in use has updated firmware, it will be able to detect 'Exif data, focus check, shooting distance linked display, and certain models also support in-body image stabilization'.

Even though limited to MF, this lens has all the hallmarks of a classic. With MF, mechanical aperture ring, and focus lever, harken back to an analog shooting experience. If placed upon the retro-style body of some of the X Series cameras, it could be a great alternative to a Leica M11 or if used in conjunction with the outstanding Fujifilm film simulations even a Leica M6!

The Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 Aspherical X-mount from Cosina will be released in February 2024 for the price of ¥88,000 which roughly converts to $600 | £475 | AU$900. 

See our guides for more information on the best Leica camera alternatives, the best Fujifilm lenses, and the best lenses for travel photography. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Specifications

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Key Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Design & Handling

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Performance

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Video Sample

Blackmagic Pocket 6K: Verdict

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

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

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

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

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

There are plenty of new cameras expected to be launched in 2024, and one I'm particularly excited about is the Leica SL3 – and now we've got some possible specs, thanks to the usual online leaks.

We'd already heard camera rumors that the Leica SL2 would be announced in March, but now we know that the successor to the formidable Leica SL2 and SL2-S is likely to feature a 60MP sensor – and with it, 8K video.

According to a report by Leica Rumors, here's what we can apparently expect from the new camera:

• The Leica SL3 will use the same 60MP sensor as the M11/Q3
• There will be a new body that is only a bit smaller than the current SL2
• 6.5 stops image stabilization
• Phase detection AF
• 9fps continuous shooting
• Supports cropped 8K/30p and 4K/60p + full-frame & S35 C4K/30p
• Official announcement expected in the first quarter of 2024 (March?)
• The camera is already being tested in the field
• Registered Type 5404 model

If the SL3 does indeed use the same sensor as the Leica M11 and Leica Q3, it should support the same "triple resolution" 60MP / 36MP / 18MP shooting – which manifested as the 35mm, 50mm and 75mm digital focal lengths on the 28mm fixed lens Q3.

While the M11 had no video functionality, the Q3 boasted 8K and Cine8K video – and also supported the same digital zooms when filming, which would be useful if carried over to the SL3.

Again the M11 had no autofocus, but the Q3 saw Leica implement of phase detection for the first time – and it worked pretty dang well, so I'm excited to see if it's even better on the new SL. The lack of phase detect has been a huge hurdle to me falling in love with Leica's previous mirrorless cameras, so I'm psyched that we're finally getting it in an interchangeable lens body.

The 9fps burst shooting is the only thing that's slightly curious, as the Q3 could muster 7fps in 14-bit and up to 15 fps in 12-bit – so we'll have to see if that's just something that got lost in translation. 

Otherwise, if these specs are accurate, I'm pumped to see the Leica SL3. I'll take mine in silver, please!

Take a look at the best Leica cameras, along with the best Leica M lenses and best Leica SL lenses to use with them. 

Could this be the last Christmas we see deals on DSLRs? That might sound sensationalist, but the truth that the choices available for traditional interchangeable lens digital reflex cameras are thin on the ground.

The DSLR vs mirrorless debate has raged for a decade now, but we are at a point now where no new DSLRs are being launched – and the number of options available new is declining, and declining fast. True, Pentax is still making DSLR models – but even so it is doing little more than refashioning old designs. 

But this year at least we have found some really good DSLR deals, for those who prefer an optical viewfinder – or just want to get going with a camera systems that has lots of affordable lenses. 

And what is even better, some of the deals we saw over Black Friday are now even better by a few quid. Here is our pick of the best DSLRs right now…

See our guides to the best DSLRs, and to the best budget DSLRs

I'm not a big fan of manual focus lenses full stop - the way I shoot requires fast autofocus and the ability to shoot lots of photos quickly which just isn't possible with manual focus lenses - especially when shooting with your aperture wide open. Even with focus peaking on, it's hard to get the focus perfect and lots of the photos I took using the Lomography Bokeh Control Art Lens had a soft focus on the eyes despite focus peaking telling me they should be sharp.  

I'm still trying to decide whether I think the lens looks cool or is a little bit lame. It's like Snoop Dog and Mad Max have come together to design a lens... it's loud, and a little bit steampunk, although it is entirely different from any other lens I've ever seen which I suppose is refreshing. However, for me, the gold is just a little too flashy. I should mention, that it does come in a black option as well, but based on its performance, that wouldn't change my mind on whether I'd want it in my kit bag or not...

One of the first things you notice about this lens is one of the things that sets it apart from other manual lenses - a sliding knob on the very front that allows you to change the bokeh effect. You can opt to have a very rounded, bubble-like bokeh, a very classic-looking blurred background or a very smooth look where the colors almost blur into one another. 

It has a clickless aperture ring which allows you to go from f/2 - f/16 and even though there are markings on the lens itself, it was difficult to be super accurate with it. From the moment I got this lens out of the box, I sensed it was a lens to use more for enjoyment and creativity than for taking professional shots but that was perhaps because it was shiny gold and I would feel a bit ridiculous bringing it out on a shoot. 

There is a focus ring towards the back of the camera which allows for a smooth transition between focus points and you will be using this a lot, especially if you change bokeh modes frequently. There's no way you would get away with using this lens without focus peaking, I had mine set too high but even then it was hard to get it perfect. I tried using both focus peaking and focus zoom when taking some portraits and still found it hard to take a shot where the eyes are pin sharp. 

Another quirky feature of this lens is you can change the look of the bokeh using a set of aperture filters. They come in different shapes including hearts, snowflakes, mandalas and more. They get fitted into the back of the lens and held in by a barrel that you can screw in and out but the barrel seemed to be missing from the demo model so I never got a chance to test them out.  However, this isn't a reason I would go out and buy this lens since I think Bokeh which is any other shape than round is tacky. 

Lomography Nour Triplet: Build and Handling

The lens itself feels very nice to use - it features a focus ring, an aperture ring plus a switch that enables you to change between three bokeh modes - soft, classic and bubble. As you'd expect the soft mode gives a very dreamy, smooth background, the bubble mode makes the bokeh very rounded while the classic mode gives a look you'd expect from any other lens. 

When you switch between the different bokeh modes you do annoyingly have to refocus every time as the point of focus drastically changes. If you're trying to see the difference between shooting on soft and bubble for example, this can be quite time-consuming as you have to refocus and recompose. It would've been handy when testing to have a tripod so I could accurately shoot the same composition and compare the images. 

For a 64mm lens it is very heavy, coupled with the fact it doesn't have autofocus and is mostly aimed at being a portrait lens I find it hard to find a real purpose for this lens. I'd take the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 over it any day

Perhaps it's because I got the demo version or perhaps it's just a flaw in the design, but the lens cap is so incredibly loose it easily falls off, it has no magnetic to connect it to the body of the lens so it can easily fall off if loose in your bag.

Lomography Nour Triplet: Performance

If you're after a lens that delivers something a little different than your standard 50mm or 85mm portrait lens then the Lomography Nour Triplet f/2.0 64mm lens does just that. With three bokeh modes to choose from, you can choose how blurred, rounded or smooth your bokeh is which adds an element most modern digital lenses just can't do. However, if you're after a portrait lens that is fast to focus, delivers pin-sharp images 99% of the time and doesn't weigh a great deal, this is not the lens for you. 

While I had a lot of fun switching between the different bokeh modes, I found that unless the sun is shining and the image is bright, it's quite hard to tell the difference between them. This is a lens designed for bright lights - after all, it is a bokeh lens so that is a bit of a given. I did take some really beautiful images even in darker environments, but the images I took when the sun was shining brought out the lens's selling points. 

If you're not that bothered about getting sharp images and prefer to focus on composition, color and being creative you can take some beautiful images. For example, if you were taking photos of a musician for an album cover or a band for promotional material this would be a brilliant lens to use but as soon as you need to shoot high-quality, crisp images you'd be better off using an autofocus lens!

Lomography Nour Triplet: Final Verdict

I want to like this lens but it has too much stacked against it. It's not lightweight nor compact, it isn't easy to use and the images aren't particularly sharp. You can take some beautiful images with it but they're not images I would necessarily use professionally and I wouldn't bother to invest in a lens I could only use for fun. 

The gold finish is loud and while this may appeal to some for me it's just a little too avant-garde. Imagine whipping this out somewhere you're trying to be a little bit incognito (such as a Moroccan Souk or the busy streets of Bangkok) you'd be a walking, flashy target.

I do like being able to change the style of the bokeh from rounded to smooth but I have no interest in changing the shape of it so for me at least, this is a pretty futile feature. 

Overall if you've got some excess cash that's burning a hole in your pocket and you want a lens that is fun to use but not necessarily going to get you the best results, the Lomography Nour Triplet f/2.0 64mm lens adds something a bit different to your kit. But I'm still struggling with what type of photographer would rather but there money into this than something faster, lighter and more versatile. 

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

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

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

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R50 

Best starter lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best telephoto lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best wide-angle lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best general-purpose lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best wide-angle prime for the R50

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

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

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

Best portrait photography lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best macro lens for the R50

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

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

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

Best compact lens for the R50

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

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

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

Lab data and comparisons

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

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

How to choose the best lens for the Canon EOS R50

How we test lenses

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

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

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

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

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

If you thought it was too early for the Boxing Day sales, think again! Amazon has slashed the price of the popular Canon EOS R50 mirrorless model, to take it to the lowest price we have ever seen for this well-specified beginner camera. And cheaper than we saw it over Black Friday (yes, really)!

The EOS R50 is one a number of interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras from Canon that seeks to be the new alternative to its highly popular DSLRs, such as the EOS 4000D and EOS 250D. It again uses an APS-C sensor, and gives a resolution of 24 megapixels. 

Launched at the beginning of the year, the R50 is no longer the cheapest model in the EOS R range - that honour now goes to the EOS R100. But one of the key advantages the R50 has is that it has a full-articulated LCD screen - which is great for vlogging or selfies, and for taking images at unusual camera angles. Furthermore the screen is touch-sensitive, unlike on the R100 - so will be more at home to the smartphone generation.

See our full Canon EOS R50 review and see our pick of the Best lenses for the Canon R50

Cosina has announced the release of the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Aspherical for Canon RF-mount cameras – offering a big aperture standard prime, for much less than Canon's own version.

Of course, Canon has still not opened up the RF lens mount for any third-party manufacturer to use Canon's autofocus, so the Nokton 40mm lens is a fully manual focus affair. As is the aperture, which is controlled by a de-clicked step-less manual aperture ring.

However, there is a silver lining, the Nokton lens does have the appropriate contacts to connect to the camera electronically, so it will be possible to use the usual focus peaking, enlarged display, and focus guide assists to help nail that tricky manual focus, especially at the super wide apertures this lens is capable of. The lens can also manually focus down to 0.3m.

The Nokon 40mm can also work in conjunction with the camera to record EXIF data, and if your Canon EOS R body has in-body image stabilization, it will also work with this Nokton lens (or any manual focus lens for that matter, but worth mentioning).

The lens configuration uses double-sided aspherical lenses for two of the eight elements in six groups, which enables the lens to produce what Cosina claims is the perfect optical performance that doesn't rely on any in-camera corrections, which is handy, as Canon restricts those to only first-party lenses anyway.

It is the second lens that Voigtländer has made for the Canon RF, with the new Nokton 40mm joining the existing Nokton 50mm f/1.0, which is already on sale.

The 40mm lens is the perfect general-purpose angle, suitable for landscapes, street scenes, and environmental portraits, and still life. The f/1.2 aperture is made up of a rounded 10-blade diaphragm and should allow the lens to achieve a very shallow depth of field, so it should make for some impressive creative shots or low-light image quality.

The lens has an all-metal construction although while durability is mentioned, there is no official mention of weather sealing. Previous Voigtländer lenses have been exceptionally nice to hold, featuring a timeless look.

The 40mm f/1.2 lens has a planned release date of January 2024, and although there is no official US or UK pricing yet, in Japan, the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 Aspherical will cost ¥132,000, which is around $930 Stateside, which seems like a very reasonable cost considering the aperture and optical quality promised.

Read more: you can find more of the best Canon RF lenses in our guide or check out our top picks for the best Canon camera.

A recent report by from CIPA, Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association, shows a 3.8% decrease in camera unit shipments from Japan when comparing October 2022 and October 2023. In the previous year, Japan exported a total of 831,031 units of digital cameras (including fixed lens and interchangeable lens models), falling to 799,184 in 2023. Despite declining unit numbers, the industry experienced a slight increase of 102.4% in terms of overall value, indicating a shift in consumer preferences towards high-value products.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a big difference in the cost of digital cameras. It seems we’ve said goodbye to the days of affordable, beginner DSLR systems and hello to more expensive, more advanced entry-level mirrorless cameras. Top-of-the-range flagship cameras usually cost more than $4,000/£3,500/AU$6,000 but according to these stats, that isn’t putting photographers off buying them. 

Check out the best professional cameras as we round up the most advanced DSLRs and mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony and more

The report shared by DigiCame.info shows that through the summer, and into October, camera shipments to Japan remained relatively stable. This year's figures closely mirror the results of the previous year. However, one of the most notable changes was the type of camera being bought; we saw a 65% drop in the number of fixed lens cameras (such as the Sony ZV-1F) shipped, and an 8.7% increase of interchangeable lens cameras.

Breaking down the interchangeable lens camera category, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras showed a sharp decline of 58.2%, with only 101,865 units shipped, while mirrorless cameras marked an impressive 129.8% increase, accounting for 542,647 units. This trend follows what we have known for a while – DSLRs are on their way out as more and more people make the move to mirrorless camera systems.

The October 2023 CIPA report is unsurprising. With so few camera manufacturers still making DSLRs (Canon and Pentax seem to be the only ones), there’s no way DSLR shipments could ever compete with shipments of mirrorless cameras. Consumer preferences are reshaping the digital camera landscape and it is clear that the biggest players in the industry are evolving to suit market demands.

See which we think are the best mirrorless cameras that are driving the adoption.

UPDATE: A month after its reveal in Japan, the Panasonic Lumix G100D has been announced in the US as well as the UK, although Australian availability is still unconfirmed. 

While technically a successor to the popular Panasonic Lumix G100, the G100D only offers a light component update (switching the viewfinder from LCD to OLED, albeit with lower resolution, and the port from Micro USB to USB-C) 

Now available for pre-order at $747.99 / £619 with the Lumix 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 pancake lens, B&H's listing estimates availability from January 31 while Park Cameras (which has the UK's lowest price, at £569) estimates January 19. 

…

UPDATE (Dec 07 2023): Panasonic has confirmed that the Lumix G100D will be launching outside of Japan, while there is no official date yet, it is expected to launch in the UK and the US in late January or early February which places it around the same time as the Japanese launch. 

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ORIGINAL STORY (Dec 06 2023) Panasonic has quietly announced the Panasonic Lumix G100D, building on the existing Lumix G100 (G110) model. However, before you get too excited, not only is this a very minor update limited to just a few specs, but the biggest downside of all – at the moment it looks like this is just coming to the Japanese market.

Panasonic slipped out the new camera announcement without much fanfare, although understandably so, when there isn't much on this new camera to shout about. The Lumix G100D is identical to the previous model, except for a new EVF and USB-C connection. 

The new EVF is a slightly lower resolution than the G100, featuring a 2.36 million dot screen, although will be an OLED panel with 0.74x magnification, this is changed from the 3.6m dot LCD viewfinder with 0.73x magnification in the Lumix G100. The other significant change is an upgrade from the older Micro USB port to a newer and more modern USB Type-C USB 2.0 port, which should allow for faster data transfer and the use of more of the cables already used with other modern devices.

The G100 is one of our favorite cameras here at Digital Camera World – a small and compact camera with a Micro Four Thirds sensor, it is one of the best cameras for vlogging and one of the best travel cameras. The G100 packs in Panasonic's renowned 4K video, as well as interchangeable lenses to get a more professional look to your footage. The camera is also great for photo and video beginners with its entry-level price tag and easy-to-use controls – it offers a perfect body to learn and grow with.

The Lumix G100D will be released in Japan on January 26, 2024. The G100D looks set to be sold in a few kits including a Lumix DC-G100DW double lens kit, and the Lumix DC-G100DV kit which comes with a lens and tripod.

It is still unclear if or when this body might make its way outside of Japan, but with new charger rules coming in soon for EU countries, camera makers are going to have to start switching older bodies to USB-C or be forced to stop selling them, so I would be surprised if the G100D doesn't see a wider release soon. 

For more on Panasonic check out our picks for the best Panasonic camera or the best Micro Four Thirds camera.

Interchangeable lenses are on the rise, but the market leaders may surprise you. 

Recent data collected by BCN Retail provides a detailed insight into the lens market in Japan, with third-party lens manufacturers Sigma and Tamron beating out the competition of native camera brands Canon, Nikon, and Sony. Third-party lens manufacturers offer lenses that cover the mounts of the top camera brands, usually at a lower price point. The lower price used to mean a sacrifice in quality, but with today's technology, the third-party and native lenses are indistinguishable, often featuring in our best camera lens guides.

The data collected by BCN show third-party manufacturers now account for 30%-40% of all interchangeable lenses sold and, this is only growing. This is most likely due to covering a wider range of cameras than the native manufacturers, but also because the lenses themselves have improved.

The top 5 lens manufacturers are as follows:

Sigma: 18.9%
Tamron: 17.8%
Sony: 14.5%
Nikon: 14.2%
Canon: 12.9%

Sigma tops the market and as it continues to develop its lens lineup and fill the gaps in its mirrorless ranges, I expect this will grow further. Sigma's most-sold lens last month (October 2024) was the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | C, APS-C lens available for Sony E, Leica L, and Fujifilm X mount. Its small form factor, high aperture, and new release for X mount have no doubt contributed to its success. Sigma has more lenses set for release for full frame with the hotly-anticipated Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS|Sports set for release next month.

Sigma's success at the number one spot is closely contested by Tamron, the other third-party manufacturer on the list. Tamron has also been pushing boundaries in lens technology, just last month introducing a 'world-first' Tamron lens for Sony E-mount users with the Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD ultra-wide to standard zoom lens. Tamron has also been updating lens firmware, future-proofing existing lenses, and keeping customers happy, and I'm sure in turn loyal.

On the other end of the data collected sits Canon. This is interesting as Canon has been very reluctant to allow third-party manufacturers to develop lenses for its RF mount, whereas Sony and Nikon both have open third-party participation. Canon has said that it will work selectively with third-party manufacturers on a lens-by-lens basis, most recently the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical, so we may see this increase next year. It's hard to tell whether opening up the RF mount to Sigma and Tamron would help or hinder Canon's position.

via Photo Rumors

See our guides for more information on the best Sony lenses, the best Canon RF lenses, the best Nikon Z lenses, and the best Fujifilm lenses. 

This Black Friday I finally bought a mount adapter for my collection of vintage film lenses, and it has given them a whole new lease on life!

I have been collecting vintage film lenses for my Pentax ME camera for years, but with the price of film and development skyrocketing and my free time recently doing the opposite, I haven't been out shooting much, leaving all my beautiful vintage glass to gather dust on a shelf.

A lens mount adapter is something that has been lingering on my Amazon wishlist for months on end but I never found the drive to actually go ahead and make the purchase. This Black Friday however I saw that it had some money off, which was enough for me to get over my inertia and finally add it to my basket!

The mount adapter I chose is made by Urth, and it is specifically made to connect Pentax K lenses to a Fujifilm X-mount camera (in my case a Fujifilm X-T5). There are plenty of other options available for most SLR, DSLR, and MFT lenses to be mounted to most modern camera bodies including Fujifilm, Sony, Nikon, and Canon.

I really appreciate Urth’s minimal design and environmentally friendly credentials. And when it arrived, I certainly wasn't disappointed as it looks absolutely superb sat between my X-T5 and Pentax-M lenses.

These are manual adapters so the aperture and focus have to be dialed in by hand, no adapter is going to magically give a 40-year-old lens autofocus! But on my Fuji, auto exposure worked flawlessly through the adapter and vintage glass, and the images are still stunning (with a little vintage flair to them).

For around £30-40 (depending on the mount) I have opened my photography up to far more possibilities, and thinking more about manual settings, I'm actually having more fun with photography than I have in a while!

If you have a burgeoning collection of old lenses and you're looking for a cheap thrill this Black Friday, then I can't recommend a mount adapter more.

Check out more Black Friday camera deals in our main hub!

Of all the likely millions of pictures taken of The Beatles, the most significant for the camera industry depicted the Fab Four clutching Pentax Spotmatics. In fact, there are many photos from the early 1960s showing Paul, John, George and Ringo with various Asahi Pentax 35mm SLRs and appears these cameras were most likely private purchases, but 

by the time the Spotmatic arrived in 1964, the commercial opportunities of such an association were just too good to miss. The Beatles were global stars and the Spotmatic quickly became one too, taking Pentax to the top of the sales charts and popularising the 35mm SLR. For the next couple of decades the Japanese camera industry’s fortunes would be built on the 35mm SLR.

The genesis of the Spotmatic dates back to 1950 and the start of the development of the Asahiflex, remarkably the first ever camera made by Asahi Optical. The first 35mm SLRs had appeared before the second World War, starting with the Kine Exacta in 1936, followed by the Praktiflex in 1939 and the Contax S in 1948, made by the now East German (and state-owned) VEB Zeiss Ikon. This camera was significant for the introduction of a fixed eye-level viewfinder using pentaprism optics which made it very much more convenient to use. The Asahiflex (now known as the Asahiflex I) stuck with a waistlevel finder when it was launched in May 1952, but with a Galilean viewfinder alongside, albeit uncoupled. The first Japanese-made 35mm SLR, the Asahiflex I established a reputation for reliability (the Contax S was notably fragile) and affordability. 

The next big step came in May 1957 with Asahi Pentax which not only had a pentaprism viewfinder, but other conveniences such as a rapid-wind film advance lever and a crank-handle for quicker film rewinding (both replacing the traditional knobs). It also had the instant-return reflex mirror mechanism that Asahi Optical had introduced in late 1954 with the Asahiflex IIB. Furthermore, it adopted the 42 mm screwthread mount (M42) which had been first used in the Contax S and, nearly a decade later, was becoming as universal as any fitting would ever become.

The scene was set for the next big step and, at the 1960 Photokina, Asahi Optical showed off a prototype 35mm SLR called the Spot-Matic. The name was derived from the camera’s built-in spot metering which used a CdS (Cadmium Sulphide) light measuring cell mounted on an arm that positioned it in the centre of the viewfinder to take through-the-lens (TTL) readings. The Spot-Matic also had a new focal plane shutter capable of 1/2000 second and, most interestingly, a bayonet lens mount. All of these innovations were abandoned by the time the camera went into production in 1964, but it was still called the Spotmatic (now without the hyphen). Rightly so, Asahi Optical had concluded that spot metering would be problematic (ahem) for most users and devised a new TTL system using a pair of CdS cells located either side of the viewfinder eyepiece to take fully-averaged readings. It wouldn’t be until 1975 that a bayonet lens mount made an appearance on a Pentax 35mm SLR (the KX, KM and K2) and until 1979 for a 1/2000 second top shutter speed (ME Super). 

Nevertheless, the first Spotmatic – also called the SP – was greater than the sum of its parts and a huge success almost instantaneously. By 1966, Asahi Optical had sold one million of them and, for the next three years, Spotmatic production exceeded the total output of 35mm SLRs from Canon and Nikon combined. It wasn’t the first 35mm SLR with built-in metering – that was the Topcon RE Super from 1963 – but it was the first to put all the key elements together in such a competent, capable and comfortable way. More efficiencies followed with the addition of a flash hotshoe to the Spotmatic II in April 1971, followed in the October of that year by open aperture metering (i.e. eliminating the need for stopping down) and, a world first, aperture-priority auto exposure control. This model was called the Electro-Spotmatic early on and then badged simply ES. The Spotmatic name was also dropped from the last-of-the-line SP which remained in production until early 1977, thus outlasting the short-lived trio of K series bayonet mount models. Total Spotmatic production topped four million units.

It’s very likely that the Spotmatics would have still been massively successful without the link with The Beatles, and certainly Paul, George and Ringo were using Pentax 35mm SLR cameras before the SP was launched. Paul’s many photographs from 1963 and ’64 are now an exhibition called Eyes Of The Storm (with a companion book titled 1964: Eyes Of The Storm). 

A book of Ringo’s early photography – titled simply Photograph – was published in 2015 and in it he comments, “At one time, we all had cameras. I think we all bought a Pentax in Japan the first time we went there.”

Both ex-Beatles have continued to be keen amateur photographers, just like so many others whose first experience of a ‘serious’ camera was a Pentax Spotmatic model. They have also been used by many famous photographers, among them Cecil Beaton, Sebastião Salgado, David Bailey (his well-used ES featured in a Pentax ad), Nadav Kander and Australian Magnum Photos member Trent Parke.

Iconic, then, on many levels. 

Aurora Aperture Inc. has just announced a new Indiegogo campaign for a 5-in-1 Gnu modular tripod, that will "cover all of your stability needs."

The Gnu 5-in-1 Modular Tripod System includes a tripod and set of accessories to form five tripod configurations for 'professionals and prosumers.' The tripod system aims to roll all of the best tripods into one, by covering every possible configuration - column-less, center column, horizontal column, leveling head, and integrated ball head. 

Inspired by the flexibility of interchangeable lens cameras, the Gnu modular system splits into two autonomous yet interconnected modules – the leg module and the support module(s). According to the crowdfunding page, there are 5 support modules in total, comprising:

"Column-less - Basic configuration, it is the most stable platform. Users can mount their favored tripod heads to this. 

Central Column - Adjustable height of 33", a popular configuration due to its flexibility. 

Horizontal Column - Multiple cameras can be mounted on the horizontal column, or can extend over as a boom to reach difficult positions. 

Levelling Head - Adjustable angle in any direction of up to 15 degrees. This is a good option for quick level adjustments, particularly due to a large hemisphere. 

Integrated Ball Head - A large 40mm ball head that can be mounted to the Gnu tripod via three screws, forming a very secure platform. Included Arca Swiss capability and 360-degree rotation."

All of the support modules are interchangeable with the leg module. There are two different options for the tripod kit, differing due to the two different leg modules available, the Series 2 G24 and Series 3 G34. The Series 2 allows for weight of up to 55lbs and is designed for full-frame cameras and 'most' lenses, whereas the Series 3 supports weight of up to 77lbs allowing support for large professional cameras and heavy telephoto lenses. Both tripods can be collapsed to a length of 20-inches, ensuring they comply with most carry-on luggage requirements. 

The Gnu modular tripod legs are made from FilaWoven tubes, specially woven carbon fiber tubes designed to be both durable and lightweight. The manufacturing process of the legs is a rather interesting watch, and you can see for yourself on the crowd-funding trailer. They state in the video that a lot of 'carbon fiber' tripods on the market are carbon fiber sheets wrapped around metal poles, with the FilaWoven technology, the Gnu legs are entirely carbon fiber.   

Due to being a modular system the tripod system will be compatible with all future accessories, making it not only a tripod to cover all of your photography needs now, but in the future also. The funding age is live now until November 16, 2023, and can be found here. A new exciting complete tripod that looks to innovate further in the future, and what makes things even sweeter is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. 

For more information on tripods and how to use them see our articles on The best tripods for photographers, 8 tripod tips, and the best budget tripods.