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Leica will be releasing limited edition M11 cameras in six cities for its 100th anniversary.

Image: Leica

Leica is no stranger to limited edition cameras. It celebrated 70 years of the M series with a $23,000 platinum-plated kit and has released a black and gold Q2 in collaboration with Daniel Craig and Greg WIlliams, a streetwear-themed version of the D-Lux 7 and a $50,000 gold-plated M10-P, among a long list of others. It should come as no surprise that the company is releasing a special edition for its 100th anniversary, then.

As part of the 100 Years of Leica celebrations happening in a handful of cities worldwide, Leica is releasing limited edition M11 cameras. These special M11s feature engravings on the top plate for each city where events are hosted throughout the year. The cameras feature a "premium glossy black paint finish" and "stylish black cowhide armouring." The buttons and dials on the top of the camera are silver-chromed. Leica is only releasing 100 units per city, and the top of the camera will feature the serial number. Otherwise, it is the exact same as the standard Leica M11.

The limited edition Leica M11s feature an engraving on the top plate reflecting the city where they are sold, and the edition number out of 100.

Image: Leica

Leica kicked off the special edition M11 in Dubai on January 22, followed by Milan, Italy at the beginning of April. New York is the third city in the lineup, launching today, with the "NEW YORK USA" engraving. Each version is sold exclusively in the respective country. If you're itching for the New York edition, be prepared to spend $10,695 – a mere $1500 more than the standard M11.

Press release:

Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “NEW YORK USA”

Leica Honors 100th Anniversary of the Leica I with Exclusive Special Edition Release, Limited to 100 Units

NEW YORK, May 2nd, 2025 – As part of Leica’s centennial celebrations in New York occurring on May 3rd, 2025, one of the standout highlights is the launch of the new Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “NEW YORK USA”. Celebrating the Leica I, the first mass-produced 35mm Leica camera, this innovation revolutionized the world of photography at the Leipzig Spring Fair a century ago, unlocking a world of new possibilities with its compact design and versatility. To honor this standout moment, Leica has released an exclusive Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “New York USA” edition, which will be available on May 3rd 2025 and offered only in the United States. With a limited production run of just 100 units, this special edition is engraved with the city's name, making it a true rarity.

About the Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “NEW YORK USA”

This special edition includes several unique features that make it a true collector’s item. An individual engraving on the top plate spells out “NEW YORK USA” in combination with the traditional “Leica” engraving. This exclusive anniversary edition of the legendary rangefinder camera comes in a premium glossy black paint finish, inspired by the historical M-Cameras, which creates a distinctive patina over time– an unmistakable feature reflecting the individual story of each and every camera. A harmonious look is achieved thanks to the combination of silver-chromed control elements such as the shutter release, the on/off switch, and the ISO and speed dials, which are decorated with elaborate cross knurling.

The stylish black cowhide armouring lends a certain elegance to the camera, and its distinctive texture is a throwback to the legendary vulcanite leathering of earlier models. Details such as the black chrome-plated hot shoe cover with the anniversary logo “100”, a subtle black screw instead of the red logo, the special serial number from 001/100 to 100/100, and a certificate of authenticity emphasize the uniqueness of this special edition.
The Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “NEW YORK USA” model will be sold exclusively in the United States, at select Leica store locations, starting on May 3rd. The price of this model is $10,695.00.

The Leica M11 100 Years of Leica will also be released in five other distinctive country versions—each limited to just 100 units. Every select country edition will feature unique engravings and special serial numbers, making them true collector’s items. The M11 100 Years of Leica will also be launched in “MILAN ITALY”, “DUBAI UAE”, “SHANGHAI CHINA”, “TOKYO JAPAN” and “WETZLAR GERMANY”. Each of these releases will be limited to just 100 units and available exclusively for purchase in their respective countries.

100 years of Leica: Witness to a century

In 2025, Leica Camera AG is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, the first 35mm camera to be mass-produced, which was introduced to the public at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925. This groundbreaking camera exceeded all expectations with its compact, portable design, unlocking new possibilities in photography. Under the theme 100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century, Leica Camera AG commemorates this milestone that transformed photography worldwide. Throughout the year, Leica will host international events in major cities including Dubai, Milan, New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo, showcasing cultural projects and exclusive special product editions. The highlight of the celebration will be the anniversary week in June at the company’s headquarters in Wetzlar. Additionally, the global Leica Gallery network will feature high-caliber exhibitions showcasing works by renowned photographers.

The terms 'content creator' and 'creators' are quite the buzzwords these days. Content creation is so popular that many manufacturers have specifically said they want to appeal to people who claim those titles and are putting out cameras for those users. But you may have wondered who those people are and what camera systems they actually use for their content. A recent video from the Waveform Podcast channel walks through just that, chatting about which cameras they all use for content creation.

The hosts, Marques Brownlee and David Imel, sat down with studio producers Eric Villa and Rich Ho to discuss cameras. They spent time interviewing more than a dozen creators like Casey Neistat, Becca Farsace, Inga Lam, Tyler Stalman, Brittney Janae and more to get insight into what cameras they use and why. They also discussed specific situations in which some cameras may be good or bad and which cameras they don't like at all.

They broke the video down into sections for each major camera brand, touching on Red, Nikon, Blackmagic, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Canon, Sony and even iPhone. While the discussion is centered around cameras from those brands, they also get into topics like camera format, recording format, color science and autofocus. They even touch on which industries tend to use which cameras.

It's a broad discussion that includes a wide range of insights from many different types of content creators. It's a long discussion that shows that the work camera manufacturers have done to court content creators seems to have had at least some payoff.

2025 Color Photography Contest winners

The 2025 Color Photography Contest winners have been announced, highlighting colorful diversity around the world. The contest, hosted by the 1839 Awards, aims to celebrate images that honor color photography and elevate the art of photography worldwide.

This year's panel consisted of judges from the Whitney Museum of American Art, Phaidon Press, Vanity Fair, Artsy, University of Zurich, Dwell, Christie’s, and more. "Among the works entered into this year’s contest, those images that evoke emotion, challenge perception, and offer windows into entirely new realities rose to the top," the contest organizers explained.

The contest selects three professional and three non-professional overall winners. It also selects winners of 14 different categories, including animals, architecture, conceptual, landscapes, people, photojournalism and more.

Participants could submit a series of two to five images to be judged as a group, or choose to enter individual photographs. You can see the winning series and photographs, as well as more of the category winners, on the 1839 Awards 2025 Color Photography Contest website.

1st Place Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Nicola Fioravanti

IG handle: @hacklabo

Title: Morocco, Sentimental Atlas

Description: This project is a heartfelt tribute to the country I hold dear. In Morocco, colors are not merely seen, but experienced. It is also a deeply personal journey, one that seeks to understand the land where the woman I love was born.

2nd Place Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Jatenipat Ketpradit

IG handle: N/A

Title: TSAM · The Dance of Gods

Description: A sacred Tibetan Buddhist ritual, Tsam embodies the divine battle between
good and evil. Through intricate masks, lavish costumes, and precise choreography, monks
channel wrathful deities to purify and protect. This series unveils the mystique of Mongolia’s rarest masked dance tradition.

3rd Place Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Abdelrahman Alkahlout
IG handle: @abd.pix96
Title: Unbroken Spirit: Worship Amid Destruction
Description: A powerful scene of Palestinian civilians praying on the rubble of a mosque
destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. Under a smoke-filled sky, they continue their worship in a place once a sanctuary of peace, now reduced to ruins—symbolizing resilience amid relentless destruction.

1st Place Non-Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Diana Cheren Nygren

IG handle: @dianacherennygrenphotography

Title: Mother Earth

Description: I have mounted scenes of habitation behind acrylic, set within future
landscapes shaped by climate change. Painted frames allude to Earth's next chapter. Scenes of human habitation set against a future post-human landscape ask whether humanity can adapt to what is in store for the planet.

2nd Place Non-Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Xuejun Long

IG handle: N/A

Title: Journey of Life 20

Description: The photo shows a group of flamingos flying over Lake Magadi in Kenya.
Once a freshwater lake, it has now become a highly concentrated salt pan that is severely
alkaline and toxic to most forms of animal and plant life – except for flamingos, which prefer to forage on the surface.

3rd Place Non-Professional Overall Winner

Artist: Trina O’Hara

IG handle: @trinaoharapainter

Title: Flowers for Caravaggio

Description: For seven years I immersed myself in Caravaggio's world. I copied (in paint)
his entire body of work. I made it my mission to see all of Caravaggio's paintings in the flesh. His vision shaped mine. Now, when sunlight hits a vase of flowers, I don't just see it, I see life through Caravaggio's eyes.

Gold - Architecture, Professional

Artist: Svetlana Fadeeva

IG handle: @fadeevaphotography

Title: Doha

Description: This photo was taken in the morning on the grounds of the Qatar National Museum, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

Gold - Film/Analog, Professional

Artist: William Mark Sommer

IG handle: @williammarksommer

Title: Pink Donut

Description: Home can be found in many places from the house you live in to the local
donut shop. I remember as a child being amazed by all the donuts in the case, all the color and sizes, and how my father loved the pink ones. Through this nostalgic memory, I was brought home.

Gold - Nature, Professional

Artist: Carla Rhodes

IG handle: @misscarlarhodes

Title: Dancing In The Moonlight

Description: Gliding like a ghost in the moonlight, a flying squirrel dances across the starry
sky, while the moon casts abstract shadows on my house. After months of late nights and
obsessive observation, I made the image I envisioned—a single frame revealing the hidden
magic just beyond our windows.

Gold - Landscapes, Professional

Artist: Stuart Chape

IG handle: N/A

Title: Glacial blue

Description: This series was photographed from a light aircraft and captures the blue
waters of braided blue glacial rivers flowing into lakes from the high mountains of the
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand. The blue colouration of the water is due to fine silt particles in the water.

Gold - People, Non-Professional

Artist: Arkadiusz Wójcik

IG handle: @awophotographingtheworld

Title: In the net

Description: In the early morning we planned to shoot in a small fish market. Meanwhile, we met a group of people sewing and repairing fishing nets. They do this once every few months so we were extremely lucky

Gold - Animals, Non-Professional

Artist: David Vaughn

IG handle: @davidvaughnphotos

Title: Family Portrait

Description: Southern India looking for the tiger to photography and this mother and 3 cubs drinking from a small pond and I had to wait until they all looked my way and then it happened.

Gold - Event, Non-Professional

Artist: Dylan Tom

IG handle: @dylantom10

Title: Fire Gods of The Malabar Coast

Description: Theyyam is a Ritual art form practiced in Kerala,India. It enacts the life and legend of local heroes who became martyr for the cause of the people and later revered as
Demigods. Fire is a main protogonist which depicts the life and life after death of the legend. the act takes places deep in the.

Gold - Photojournalism, Non-Professional

Artist: Jeremy Skirrow

IG Handle: @undrgrain

Title: Dust and Despair: A Coastal Cry for Water

Description: In rural Peru, around 40% lack reliable water access. Communities like
Huanchaco rely on costly, unreliable truck deliveries due to poor infrastructure. Despite APEC 2024, rural areas face water and waste challenges, deepening inequality and harming agriculture, businesses, and daily life.

When the right conditions align, you can capture the Aurora in most mid-latitudes.

ISO 2500 | 13.0 sec | F2.5 | 14mm

Photo: Kara Murphy

Witnessing the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, in person is magical. While it can seem intimidating, capturing it on camera doesn’t have to be complicated. Anyone can photograph this natural phenomenon with the right conditions and a little preparation. You only need a dark, clear sky, strong solar activity and the right gear. Whether you’re using a dedicated camera or smartphone, a few simple steps will help you capture the aurora’s bright, bold colors in all their glory. Let’s dive in.

How to find aurora The Aurorasaurus website makes it easy to see where auroras are forecasted.

First and foremost, you need to know how to find aurora. As the name suggests, Northern Lights are most often visible in northern regions like Alaska or Iceland. It's less common to see them in lower latitudes, such as in the southern US. They are most prevalent from late September to late March, with the best chances occurring during the darkest winter months.

Luckily, there are forecasting tools to help you plan when you should get outside. Apps like Space Weather Live (iPhone; Android) and My Aurora Forecast & Alerts (iPhone; Android) provide up-to-date space weather conditions, helping you track when and where the Northern Lights may make an appearance. Aurorasauras, Aurora Forecast and NOAA are websites that also provide aurora forecasting. Of course, you'll also need clear skies, so be sure to use your favorite weather app to check for cloud cover as well.

Capturing the Northern Lights with your phone

The easiest method for capturing the Northern Lights is with your smartphone. A smartphone can also allow you to see aurora that are too dim for our eyes to catch. It's a valuable tool for simply viewing the phenomena, especially in regions that don't get dramatic displays. That's because your phone automatically combines multiple, longer exposures in real time to capture more light than our eyes can catch.

Photographing the Northern Lights with your phone is as simple as point and shoot. Most phones will automatically switch to a night mode setting, so you don't even need to adjust anything. Just be sure to hold your phone very still or, better yet, prop it on something stable or use a tripod to avoid blurry photos.

Capturing the Northern Lights with a camera

ISO 1250 | 20.0 sec | F1.8 | 20mm

Photo: Kara Murphy

If you want to take things to the next level, any camera with manual settings will give you more control. A wide-angle lens (around 10–14mm) will capture a broad view of the sky and the surrounding landscape. However, if you want to focus on a specific subject, like a lighthouse or bridge, you can use a longer focal length (50mm or 70mm). Ideally, choose a lens with a wide aperture, such as F2.8, as it will let in as much light as possible.

No matter what camera you’re using, a sturdy tripod is essential to prevent blur from camera movement while the shutter is open. A remote shutter release is also helpful to avoid shaking the camera when you start to shoot.

Now it’s time to tinker with your settings. Your exact settings will differ based on your location and the conditions on a given night, so you will need to experiment. No matter what, though, always shoot in Raw format for the best image quality and greater flexibility during editing.

• Aperture: As wide as possible, ideally F2.8 or wider.
• Shutter speed: Roughly 5-10 seconds (longer risks averaging the motion out and making the effect less well defined).
• ISO: Start with 800, though increase to the highest level that produces acceptably clean results on your camera as needed.

Hopefully, this gives you a solid starting point. If you’d like to dive deeper into photographing the aurora, you can check out our more in-depth guide.

Adobe examines the popular Landscape Photography subreddit Image: Adobe

Adobe is known for its popular Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom photo editing software, so it doesn't come as a big surprise that it would want to get to know some of its target audience. The company used an API and scraped 300 posts from Reddit's Landscape Photography subreddit (r/LandscapePhotography) containing location tags or descriptions related to the United Kingdom (UK).

Hundreds of photos shared with the 128000-plus-member community over the past year by amateur and professional photographers were examined. The upvote, the ultimate signal to determine the value or worthiness of a post, was considered when Adobe reached out to Reddit users and asked for permission to feature their images in its study.

Here are some other findings the data revealed: The Scottish Highlands is the UK's most popular landscape, as 38 images received a total of 15184 upvotes. Devon is England's top spot with 34 photos getting 1850 upvotes. Gwynedd is the most admired location in Wales and 97% of its posts referenced Mount Snowdon or Snowdonia National Park.

Adobe contacted every Redditor (Reddit user) to get permission to share images it examined in its study.

Images: Adobe

More elusive spots were also identified using what Adobe calls a "Hidden Gem score." As with the popular locations, these locations stood out for the frequency of mentions, user engagement including upvotes and community discussions. To view which destinations made the list, and learn more about this study, visit Adobe's official site. It'll be interesting to see which region is covered next.

The Quiraing Copyright: © OrganizationDue185

Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland

User name: OrganizationDue185

Number of upvotes: 1600+

Seven Sisters Cliffs Copyright: © lillyofthevalley0504

Location: East Sussex, England

User name: lillyofthevalley0504

Number of upvotes: 986

Emsworthy Rocks Copyright: © Amazing_Resident_388

Location: Dartmoor, England

User name: Amazing_Resident_388

Number of upvotes: 752

Old Man Storr Copyright: © Puzzleheaded-Ear9242

Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland

User name: Puzzleheaded-Ear9242

Number of upvotes: 490

Can Idwal & Tryfan Copyright: © RobBishopDrums

Location: Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales

User name: RobBishopDrums

Number of upvotes: 445

Penmachno Copyright: © caizoo

Location: Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales

User name: caizoo

Number of upvotes: 377

Glen Etive Copyright: © AWSMBP13

Location: Buachaille Etive, Scotland

User name: AWSMBP13

Number of upvotes: 365

Y Garn Copyright: © SalesmanPodcast

Location: Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales

User name: SalesmanPodcast

Number of upvotes: 282

Glenariff Nature Reserve Copyright: © Fickle-Decision3954

Location: Northern Ireland

User name: Fickle-Decision3954

Number of upvotes: 243

Devon Copyright: © Amazing_Resident_388

Location: England

User name: Amazing_Resident_388

Number of upvotes: 237

Yorkshire Dales Copyright: © dianinator

Location: England

User name: dianinator

Number of upvotes: 202

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Image: Canon

Canon has announced an RF-mount version of its 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 low-cost full-frame tele zoom lens. Though there are no details yet of a US release.

The company says the Canon RF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 is based on the existing DC-motor version of the EF-mount 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III, dating from April 1999.

Like the quarter-of-a-century-old lens, the RF-mount version comprises 13 elements in 9 groups, and has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5m and a maximum magnification of 0.25x, delivered at the 300mm position.

It has 7 aperture blades, a 58mm filter thread at the front and accepts the same, optional. ET-60 lens hood.

At 146mm (5.75") long, the RF-mount version is 24mm longer than the EF-mount version which, not coincidentally, is the difference in flange-back distance between the two mounts. This extra length comes with a 27g increase in weight, taking the new version to 507g (1.11lb).

The lens will primarily be sold as part of a two-lens kit, giving an affordable way to add a lot of reach to Canon's RF-mount cameras.

No details of a US launch have been given, nor has it been explained why it's not being announced alongside other markets. Speculation that Canon USA might be waiting to see what level of tariffs threatened by the US government end up being imposed was met without comment.

The EF-mount version currently sells for $199 on its own or, when combined with a shoulder bag, adds $120 to the cost of the EOS T7 APS-C DSLR.

Press release:

Bring life even closer with the new RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens

London, UK, 29 April 2025 – Today, Canon announces the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6, a lightweight, easy-to-use telephoto zoom lens that’s ideal for users starting out in nature and sports photography with an EOS R System camera.

With its amazing reach and flexible zoom range, the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 provides creative freedom when shooting photos and video of subjects you can’t physically get close to. Users can keep their distance to avoid disturbing wild animals and birds or zoom right into the action when photographing a sports event from the sidelines. The streamlined design lets users react quickly, with a large zoom ring requiring little more than a quarter of a turn to run through the entire zoom range.

At 300mm it’s possible to get as close as 1.5m to fill the frame with detail, making this lens a practical solution for portraits of animals and people. The long zoom and wide, seven-blade aperture ensure superb separation between a sharp subject and blurred background for a refined look.

This classic entry-level, full-frame 75-300mm lens can be used on any camera equipped with Canon’s advanced RF mount. Paired with an APS-C body such as the EOS R100, it delivers a more powerful 120-480mm effective reach to bring distant subjects even closer. Despite its extensive telephoto coverage, the lens weighs just 507g and is a compact 146.1mm in length when retracted. It’s one of the lightest lenses in its class and ready to go anywhere, from local sport matches to remote nature reserves.

The versatile range of focal lengths, affordable pricing and outstanding portability of the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 ensure that everyone is able to extend their reach and take their passion further.

Key features of the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6:

• Flexible 75-300mm focal length range for full-frame EOS R System cameras, extending to 120-480mm equivalent view on APS-C models
• 1.5 metre minimum focusing distance at 300mm for frame-filling detail
• Compact and lightweight design: Measures just 146.1mm in length when stored and weighs approximately 507g
• 7-blade circular aperture for beautiful background blur
• Super Spectra coating to reduce ghosting and flare

For more information about the RF 75-300mm F4-5.6, please visit: https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-75-300mm-f4-5-6/

Canon RF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 specifications Principal specificationsLens typeZoom lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length75–300 mmImage stabilizationNoLens mountCanon RF, Canon RF-SApertureMaximum apertureF4–5.6Minimum apertureF32–45Aperture ringNoNumber of diaphragm blades7OpticsElements13Groups9FocusMinimum focus1.50 m (59.06″)Maximum magnification0.25×AutofocusYesMotor typeMicromotorFull time manualNoFocus methodExtending frontDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight507 g (1.12 lb)Diameter71 mm (2.8″)Length146 mm (5.75″)MaterialsPlastic barrel, metal mountSealingNoColourBlackZoom methodRotary (extending)Power zoomNoZoom lockNoFilter thread58 mmHood product codeET-60Tripod collarNoOptional accessoriesSoft Case LP1019

Image: Canon

"We will raise prices and are in the process of estimating the timing and amount of the increase," said Canon, when asked about the impact of tariffs in the US. The response came to questions from analysts at the company’s Q1 financials announcement, with it becoming the first major manufacturer to publically discuss the impact with its investors.

The company reduced its sales forecast for its camera business by ¥25.2BN ($177.4M) to ¥1,011BN ($7.1BN, a reduction of 2.4%), for the year, with the bulk of this reduction coming from changes in expected exchange rates. However, it also said it had accounted for some of the expected impacts of tariffs at a whole-company level, rather than on a per business group basis.

Overall, it said it expected to sell 3M ILCs in 2025, up 6% on last year, with the ¥1,011BN sales estimate still representing a 7.9% increase over 2024.

It says these forecasts are based on the assumption of a 10% tariff being imposed and the reduction of demand that would come from the necessary increase in US prices. The initial announcement called for a 24% tariff on Japanese imports, though the US government then announced a 90-day period at 10%, with negotiations ongoing.

"We produce more products in Japan than other companies"

“We will have an advantage in the field of cameras,” compared with its rivals, it said: “as we produce more products in Japan than other companies.”

The US makes up around 25% of its camera business’s sales, but the company said that should be safe from the worst of the threatened tariffs, as all of its products made in China (which the US administration has said will be subject to 145% tariffs) are primarily sold to the Chinese domestic market.

It says it has “about one or two months’ worth” of inventory already in the US, meaning prices are not expected to increase immediately – tariffs are charged when the good is imported. “We estimate that the impact of tariffs will mainly occur from the latter half of the year,” it says. The company also says it's monitoring ongoing negotiations to determine how they might affect its supply chain and that it will adjust production if necessary, but that "no decision has been made at this point regarding the restructuring of the supply chain due to the impact of tariffs."

For now, Canon has assumed the impact will be localized to the US. “We assumed that there will be no impact on other regions,” is said. But: “if the tariff issue were to trigger a global recession, our assumptions will change.”

However, while the tariffs are likely to hit US consumers, they could have an unexpected benefit for customers in other markets. “There are products such as cameras that are on backorder,” it said: “and even if we cannot ship them to the U.S., we believe that we can ship those products to other regions.”

If you want to read more about how Canon is reacting to the tariffs, the subject is the main topic of discussion in the Q&A document it released alongside its earnings report.

GDT reveals its Nature Photographer of the Year winners

The German Society of Nature Photographers (GDT) revealed the winners and finalists of its annual Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Unlike its European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, open to all European residents, this competition is a members-only affair.

This year, 507 GDT members from 11 countries submitted over 8,000 images for consideration. Following a pre-selection process from a jury, members were allowed to vote for 10 images, each, across categories including Birds, Mammals, Landscapes and Other Animals.

Patience and persistence paid off for Konrad Wothe. He was declared the Overall Winner for his image "Dipper flying through waterfall." A vision spanning over two decades, Wothe credits advances in camera technology for finally making the shot a reality. He initially attempted to capture his vision on film. It took thousands of exposures and countless trips to the dipper's nesting site to get the desired result.

To learn more about Wothe's background, the jury and to view all of the selected images, from the present and past, make sure to visit the GDT's website.

Overall Winner: "Dipper flying through waterfall" by Konrad Wothe Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Konrad Wothe

Image description: White-throated dipper flying through waterfall.

Runner-up, Birds: "Common redstarts in meadow orchard" by Christian Höfs Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Christian Höfs

Image description: Territorial fight between two male redstarts in the orchard in front of my house.

Finalist, Birds: "Courtship display" by Karsten Mosebach Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Karsten Mosebach

Image description: Puffin courtship display during the mating season in Newfoundland.

Category Winner, Mammals: "Chamois" by Radomir Jakubowski Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Radomir Jakubowski

Image description: Chamois photographed through blades of dew-covered grass in the Vosges.

Runner-up, Mammals: "King of the Alps" by Karsten Mosebach Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Karsten Mosebach

Image description: An ibex silhouetted against a lake and the blue evening sky in the Alps.

Winner, Other Animals: "West coast dragon" by Dr. Gerald Haas Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Dr. Gerald Haas

Image description: Wind and waves create striking patterns in the sand along the west coast of Fuerteventura. This dragonfly was a perfect eye-catcher.

Runner-up, Other Animals: "Weevil" by Torsten Christ Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Torsten Christ

Image description: Unidentified weevil (Curculionidae) on the stem of a mushroom.

Finalist, Other Animals: "Spider disco" by Thomas Kirchen Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Thomas Kirchen

Image description: A beautiful rainbow of colours caused by the diffraction of sunlight on the fine, silken threads of a spider's web.

Winner, Plants and Fungi: "Stars above" by Paul Kornacker Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Paul Kornacker

Image description: Quiver trees (Aloe dichotoma) are native to southern Africa. This photo was taken in Namibia near Keetmanshoop.

Runner-up, Plants and Fungi: 'Carnivore' by Klaus Tamm Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Klaus Tamm

Image description: I discovered this spoonleaf sundew in a bog in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Winner, Landscapes: "Deforestation" by Hanneke Van Camp Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Hanneke Van Camp

Image description: Even today, old-growth forests in Sweden are regularly cut down and replaced with commercial plantations. Undisturbed forests can harbour over 2000 species (many of which are endangered) and must be preserved at all costs.

Runner-up, Landscapes: "Radiance" by Thomas Froesch Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Thomas Froesch

Image description: For just a brief moment, the sun broke through the dark clouds and illuminated a waterfall on the Faroe Islands.

Finalist, Landscapes: "Full-circle rainbow" by Peter Schwager Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Peter Schwager

Image description: Photographed during a doors off helicopter flight over Iceland's highlands at an altitude of approx. 300 metres - a rare spectacle.

Winner, Nature's Studio: "Abstraction" by Katja Manski Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Katja Manski

Image description: Long-exposure photography unifies the movements of the waves, reeds and camera into an abstract image (Bornholm).

Winner, Special Category, Both eerie and beautiful - Germany's mires: "Misty morning" by Andreas Volz Copyright: © GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, Andreas Volz

Image description: Spider webs in Kochelmoos.

Image: Nothing

British tech brand Nothing only recently announced the Phone 3a and 3a Pro, but it is already back again. This time, it's releasing the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Nothing launched its CMF sub-brand less than a year ago, so this offering marks the start of year two for the new brand. The Phone 2 Pro packs some impressive specs for its affordable price, making it stand out from other phones in this price range.

The camera array on the CMF Phone 2 Pro is very similar to the more expensive Nothing Phone 3a.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro's camera array looks very similar to the Nothing Phone 3a, which was already very excellent for its price. The new CMF phone is even more affordable, and seeing these specs on a sub $300 phone is exciting. Most impressive is that the CMF Phone 2 Pro features a dedicated telephoto camera. That's essentially unheard of at this price range, and it's a 50MP telephoto camera to boot.

The 50MP main camera with its Type 1/1.57 (8.16 x 6.12mm) sensor is the exact same as the one used in the Nothing Phone 3a. However, wide-angle fans may be a little disappointed, as that seems to be far less considered here. The Phone 2 Pro features a dedicated ultra-wide with a 15mm equivalent focal length, though it's only 8MP. There's also a 16MP selfie camera.

There are two detachable lenses for the CMF Phone 2 Pro, along with other accessories.

Image: Nothing

Another unique photo-related feature of the CMF Phone 2 Pro is the option to use detachable lenses. The company announced two options: a fisheye and a macro lens. While there are accessory companies making detachable smartphone lenses, we don't often see those provided by the phone maker itself. These are a separate purchase, with each lens priced at €35/£35 (it isn't clear if the lenses will be available in the US, as no US pricing was provided).

The CMF Phone 2 Pro uses Nothing's TrueLens Engine 3 for imaging processing. Nothing said that this algorithm has been optimized over 1000 scenarios to provide enhanced image quality and true-to-life results, no matter the situation. The phone also offers camera presets, so you can quickly switch settings without navigating deep menus.

Beyond the camera, there are some additional standout features with the CMF Phone 2 Pro. The team behind Nothing launched CMF because they felt things had grown boring, lazy and predictable in the mid-range market and wanted to shake things up. The CMF Phone 1 was a highly customizable phone that encouraged people to make it their own, which was unique. The CMF Phone 2 Pro continues that tradition.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro retains the modular design of the Phone 1. It allows you to screw on accessories or use the magnetic universal cover for attaching accessories like a phone stand or wallet. It also released the CAD file of the universal cover last week, so the community can create their own 3D-printed designs for the device. The keynote presentation for the Phone 2 Pro showed off a range of creative Phone 1 cases, including some with Lego backs, so there are many opportunities to customize the case.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro comes in four colors.

Image: Nothing

The CMF Phone 2 Pro is available for pre-order now and will be available for purchase on May 6 in two configurations: 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. It is priced at €259/£219 and €289/£249, respectively. In the US, only the larger storage version is available under the company's Beta program for $249.

Press release:

CMF by Nothing Launches CMF Phone 2 Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2a

Nothing’s sub-brand unveils its second-generation smartphone alongside a trio of earbuds

London, UK - April 28, 2025 – CMF, the sub-brand of London-based technology company Nothing, has today announced four new products - CMF Phone 2 Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2a.

CMF Phone 2 Pro

With segment-leading performance, a pro-level four-camera system, a wonderfully bright display, and a premium design, CMF Phone 2 Pro is the ultimate daily smartphone. Unique, powerful and fun, CMF Phone 2 Pro is primed for capturing life's moments with a joyful, forward-looking beat and refined design.

The slimmest and lightest smartphone Nothing has ever designed. At 7.8 mm, weighing just 185 g, CMF Phone 2 Pro is nearly weightless - 5% thinner than CMF Phone 1. It comes in an elegant body with an aluminum camera surround – evolved from the first-generation design – and features stainless steel screws for an authentic Nothing feel that unveils the craft behind it. Plus, increased water durability with IP54 - CMF Phone 1 was IP52.

CMF Phone 2 Pro comes in four colours: White, Black, Orange and Light Green. Black and Light Green are crafted with a glass-like back that mimics a frosted glass texture and is bordered with a metallic frame. Refined and minimalist, White is worked with a panelled sandstone finish at the back with an authentic feel and haptics. Orange has a metallic sheen and is the boldest option of all. When designing, we’ve taken care to lend the different iterations a more sophisticated quality, in a considered step up from
CMF Phone 1.

CMF Phone 2 Pro features an advanced four-camera system, complete with a 50 MP main camera with the largest sensor size in its class and capturing 64% more light than CMF Phone 1. For faraway scenes, the powerful telephoto lens uses 6 stacked lenses to digitally zoom onto your subject 20x - the only smartphone with telephoto sensor in this segment. To wrap it up, the 8 MP ultra-wide camera provides an expansive field of view, perfect for everything from landscapes to skylines, while the 16 MP front camera is ready to snap your sharpest selfies.

Now in its 6th generation, the newly upgraded MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor packs an 8-core CPU that clocks in speeds of up to 2.5 GHz – ready to live up to the demands of heavy multi-taskers. For cutting-edge performance, with 10% quicker processing and a 5% improvement in graphics when compared to CMF Phone 1. Co-engineered with the state-of-the-art TSMC 4 nm process technology for game-changing power efficiency.

With a 5000 mAh battery that lasts nearly one hour longer than Phone 1, CMF Phone 2 Pro effortlessly powers through two days of use on a single full charge.

Wonderfully bright, highly responsive and the largest display to date in the CMF range and best-in-class in its category. Featuring a 6.77" FHD+ flexible AMOLED display that delivers a stunning 1.07 billion hues – nearly 1 billion more colours than CMF Phone 1. HDR photography takes colouration and vibrancy up a level, while Ultra HDR captures enhance the brightness of highlights by 6 to 8 times, increasing peak brightness to 3000 nits – a 50% higher peak brightness than that of CMF Phone 1.

Switch seamlessly between to-do’s and fun with a 1000 Hz touch sampling rate – a 316% uptake compared CMF Phone 1 – and a 120 Hz Adaptive refresh rate CMF Phone 2 Pro retains modularity with three new accessories including Universal Cover, Interchangeable Lenses (Fisheye and Macro), and Wallet/Stand. A key upgrade from CMF Phone 1, is that the second-generation smartphone supports contactless payments with NFC.

CMF Audio

The CMF Buds 2025 lineup ranges across multiple price points making it accessible to all. From everyday audio needs to immersive sessions and personalised sound, there is a pair of CMF Buds for every need and music profile. Each model balances performance, design, and gives users more control over their listening experience.

CMF Buds 2

Buds 2 is a versatile companion for the everyday, balancing sound, comfort and smart features. Complete with Dirac OpteoTM tuning, 48dB hybrid ANC and Spatial Audio Effect, it refines the listening experience, bringing clearer, more dynamic sound.
CMF Buds 2 Plus Buds 2 Plus is built for those who demand more, delivering a next-level audio experience. It’s equipped with Hi-Res LDAC, hearing compensation and full EQ customisation for a rich, balanced sound tailored to your unique hearing profile.

CMF Buds 2a

Buds 2a is the go-to entry-level option, here to deliver clear sound to all. Encased in a lightweight design, it provides essential, high-quality audio with 42dB ANC, a 12.4 mm bio-fibre driver and deep bass for all-day listening.

All products will be available to purchase from nothing.tech and retail partners. Pre-orders open today, April 28, with open sales commencing on May 6.

Pricing and Availability

CMF Phone 2 Pro is available in two models:

• 8 + 128GB - £219 / ₹18,999 / €249
• 8 + 256GB - £249 / ₹20,999 / €279 / $279 (only available in the US via the Beta Program)

CMF Phone 2 Pro accessories:

• Universal Cover - £25 / €25 / ₹999
• Interchangeable Lenses (Fisheye and Macro) - £35 / €35 / ₹999
• Wallet/Stand - £35 / €35 / ₹999
• Bundle 1 - Cover + Wallet/Stand or Lenses - £45 / €45
• Bundle 2 - Cover + Wallet/Stand + Lenses - £65 / €65

CMF Buds 2 - £39 / ₹2,699 / €49 / $59

CMF Buds 2 Plus - £49 / ₹3,299 / €59 / $69

CMF Buds 2a - £29 / ₹2,199 / €39 / $49

All products will be available to purchase from nothing.tech and retail partners. Pre-orders open today, April 28, with open sales commencing on May 6.

Image: Adobe

Last week, Adobe announced that it's opening up the beta for its Content Authenticity app, which launched in private beta last year. This means more people will be able to access the tool's features, which let you add secure metadata to an image claiming that you own it and add a flag asking AI companies not to use it to train their models.

That should be a good thing. But the current implementation could threaten to muddy the waters about what images are authentic and what aren't even further, which is the exact problem the tool was made to solve.

If you're not familiar with the Adobe Content Authenticity app (and don't want to read the in-depth piece we wrote about it when it was launched), here's a quick summary: it's built around the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) Content Credentials system. It lets you add a cryptographically signed piece of metadata that says you made the image. It can also link to social profiles on sites like Instagram, Behance, and, now, LinkedIn. A link to that metadata is also added as an invisible watermark into the image, so it should be retrievable even if someone screenshots it or strips its metadata.

Let's do a quick compare and contrast, though. On the left is what those self-signed credentials look like when viewed in Adobe's inspector, and on the right is what they look like when they come from a camera that bakes Content Credentials into the images it captures. You can interact with the inspector using the source links.

Self-signed credentials (source) Credentials baked into an image at time of capture (source)

If you're paying attention, it's easy to spot the differences. But if you've only seen the first one, the UI doesn't make it clear at all that there's no information on how the image was made. Was it generated with an AI that doesn't apply a watermark or add credentials of its own? Did a human artist spend painstaking hours putting it together? The tool has no idea, but the badge would look the same either way.

Now imagine it wasn't an illustration but a photorealistic image. While the UI doesn't show all the details that it does for a photo that's had credentials since the shutter was taken, it's also not really clear that those are missing. Visually, the tool gives as much credence to a picture that's as verifiably real as it can be as it does to an image that could've come from anywhere.

There's nothing that says the only thing someone's done is upload a JPG or PNG to the tool

It's also a problem of language. If you're inspecting a self-signed image, there's nothing that tells you that the only thing someone's done is upload a JPG or PNG to the tool and check a box to promise that they're the one who owns it. It uses squishy language like "information shared by people involved in making this content" because it has to; there's no way to verify that, not that you'd get that impression if you weren't reading it with a cynical eye.

The inspection part of the tool can show what changes were made to an image, provided that information is included in the Content Credentials.
Screenshot: Mitchell Clark

The worst part is that there are good bones here. While only a handful of cameras generate Content Credentials at time of capture*, tools like Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw can add metadata of their own, building something akin to a chain of custody. The inspector can show what edits you've applied to an image if you've used Adobe's AI tools at any point and even show if you've composited multiple images together. It should be crystal clear at a glance that images with those credentials are more trustworthy than self-signed ones.

* - And of those, the majority lock the feature behind a license only given out to news agencies and other commercial operations

It is worth noting that Adobe is only one piece of the puzzle – other software developers can implement support for inspecting Content Credentials and make the difference between the types of credentials clearer. Maybe there could be a color-coding system to differentiate credentials that came from a camera versus ones from editing software and tools like Adobe Content Authenticity.

Also, none of this is to say that the self-signing process shouldn't exist because there are good reasons to use it. For example, suppose you have an image with that chain of credentials we talked about. You could use the Adobe Content Authenticity app to watermark it and link it to your socials so you get credit for it; the tool is smart enough to add things on top of existing Content Credentials. Illustrators could also use it to slightly raise the chances that their work will get credited.

Adobe Content Authenticity also lets you add a tag requesting that companies not use your image when building their Generative AI models. While many people would like a way to keep their work from contributing to AI tools, it's worth noting this isn't a silver bullet. Adobe's support documentation explicitly calls the flag a "request," and the legal framework around AI training is still in flux, so few enforcement mechanisms around opt-out requests like this exist.

Screenshot: Adobe

In a blog post, Adobe says it's "working closely with policymakers and industry partners to establish effective, creator-friendly opt-out mechanisms powered by Content Credentials." However, it appears to be early days. The company's documentation says the preference is currently respected by its in-house AI image generator, FireFly, and that a company called Spawning is working on supporting it. Spawning runs what it calls a "Do Not Train registry," which – in theory – lets you submit your work to a single place, which will let several companies know that you don't want it used for their training. Spawning's site currently says that Hugging Face and Stability AI (creators of Stable Diffusion) have "agreed to honor the Do Not Train registry."

It's unclear whether other companies like Google or MidJourney have or are building mechanisms to respect preferences like the ones embedded in Content Credentials. When we asked OpenAI, we were told nothing to share at this time. We've also reached out to Google and MidJourney and will update this article if we hear back.

While it's clear that I think there's work to be done on this app, it does seem like Adobe is willing to improve it. The public beta comes with new features, such as the ability to bulk-add credentials and preferences to up to 50 JPGs or PNGs at a time. Adobe says it'll soon support larger files and more file types and that it's working on integrating the app into programs like Photoshop and Lightroom. Again, though, that's arguably only useful if the inspection tool makes it clear how much stock you should put in those generated credentials or if AI companies writ large start respecting your do-not-train preferences.

You can join the waitlist for the Adobe Content Authenticity beta for free on the company's website. It requires an Adobe account but not a Creative Cloud subscription and works with any JPGs and PNGs, not just ones produced by Adobe apps.

Read our interview with Adobe's senior Content Authenticity Initiative director

Getty Images staff photographer Elsa Garrison is a legend in the sports world, so much so that she's generally known simply by her first name. We previously shared a conversation with Elsa, who provided some insight into her background, career and what it was like being the only female on the sidelines for many events. This video, however, shares a different, more gear- and process-focused perspective.

The video is three years old, so some of Elsa's gear may have changed since then. But it still provides interesting insight into a pro sports photographer's kit and mindset. In the video, Elsa chats about her range of lenses and which ones she uses for different situations. She uses two to three bodies per event, or more if using a remote setup. At the time, her bodies of choice were the Canon EOS R3 and 1D X Mark III, and she touches on the benefits and downfalls of both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Seeing someone of her level using a lens adapter is also a good reminder that you don't need the newest gear to create amazing work.

Elsa also talks through some of her favorite photos, giving more insight into how she created them. It's always fun to see experts in their respective fields talk about their process, and this video is no different.

April Editor's photo challenge: RGB

In this month's Editor's photo challenge, we asked you to share your photos featuring a red, green and blue color palette. At this point, it's no surprise that the DPReview community delivered – far from leaving us blue or red with anger, the images we've featured here made us green with envy.

Our top picks on the following pages are presented in random order. You can see all the photos submitted here.

Girl With Llama

Photographer: JeffryzPhoto

Photographer's description: High up in the Andes Mountains of Peru near the Sacred Valley a girl walks with her pet llama. Even the llama is wearing red, green, blue, and white.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-T4 + Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR

Athens in full spring

Photographer: xenofon

Photographer's description: At the heart of Athens, a metropolis of 3.5 million people, nature can still be present with all its beauty and grandeur. Provided you have the will and the patience to look closely enough.

Equipment: Canon EOS R10 + Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM

Cadillac #40

Photographer: Sergio Image

Photographer's description: Going to see a race at the Sebring Raceway had been in my bucket list for many years. So to celebrate my retirement, my wife and I got the tickets and drove to this legendary track. For the first time, I experienced photographing what is now my favorite subject: race cars.

Equipment: Nikon Z9 + Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR

RGB - Ryan, Gurcharan and Bhangra Smash Up

Photographer: Peter Freeth

Photographer's description: The band Bhangra Smash Up performing at a charity event, Ryan, one of the band members, captured from the side of the stage with the colourful lighting emphasising the high energy performance that always has everyone on their feet. Band leader Gurcharan looks on, a little too out of focus.

Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2

Busy Bazaar

Photographer: LokeshS

Photographer's description: During the Ramadan festival, the streets around the Shivaji Nagar locality of Bangalore turn into a virtual street fest. Food is the most popular item on sale and street vendors flourish. This picture was taken from behind one such vendor as wraps some kebab for a customer.

Equipment: Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR

After The Harvest

Photographer: OCDavo

Photographer's description: A retired International A-160, quietly resting in the tallgrass, its weathered wooden bed and rust-warmed steel telling the story of a bygone era in the soft glow of early morning light.

Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M5 + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

Cap Fréhel

Photographer: Brecht_BE

Photographer's description: The first summer things opened up again. We stood at the edge of Brittany, wind in our faces, the sea loud and endless. Everything felt sharply, undeniably alive.

Equipment: Olympus PEN-F + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

Chlorophyll fluorescence

Photographer: iso rivolta

Photographer's description: Chlorophyll fluorescence shown in a test tube. When excited with UV light, chlorophyll emits red light. The shadow of the tube is both green and blue, the latter from paper's fluorescence.

Equipment: Pentax KP + SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro

Velvet dresses

Photographer: lei945ca

Photographer's description: In the Swiss Canton of Appenzell, they celebrate an old end-of-year tradition, called «Sylvesterchläuse». Participants wear red, blue, green and yellow velvet dresses, they shake cowbells and jodel during hours going from farmhouse to farmhouse. This is exhausting, so they need a break every now and then to rest and drink. In such a moment I took the picture.

Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII

Yorkshire phone booth

Photographer: rkny

Photographer's description: Taken in Elsack, Skipton, Yorkshire UK. 2012. My first extended time with the Cannon 50 mm 1.2 L. I was blown away by the Canon 5D with this lens at the time. But looking back at the files, they haven’t aged quite so well when compared with current camera.

Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + Canon EF 50mm F1.2 L USM

Colors, canal, cloud

Photographer: Anders A

Photographer's description: Mum spoke enthusiastically about the vivid colors of the tulip fields in Holland. I started to wonder what they might look like from above, from a drone. This was in 2015 and drone tech was still very new and far from something everyone had. So, me and my tulip loving friend Ulf drove the 1000 km down to Holland a chilly day in April 2015 and started criss crossing the landscape. And my god, it looked fantastic! This is probably the best shot from the trip, from outside Sassenheim. The canals are used to flood the fields after harvest, to kill off germs and parasites.

Equipment: Sony a7 + Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* + HAB Paparazzo heavy lift drone

Woman In Red

Photographer: dasting

Photographer's description: Sunday morning on the bluffs of El Matador State Beach in Malibu, CA, while traveling for work. Taken with my Leica M9 and Canon 50mm f1.8 LTM lens circa 1960 or so.

Equipment: Leica M9 + Canon 50mm f1.8 LTM

Hội An Night Market

Photographer: skitraveler

Photographer's description: On a trip to Vietnam, I spent afternoon and evening in Hội An. I started with a cooking class and then moved onto the night market where the colors are as vibrant as the flavors in Vietnamese cooking. Really liked this row of stalls selling lanterns of all colors.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM

Old scary red brick bridge

Photographer: Valery Seregin

Photographer's description: This old bridge was probably useful for pedestrians at one time, but today it is a real challenge. The thing is that its covering is made of oval-shaped stone, so it is easy to stumble and fall. There is nothing to grab onto, there are no railings. Just imagine what it is like to use it in winter when the stones are covered with ice. Climbing onto it is not a problem, the problem is getting down. Dozens of people use it every day. Yes, it is old and beautiful, but it is scary and dangerous at the same time.

Equipment: Fujifilm X20

Kiberg Kitywakes

Photographer: Jon-Sverre

Photographer's description: Kitywakes (3-toed sea gulls) on the harbor of Kiberg (70 degrees north x 30 degrees east - east of Istanbul!), Varanger, Norway this winter. Occupying fishing nets and smelling of Guano.

Equipment: Nikon Z8 + Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR

Rainbow Lorikeet

Photographer: SigmaChrome

Photographer's description: These beautiful native parakeets are quite common where I live and they are approachable if you are careful and don't make any sudden moves. This one was feeding on my front lawn.

Equipment: Fujifilm GFX 50R + TTArtisan 90mm F1.25

Candy Factory

Photographer: GrantsImages

Photographer's description: I'm not certain what they make at this factory, but I always imagine that it is fruit flavored life savors. Like the rolls we used to get at the 5 & 10 store when we were children.

Equipment: Nikon D800 + Nikkor AF-S 300mm F4E PF ED VR

Good afternoon Mr. Station Master.

Photographer: Cambrian Coast

Photographer's description: Carrog Station is located on the Llangollen to Corwen heritage railway. Here we see the Station Master Platt saying good afternoon to the resident of the station house.

Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

Moonlight Star Trail Over a Wild Tulips Field - Blufi - Sicily

Photographer: astrodariogiannobile

Photographer's description: What is happening in Holland on this “day”? Nothing except that...we are not in the daytime and we are not in Holland!!! Strange? absolutely yes. We are in Sicily of course and what you see is a real field of wild tulips growing near the village of Blufi.

Equipment: Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 8-15mm F4L Fisheye USM

Looking for more?

We're already gearing up for our next monthly challenge, but in the meantime, why not check out some of our community challenges? User REHS is hosting a challenge called "Through a door, window or gate," which is now open for submissions, and DrLex is looking for the best non-bird photo you've taken since April 14th. Voting is open for REHS' Sunrise or Sunset challenge and for DrLex's bird photos of 2025 challenge.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.

Shooting with the Sigma BF in London

Photo: Al Power

Editor Richard Butler took the Sigma BF as a travel companion on his recent vacation to the UK. He wrote about the experience of using the camera, but we also wanted to highlight the sample images he shot.

Click here to read Richard's real-world shooting experience with the Sigma BF

The gallery includes a mixture of out-of-camera JPEGs, shot primarily in the Mono and Rich color modes, along with a handful of images reprocessed from Raw in the camera, with adjustments made to highlight or shadow response.

One photo per day with the Sigma BF Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

In addition to his attempts to shoot one 'good' photo per day, Richard also spent a day on a photo walk around London with a friend from his earliest days of digital photography. These shots include more extensive use of the camera's black-and-white mode, again with some examples re-processed in-camera.

A photo walk in London Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

Buy now:

Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

Photos: Sissi Lu, PortKeys, Peak Design, Viltrox

Welcome to the accessory roundup! This week, we have a lot to go over, including a graphic novel about a famous photographer, a phone case that'll survive whatever conditions you find yourself in and a stylish on-camera flash. First, though, let's look at the deals

Deals of the week Photo: Canon

The Canon EOS R6 II is one of our favorite cameras at its price point, and this week it's on sale for $200 off its MSRP putting it right at $2000.

Buy now:

$1999 at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo Image: Sony

If you find yourself wanting a bit – okay, a lot – more resolution, Sony's a7R V is also on sale to the tune of $400 off.

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo A flash with retro style Image:Viltrox

Viltrox's latest on-camera flash, the Vintage Z1, is designed to fit in with retro-style cameras like the Nikon Zf or Fujifilm X-T series. It has a silver and leatherete finish and its power knob offers a pop of brass-color. Its manual control knob, which gives you access to its seven power levles, also has a bit of retro flaire. It has a single-contact hotshoe interface, giving it wide compatability.

The light comes with a defuser, has a recycle time of 0.2 to 3.5 seconds and can get "up to 10,000 flashes on a full charge," though that number is based on its minimum power output. However, recharging it shouldn't take long: plug in a USB-C lead, and it'll be fully powered within an hour.

Buy at Amazon Buy at B&H A graphic novel for photography nerds Image: Drawn and Quarterly

Even if you don't know the name Eadweard Muybridge, you're almost certainly familiar with his work. He spent the 1800s photographing some of the grandest places in the American West, before casually helping invent the motion picture with his work The Horse In Motion. Now, his story is enshrined in a graphic novel by Guy Delisle called Muybridge, which the publisher says "brings this historical figure and those around him to life through an uncompromising lens."

According to an article in The Guardian about Muybridge, the book doesn't try to turn a complicated, real-life person into a comic book hero. We don't want to spoil too much if you're not familiar with his life – or his criminal trial – but this book probably isn't one to share with younger kids. But if you're interested in the history of photography, it seems like it'll be well worth a read.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Barnes and Noble Buy at IndieBound A tougher case Image: Peak Design

I've long been a fan of Peak Design's Mobile cases, because the SlimLink system lets you securely mount your phone to various camera mounts and tripods, as well as onto bike handles and car dashboards. However, I'm also really tough on phone cases, and the (frankly, beautiful) textile-backed cases haven't lasted long under my "care."

Peak Design's new GNAR case promises an alternative. The company says it has "all the protection, ruggedness, and connect-ability that you could ever want," and it features a TPU bumper and a bezel to keep your cameras safe. The edge is also knurled to make it easier to grip your phone in less than ideal conditions. Despite its extra thickness and the SlimLink connector, the company says it should still work with Apple's MagSafe wireless chargers.

The one downside is its limited compatability: it's currently only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, which is a bummer if you're not rocking the latest from Apple. However, if you are, the case is already on sale – you can snag it for $35.97, instead of its eventual $59.95 MSRP.

Buy at Peak Design Keep your film safe Image: Sissi Lu

While common wisdom says that 800 ISO film and below can safely go through X-ray machines at the airport, it seems like the new CT scanners that have been popping up may be – to borrow a phrase – unsafe for any speed. Photographer and TikToker Sissi Lu is putting out a new bag that you can put your film in that warns security personel not to send it through the machine in seven different languages. It also comes with a card with a message about the sensitive contents of the bag in 21 additional languages, as well as some cute film-themed stickers.

The bag won't keep your film safe if a security guard puts it through the machine anyways, either because they refused to do a hand-check or if you forgot to dig it out of your luggage, but it should at least help a bit with language barriers that pop up – assuming you're lucky enough to get an agent that still knows what film.

Buy at Sissi Lu Monitor on a budget Image: PortKeys

External monitors that can mount to your camera have always been a great tool for filmmakers and videographers, and over the past few years they've been becoming more and more affordable. The Portkeys PT5 III, though, takes it to a new level – it's only $169, but still includes a 5.4" screen that with an 800 nit max brightness as well as assistance tools like waveforms, a histogram, focus peaking and False Color. You can also use it to preview what your Log footage will look like once it has a LUT applied.

The PT5 III can take a 4K30P signal via HDMI, though the display only runs at 1080p at 60fps. At that size, though, that'll be enough for most users. You can run it off a Sony NP-F-style battery, or USB-C, and while it doesn't include a battery, it does come with a sunshade, full-size HDMI cable, micro-to-full-size HDMI cable and a mount.

Buy at Amazon In case you missed it

There have been some accessory news this week that warranted dedicated articles here on DPReview, but we'd be remiss not to tell you about them here:

• Profoto Spot Small offers precision lighting in a compact package
• This new accessory keeps the unique aesthetic of the Sigma BF intact
• Logitech's MX Creative console now supports even more essential editing apps

Read last week's roundup

Remembering Wildlife reveals winning images for its 10th Anniversary book Copyright: © Tristan Dicks/Remembering Wildlife

Remembering Wildlife, a book series focused on conservation, has revealed the 20 winning photos that will be featured in its forthcoming 10th anniversary edition, 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife. The new book, set for release on October 6th, will be the series' most ambitious project yet. It'll bring together images spanning a decade of photographers' work to raise awareness for endangered species.

For the first time, the project will spotlight multiple species rather than focusing on one. This book will showcase not only the winning competition entries but also standout images from the previous nine titles. It will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the plight of the world's most trafficked mammal, the pangolin. The cover image of a pangolin was captured by Tristan Dicks.

All profits from the sale of the book will fund pangolin conservation efforts. Since launching in 2016 with Remembering Elephants, the entire series has sold over 55,000 copies and donated over $1.5 million to 79 conservation projects across 34 countries. This competition drew over 4,500 entries from photographers worldwide, with winners representing Australia, Brazil, the United States, Kenya and Namibia, to name a few.

Founded by British wildlife photographer Margot Raggett MBE, Remembering Wildlife was founded in response to a personal encounter with a poached elephant in North Kenya. For more information and to browse books and prints, check out the organization's website.

"Clash of the Titans" by Alessandro Marena (Italy) Copyright: © Alessandro Marena/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Rhino, Solio Game Reserve, Laikipia, Kenya

About the image: Illegal poaching of rhinos for their horns means they remain under huge threat. Remembering Wildlife has donated funds to several rhino protection units and conservation projects, helping to provide smartphones fitted with cameras and GPS systems, fuel for patrol vehicles and clothing for rangers.

"A touching moment" by Jagdeep Rajput (India) Copyright: © Jagdeep Rajput/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Elephant, Corbett National Park, India

About the image: “A young Asian Elephant calf asking for a drink, as mother drinks water from Ramganga river, during hot summer afternoon.”

"Age of Innocence" by Julie Oldroyd (UK) Copyright: © Julie Oldroyd/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Polar bears, Baffin Island, Canada

About the image: “Baffin Island is one of the most majestic and pristine environments in the world to see polar bears, especially in March and April when the sea ice has frozen. However, with temperatures between -30 to -40 it is also one of the most challenging to ensure you keep your hands warm to press the shutter. We had spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon with this mother and her COYS (Cubs of the year) which were likely a week or so out of their den.

However, just as they were settled the mother got spooked and she and the cubs ran off towards a nearby iceberg. We set off to see if we could spot them and when we got to this iceberg I couldn’t believe my eyes. The mother and cubs were huddled together on top of the iceberg. To witness such intimate moments, such as this one, between the cubs whilst their mother sleeps is something that is a once in a lifetime sighting.”

"Monkey business" by Pedro Amaral (Portugal) Copyright: © Pedro Amaral/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

About the Image: “High in the canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, two young mountain gorillas dangle from the branches, locked in a playful game of chase. Their world is one of curiosity and mischief—tugging, teasing, and tumbling through the treetops as they learn the skills they'll need to navigate life in the wild. But this lighthearted moment is also a testament to a serious conservation success.

Once critically endangered, mountain gorillas are now the only great ape species whose population is increasing, thanks to anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and responsible eco-tourism in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a world where every life counts, these two remind us that the future of their species isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving, playing, and living wild and free.”

"Bengal Tiger reflection" by Bircan Harper (UK) Copyright: © Bircan Harper/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tiger, Bandhavgarh National Park, India

About the image: Weighing up to 260kg and measuring up to 3 metres in length, the tiger is the largest of the big cats. It is found in Asia, from India – where two-thirds of all wild tigers live – through to the Russian Far East and into China.

"African Black Bellied Pangolin" by Alessandra Sikand (USA) Copyright: © Alessandra Sikand/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Black bellied pangolin, Sangha Lodge, Dzanga-Sangha

About the image: National Park, Central African Republic. The landmark book 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife has a special focus on pangolins – also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet.

"5 at blue hour" by Johann du Toit (Kenya) Copyright: © Johann du Toit/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Shompole Hide, Kenya

About the image: “Five cheetahs at the Shompole Hide at blue hour.”

"Carried away" by Vicki Jauron (USA) Copyright: © Vicki Jauron/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Lioness and her cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “A lioness carries one of her two little ones to a new hiding spot in early morning. Taken in 2021 when vehicle traffic was light and we were able to follow without impacting her movements.”

"Leopard enjoying morning sun break" by Ifham Raji (Sri Lanka) Copyright: © Ifham Raji/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Leopard, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

About the image: “After three days of heavy downpour this leopard took the opportunity to enjoy the first morning sun break.”

"Puppy love" by Marcus Westberg (Portugal) Copyright: © Marcus Westberg/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: African Wild Dog puppies, Tswalu Kalahari Nature Reserve, South Africa

About the image: Projects that Remembering Wildlife supports include vaccinating domestic dogs to help prevent the spread of rabies to African wild dogs; GPS collars to track their movements and even helped facilitate the translocation of 14 African wild dogs from South Africa and Mozambique to Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, in a historic project to reintroduce this endangered species to Malawi. Since the successful translocation, pups have been born.

"Enjoying the sunrise" by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK) Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Tigers, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Two sub-adult tiger brothers enjoying the early morning sunrise” Margot Raggett MBE, founder and producer of Remembering Wildlife, said: “It’s an oft-quoted fact that there are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are left in the world, a stark reminder of how the future of tigers might end if conservationists do not continue their focus and their fight. Tigers are a bellwether for the health of an ecosystem. For every tiger protected in the forest, there are plants, trees, insects, birds and other mammals who thrive.”

"In the arms of eternity" by Kim Paffen (Netherlands) Copyright: © Kim Paffen/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Mountain Gorilla and her baby, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

About the image: “A mountain gorilla mother cradles her infant – a portrait of tenderness etched in shadows and light. Here, where Dian Fossey’s legacy still whispers through the bamboo, every touch is a lesson, every gaze a vow. Her quiet strength shields not just her child, but the fragile future of species reborn from the brink.”

"Cold callers welcome" by Mark Meth-Cohn (UK) Copyright: © Mark Meth-Cohn/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Sloth bear, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India

About the image: “Sloth Bear making use of an abandoned building.”

"Sunset scales" by Armand Grobler (South Africa) Copyright: © Armand Grobler/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Pangolin, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Greater Kruger, South Africa

About the image: “The vibrant colours of a winter dusk highlight the gentle spark of life in our planet’s most trafficked mammal.”

"Mbili bora in the rain' by Xavier Ortega (Spain) Copyright: © Xavier Ortega/Remembering Wildlife

Subject: Cheetahs, Masai Mara, Kenya

About the image: “The famous coalition of 5 cheetahs that ruled the Masai Mara, during a storm.”

There's always an epic amount of work that goes on behind the scenes with any movie, far beyond just the filming portion. In a recent video shared on Kodak's YouTube, director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Black Panther) provides unique insight into some of that process, breaking down the different film formats and aspect ratios in conjunction with the release of his new movie, Sinners.

It's been an incredibly popular video on social media, with people saying it's like "a masterclass" in filmmaking and even making them want to go to film school. One Instagram user, redbikebluebike, even said, "Straight up film school for the public. Free tuition." On YouTube, TheUltimateKawai1 said, "I love this. This didn't feel like a throwaway thing where he was forced to do anything he wasn't comfortable with, this is a guy nerding out over film, educating people about the different formats and then explaining how they apply to his movie."

Indeed, Coogler covers a lot of ground in the video, offering information that goes well beyond this movie in particular. He shows off film strips representing each of the different film formats, from the tiny Super8 film used for home movies all the way up to large format (65mm) film. He even touches on the importance of perforations, explaining that they filmed with two different camera systems for the movie and that this is the first time a movie combines 2.76:1 "Ultra Panavision 70" and 1.43:1 "IMAX" aspect ratios.

Impressively, he also details the different ways the movie will be exhibited, with some theaters showing it in different aspect ratios, different projection methods, and even with different experiences, like 4DX. You can tell that Coogler is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about what he's talking about, and it's both fascinating and inspirational to watch him explain all of this information.

It's firmware Friday. Once again, Sony and Nikon lead the charge with firmware updates. Nikon even surprised us with an update to a discontinued model. The Coolpix P1000, which has become a meme in photography circles for its insane zooming capabilities, may have been discontinued in March 2024, but that doesn't mean it's been forgotten.

We've rounded up the latest firmware changes for Sony's a7CR, a7S III and a7C II, along with updates for Nikon's Z50 and Zfc cameras. Lenses from Chinese manufacturers TTArtisan and 7Artisans also received improvements. Here's what came out this week.

Sony

a7CR Ver. 2.00 and a7S III Ver. 4.00 firmware updates are identical

You can download the software update using the Creators' App, which is available for iOS and Google Play.

Benefits and improvements

Shooting & Playback functions:

• Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
• Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
• Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
• Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
• Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
• You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
• Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
• Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
• Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
• Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
• Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
• The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
• Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
• Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

FTP Transfer & Network functions:

• Allows scheduling of FTP transfers while writing data to the camera's storage media.
• You can now automatically schedule FTP transfer of protected movies and still images.
• Movies/still images transferred via FTP transfer can now be automatically protected.
• You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet.
• Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer.
• You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process.
• Adds support for the Network Streaming function.
• Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators' Cloud.
• Displays the Wi-Fi signal strength when the Wi-Fi function is On.

Please note that Ver. 2.9.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary for some of the above FTP Transfer & Network functions. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.

Others:

• Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera.
• WPA and WEP functionalities are no longer supported.
• You will no longer be able to select WPA or WEP when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• Please use the more secure WPA2 or WPA3 moving forward.
• Fixes an issue where the camera operation may become unstable when Pixel Mapping is performed.
• Improves the operational stability of the camera.

The a7C II also got a Ver 2.00 update, with a difference in the benefits and improvements.

Shooting & Playback functions:

• Allows you to set Recognition Target to Auto, enabling the camera to automatically select subjects such as humans and animals.
• Introduces support for the Framing Stabilizer feature, which automatically adjusts the composition to keep the tracked subject in the same frame position during movie recording mode.
• Adds Dynamic Active mode to SteadyShot for movie recording.
• Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording.
• Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings.
• You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
• Improves image quality when applying user LUTs.
• Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature.
• Adds a function that allows you to narrow down played-back images using multiple filters (e.g. Rating).
• Adds the Golden Ratio Grid option to the Grid Line Type setting menu.
• Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature.
• The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
• Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999.
• Adds support for importing/switching multiple IPTC Presets.

Nikon Image: Nikon

Z 50 updates for Version 2.60 (Mac) and (Windows)

• Fixed an issue where browsing other pictures would not function as expected after using a stretch gesture to zoom in on a picture taken in portrait orientation.

Z fc updates for Version 1.80 (Mac) and (Windows)

Fixed the following issues:

• The values on the control panel would remain on even after the camera was turned off and the lens was removed if [On] was selected for [Connect to smart device] > [Upload while off] in the [SETUP MENU] while the camera was connected to SnapBridge via Wi-Fi.
• The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted if the shutter-release button was pressed halfway right before entering playback mode by pressing the playback button while looking through the viewfinder with the monitor closed.
• The viewfinder display would sometimes be disrupted when Picture Control settings were displayed in the i menu.

Coolpix P1000 updates for Version 1.8 (Mac) and (Windows)

• Fixed an issue where the camera would in rare circumstances stop responding after burst shooting.

Lens firmware updates

TTArtisan FUJI-X AF 35mm F1.8 Mark II V1.0.2 update

Image: TTArtisan

• Improved corner vignetting performance.
• Fixed firmware version display errors and focus reset issues on some cameras.
• Improved slow or abnormal autofocus performance on some cameras.
• Must be upgraded with Windows system.
• Do not update this firmware on the AF 35mm F1.8 Mark I.

7Artisans AF50mm f1.8 Z V1.01 update

• Added a feature where switching to full-time AF (AF-F) allows direct transition to manual focus (MF) by rotating the focus ring.
• Reduced power consumption and minimized heat generation.
• Enhanced system stability.

That's all for this week. Make sure you check in every Friday for the latest news on firmware updates for cameras and lenses. Happy updating!

Read last week's firmware roundup

It's not a secret that many people are frustrated with the direction of Instagram. Its list of infractions is long: its default algorithmic feed isn't chronological and pushes content from people you don't follow, the content is over-commercialized, it can't accommodate certain crops, there are too many ads, too many videos and so on. But for so long, Instagram has been the primary platform for photographers and creatives to share their work and build a community. So, where does that leave us?

For those interested in staying involved with social media, Instagram's shifted focus has resulted in anything but a vacuum of options for photographers. Plenty of apps have popped up, and there's even been something of a resurgence of some old-school platforms.

Foto app Images: Foto

The Foto app is one of the newest kids on the block that has popped up as an alternative to Instagram. It doesn't crop your photos or support videos, it's completely ad-free and the feed is chronological. Photos have the option for captions, and you can add and respond to comments on each post. Unlike other alternatives, you can publicly see the like count on each image, though some may consider that a negative. There are no public-facing follower counts, however.

Foto partly stands out from other Instagram alternatives because you can use it for free. In fact, at the time of writing, it is entirely free. There will be a paid "Pro" subscriber plan in the future with features like a portfolio, shop and more. However, the website says that there will always be "a high-quality free tier so anyone can freely use Foto." The app is available on Android and iOS devices, but there is no web-based version at the time of writing.

I've been using Foto a little bit, and I have been impressed by the clean user interface. There isn't a long list of things to check when posting, so it's much simpler and straightforward compared to Instagram. You're also limited to three preset tags on posts, which helps reduce the noise when looking for certain types of content. It's a simple, easy-to-navigate platform that feels refreshing compared to Instagram.

Of course, Foto is quite new, so there will be growing pains as they continue developing the app. That also means lots of opportunities for exciting new features as it improves; you just need to be patient for those. Additionally, while Foto makes it clear that the app is for everyone, even non-photographers, it is inherently going to attract those interested in photography, thereby limiting your audience.

VSCO Images: VSCO

VSCO is perhaps best known as an editing platform with its expansive list of presets and editing tools. However, it also functions as a social media platform that fosters creativity and expression over social metrics. It doesn't display likes, follows or repost metrics publicly, aiming to keep competition and comparison out of the experience. In fact, unless you manually count each like or repost, you can't even see a total on your own images.

There are no ads of any sort and no promoted posts getting pushed to your feed. Put simply, VSCO pared things down to keep the focus on the photos. There aren't even comments on VSCO, so the only text that exists is in the caption field. One of the platform's unique features is the ability to reshare work from others to your profile, allowing you to create your own curated gallery of sorts.

There is a completely free version of VSCO, which allows users to access basic editing tools and share on the platform. However, memberships, at either $30 per year or $60 per year, unlock more features and tools. It's available on Android and iOS devices and there's also a web version.

I've been a VSCO user for years, and one of the things I appreciate is the way the company works to foster creativity and community. Monthly photo prompts and various open calls get you to try new things or share your work. These prompts are an opportunity to gain visibility or even get paid for your work, with VSCO selecting some to promote and license for upcoming campaigns. There's also lots of educational and inspirational content available through the app, making it a place to learn and grow. Plus, the web version of VSCO serves as a platform for people to hire photographers, so it could be a way to connect with clients.

Glass Images: Glass

Glass officially launched in August 2021, shortly after Instagram lead Adam Mosseri said the platform was "no longer just a square photo-sharing app". It initially launched exclusively for iPhones, but is now available for any iOS device, Android, Windows and web. Glass is unique because it is focused on features that appeal to serious photographers, including full EXIF data, camera and lens insights, minimal image compression and support for P3 wide color. Whereas Foto is meant as an app for anyone, Glass is geared toward dedicated photographers.

Like Foto, Glass is ad-free and algorithm-free. Instead, it shows your feed in chronological order. As with VSCO, there are no public likes, shares or follower counts, helping photographers keep comparison and competition out of the equation. It also highlights the work of its members and hosts monthly challenges based around categories.

The downside to Glass is that you can't use it without a subscription. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial, but will need to input credit card information right out of the gate, even if you just want to test it out. Then, the basic membership costs $40 per year. You can also opt for the Patron level, which provides additional support to the team in return for exclusive perks for $131 per year. The founders of Glass explain that because they charge for the platform, they can keep it free of ads and data tracking.

Flickr Image: Flickr

Flickr is one of the original social media platforms for photographers. It was popular when I was just starting out in photography back in the early 2000s. Of course, at the time, it was exclusively a website (the only app I had on my phone was the Snake game). Times have changed, though, and a Flickr app is now available for just about any device.

The feed of work you follow on Flickr is chronological, with no algorithm dictating what you see. You can see stats on images, including views, favorites and comments, so Flickr won't be the place for you if you're trying to avoid those things.

When you favorite an image, it shows up in a gallery on your profile, much like VSCO's Republish feature. You can also create galleries of more specific categories from work you like. In terms of your photographs, they all show up on your Photostream, which is like your Instagram grid. You can break it into Albums as well to categorize things if you like. Flickr can also serve as a backup for storing your work, and it even offers a plugin for Lightroom.

You can use Flickr for free, but it will be somewhat limited. The free version also features ads. FlickrPro lets you see more stats on your work, removes the ads and gives you unlimited storage space. The Pro membership also gives you the option to change the privacy settings of your photos, unlocks 6K display options and unlocks discounts for various companies.

What made Flickr stand out in its heyday was the ability to build community and connections.

What made Flickr stand out in its heyday was the ability to build community and connections. I met two of my good friends through the site as a result of regularly interacting with their work. Those two friends also met through Flickr, coming together from different parts of the country and eventually getting married.

While today's Flickr isn't quite the same as it was back then (what is?), it has seen a resurgence lately, thanks to the frustration with Instagram. That community aspect is still there, and, thanks to the endless groups based on any photographic interest you may have, it is easy to find like-minded people. A quick glance at the groups I am still part of shows that they are very much still active in terms of photos being shared and comments being made.

What are you using social media for?

Earlier this year, a photographer I follow on Instagram shared some posts to their Stories about why they aren't moving to an app dedicated to photographers. They explained that they want their work to be seen by a broader audience and not only exist within a bubble of people who are highly invested in photography. Unfortunately, I can't recall who this was or what type of work they make, but it made me pause and reflect. Their posts raised a valuable question: Why do we share our work on social media?

Of course, the answer to that question will be different for everyone. But it's worth considering, no matter who you are. That's especially true if you're debating moving to a different social media platform since each may cater to a slightly different audience or provide unique tools. Reflecting on why you share your work and what you hope to get out of doing so can help you better understand which type of platform(s) may make the most sense for you.

If your goal is to join a community of (relatively speaking) like-minded photographers, then something like the Glass app, Flickr or VSCO may be the right answer. But if you, like the person on Instagram mentioned above, want to reach a broader audience of non-photographers, apps that cater specifically to photographers likely aren't the best place for you. After all, something like the Glass app could be intimidating for non-photographers, while the subscription adds an extra hurdle, so it likely isn't going to attract those without at least some interest in the medium.

Sharing on a platform designed for photographers is a bit like preaching to the choir or sharing your work only with close friends. There can certainly be benefits to getting validation and speaking the same language as others. After all, sometimes it's just nice to have your work appreciated by those who understand photography. But it will inevitably be a bit limiting in terms of broadening your audience.

Image: Skylum Software

Today, Skylum Software released version 1.24.0 of Luminar Neo, its AI-powered photo editing application. Dubbed its "Spring Upgrade," four new features have been added to streamline editing and improve photographers' workflows. This upgrade includes Auto Adjust tools, a Catalog Cache Cleaning option, an update to Atmosphere AI and a cleaner Export Menu that now supports DNG file formats.

Screenshot: Kara Murphy

Auto Adjust is a new addition to the Developer and Developer Raw tools. Powered by AI, it analyzes your image and automatically adjusts the Exposure, Highlights and Shadows sliders. It may also change the tone curve if necessary. These are minor tweaks, but they're meant to provide a stronger starting point for editing an image.

Catalog Cache Cleaning has been added to the Preferences menu. It offers a simple way to manually clear out cached data stored by the Luminar Neo catalog. Over time, cached files can build up and slow down an operating system's performance, especially if you're working with an extensive library of images. Clearing it should help speed things up.

Image: Skylum Software

The Atmosphere AI tool, designed to add fog, mist or haze to an image, has gotten a revamp to one of its components. Users were dissatisfied with the fog slider, so the company tweaked the depth map handling to give it a more realistic look when applied to images.

The Export Menu has been redesigned with a cleaner layout. Most importantly, it now includes support for exporting DNG files, making it possible to transfer Raw files edited in Neo to other editing software tools for further adjustments.

Screenshot: Kara Murphy

Luminar Neo is available on MacOS and Windows and as a plug-in for Adobe's Photoshop and Lightroom Classic software. Updates rolled out today and can be accessed by annual and lifetime subscribers.

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Product photos: Mitchell Clark

91%Overall scoreJump to conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII is the company's latest high-resolution full-frame mirrorless camera, now beefed-up with 8K video capabilities and improved autofocus.

Key features

• Full-frame 44MP dual gain CMOS sensor
• Up to 40fps continuous shooting with pre-burst capture (e-shutter only)
• 8.1K/8K video at up to 30p
• 5.76M dot viewfinder
• Flip-out and tilt rear screen
• ProRes 422 and ProRes RAW capture
• Capture to CFExpress Type B, UHS II SD or external SSD
• Multi-shot high res mode up to 177MP
• 32-bit float audio via optional XLR 2 adapter

The S1RII is available now with a recommended retail price of $3300.

Index:

• What's new
• What's new for video
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Image Quality
• Autofocus
• Conclusion
• Sample gallery
• Specifications
• Press release

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo

• Feb 25: Initial review published
• Mar 31: Image quality and Autofocus results published
• Apr 23: Autofocus section updated and conclusion added

What's new New sensor

Rather than the 47MP used in the original S1R, or the 61MP chip used in Leica's SL3, Panasonic has opted for a slightly lower resolution but faster sensor for the S1RII.

It features dual conversion gain on which, as usual on Panasonic cameras, you can manually select which of its two readout modes it uses, at intermediate ISO settings. Panasonic doesn't always disclose when it's using BSI technology, but in this instance it has confirmed it.

Its design means it's appreciable slower than the more expensive Stacked CMOS sensors, with an electronic shutter mode that takes 37.5ms (~1/27 sec) to read out in 14-bit mode and 20.2ms (~1/50 sec) in the 12-bit mode used for bursts and other quick-fire shooting modes.

Autofocus

The S1RII represents the second generation of Panasonic cameras to feature phase detection autofocus, with the inherent depth awareness that this brings. The company says it's significantly improved both its subject recognition and its tracking algorithms in the new camera, to bring its performance closer into line with the best of its peers.

The S1RII has algorithms trained to recognize the following subjects:

• Human
• Animal (Dog, Cat, Bird)
• Car
• Motorcycle / Bike
• Train
• Airplane

We're told it should be quicker at finding a subject and better at continuing to track it, even if, for instance, the subject turns away from the camera or is partially obscured. As before, you can choose whether the camera homes-in on specific details, such as the helmet of a motorbike rider, the nose of a plane or the eyes of an animal. Selecting the more precise focus position can lower the system's responsiveness to smaller, faster-moving subjects.

Cinelike A2 color mode

The S1RII gains a new 'Cinelike A2' color mode, in both stills and video modes. It offers a very gentle response, somewhere between the flat, DR-prioritizing Cinelike D2 and the punchy, ready-to-go Cinelike V2 profile.

Panasonic says the A2 mode's color response stems from work they've been doing in recent months. And it's perhaps worth considering which partners Panasonic has been working with, recently, to guess at the significance of the letter 'A' in the name. Unlike the camera's Leica Monochrome mode, any connection isn't made explicit.

Real time LUT

The S1RII gains the Real Time LUT function we've seen on recent Panasonic cameras, letting you create and upload color and tone-modifying profiles in format with a workflow that's already widely supported across the industry. The S1RII allows you to load up to 39 LUTs onto the camera, with the option to combine two LUTs with varying intensity, if you wish.

Additional LUTs can be created or downloaded via Panasonic's Lumix Lab app.

False color

The S1RII becomes one of the first stills/video cameras to include a false color display option. This is a feature common in the video world, giving a mono preview with certain brightness levels highlighted in different colors, to help you recognize which bits of the image are clipped or near clipping and which areas are exposed as mid tones or at a level appropriate for light skin tones. This display can be used in boths stills and video modes.

Capture One tethering

The S1RII becomes the first Panasonic camera that can be shot, tethered, from Capture One, the popular studio software. We're told any decisions about whether to expand support to other models will depend on customer demand.

What's new for video

The 44MP sensor means the S1RII has slightly more horizontal pixels than necessary to deliver UHD 8K (7680 x 4320) footage and a fraction short of what's needed to capture the DCI 8K's 8192 x 4320 resolution. Instead it offers what Panasonic called 8.1K (8128 x 4288), which conforms to the same 1.89:1 aspect ratio as DCI footage.

The degree to which the sensor resolution is suited to 8K capture is unlikely to be coincidental, and the S1RII offers the kind of extensive video feature set that you might expect from the company that brought us the GH series, rather than the pared-back list of options the original S1R brought.

It also includes everything you'd expect from Panasonic: the option to set exposure in terms of shutter angle, waveforms, vectorscopes, filtering or custom lists of video modes, four-channel audio and 32-bit Float audio via the optional XLR2 accessory, support for anamorphic lenses and a tally lamp to let you know you're rolling. The attention to detail goes beyond the addition of a big red button on the front.

Video options: Output
dimensions Frame
Rates Crop MOV ProRes 1.89:1 modes 8.1K 8128 x 4288 30, 25, 24 1.0 4:2:0 – 5.8K 5760 x 4030 30, 25, 24 1.0 422/HQ 30, 25, 24 1.31 – RAW/HQ 60, 50, 48 1.04 4:2:0 – DCI 4K 4096 x 2160 30, 25, 24 1.0 4:2:2 422/HQ 60, 50 1.04 60, 50, 30, 25, 24 1.52 120, 100 1.10 4:2:2 – 16:9 Modes 8.0K 7680 x 4320 30, 25, 24 1.0 4:2:0 – 5.9K 5888 x 3312 30, 25, 24 1.0 – 60, 50, 48 1.11 – UHD 4K 3840 x 2160 30, 25, 24 1.0 4:2:2 422/HQ 60, 50 1.11 60, 50, 30, 25, 24 1.52 120, 100 1.17 4:2:2 – 3:2 Modes 6.2K open gate* 6432 x 4228 30, 25, 24 1.0 4:2:0 – 4:3 Modes 4.7K 4736 x 3552 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24 1.65 4:2:0 422/HQ** - Boxes marked green off All-I compression options.
- Red boxes have a ProRes option.
* 8.1K and 7.1K open gate capture promised in future firmware
** ProRes 422/HQ only available up to 30p

The S1RII can also shoot Full HD (1920 x 1080) footage at any of the frame-rates and crops offered in UHD 4K mode, with the additional ability to capture 120 and 100p footage from the APS-C region.

Dynamic Range Expansion

The S1RII gains a DR Expansion mode, letting you capture an additional stop of highlight information in high-contrast situations. This can be activated in any of the movie modes at frame rates up to 30p, and can only be applied when shooting V-Log footage (where the response curve can easily accommodate different levels of DR capture).

Base ISO 2nd gain step Standard color mode ISO 80 ISO 400 Cinelike D2, V2, A2 ISO 160 ISO 800 HLG ISO 320 ISO 1600 V-Log ISO 200 ISO 1000 V-Log + DR Expansion ISO 400 ISO 2000

This is not the same system as the dual readout DR Boost function in the company's 25MP Micro Four Thirds camera. Instead it moves to a higher bit-depth readout, meaning there's a rolling shutter cost to engaging it. It also boosts the minimum available ISO, to prompt the use of a lower exposure, to capture that additional stop of highlights.

Open gate shooting

At launch the S1RII will be able to capture 6.4K footage from the entire 3:2 region of its sensor, downscaled from full-resolution capture.

Open gate shooting lets you choose and adjust your crop during post production. It also makes it possible to frame wide and then take both landscape and portrait video crops if you're trying to deliver to multiple different output platforms.

5.XK at up to 60p, 4K at up to 120p

Like the S5II models, the S1RII gives you the choice of 1.89:1 DCI 4K capture or 16:9 UHD 4K, or 5.9K or 5.8K versions taken from the same capture regions. All four are available as 10-bit footage, with 4K encoded with 4:2:2 chroma precision and the 5.XK modes in 4:2:0.

Footage up to 30p is taken from the full width of the sensor using the full capture resolution, with a slight crop in to give 60p. 4K (in both flavors) is available at up to 120p with the addition of a further slight crop. Line skipping is used to deliver these 100p and 120p modes.

DCI and UHD 4K can also be captured at up to 60p from an APS-C region of the sensor.

UHD DCI Crop Rolling shutter Crop Rolling shutter 8K, 5.xK*, 4K
30/25/24 1.00 24.9ms 1.00 22.4ms 5.xK*, 4K
50/60 1.11 15.4ms 1.04 15.3ms 4K
100/120 1.17 7.3ms 1.10 7.3ms 4K/30 DRExp* 1.00 31.7ms 1.00 29.8ms *8.1K and 5.9K modes give the same results as DCI 4K, 8.0K and 5.8K matches UHD

Tellingly the rolling shutter rate in DR Expansion mode is consistent with the rate of 14-bit stills, which suggests it's based on 14-bit capture, explaining Panasonic's claims of greater dynamic range.

In turn, the 60p output's rolling shutter is consistent with the 12-bit stills readout rate. This stongly implies that the standard 24, 25 and 30p modes, which are slower than this but quicker than 14-bit mode are taken from 13-bit capture.

In addition to the conventional MOV compressed footage, the S1RII also lets you capture various resolutions in either ProRes 422 or ProRes RAW formats, both of which can either be recorded to the camera's internal CFExpress type B card or to an external SSD. ProRes RAW (with a choice of HQ or standard compression levels) is taken from a 1.31x crop of the sensor, whereas the ProRes 422 (again HQ or Std) is derived from the full-width 8.1K capture.

Forthcoming attractions

As usual for Panasonic cameras, the company has already given some details of features that are still being worked-on for the camera, and which it has promised will come in later firmware updates.

At launch the S1RII can capture open gate video footage at 6.4K resolution, but we're told 7.1K and 8.1K (native resolution) will be enabled in a later firmware update.

Similarly, the S1RII can currently output footage at up to 8K over HDMI but will gain the option to output a Raw data stream in 8.1K or 7.2K resolutions, at a later date.

How it compares

The new, more compact S1RII arrives in a market where you can choose between the high resolution Sony a7RV or pay more for the likes of Nikon's Z8 and Canon's EOS R5 II that are both high resolution and fast. The Panasonic occupies something of a middle ground: offering some of the speed of the faster cameras (a higher peak frame rate but with more rolling shutter), but at a lower cost than Canon and Nikon's Stacked CMOS cameras.

We've opted to include the Canon EOS R5 II in this table, but the Nikon Z8 ends up looking very similar in terms of areas of strength, if you were to substitute that in. We've also chosen the DSLR-shaped a7R V from Sony, rather than the smaller, less expensive a7C R, because the larger model more closely resembles the Panasonic in terms of form factor, viewfinder quality, shutter options and screen articulation. But if size and price are your biggest concerns, the a7C R is in the running.

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII Canon EOS R5 II Sony a7R V Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R MSRP $3300 $4300 $3900 $3700 Pixel count 44MP 45MP 61MP 47MP Sensor type BSI CMOS Stacked CMOS BSI CMOS FSI CMOS Stabilization
(IBIS / Synced) 8.0 EV /
7.0 EV – /
8.5 EV 8.0EV /
– 6.0 EV /
7.0 EV Max burst rate (Mech / E-shutter) 10 fps / 40 fps 12 fps / 30fps 10 fps / 9 fps / Viewfinder res / mag 5.76M dot OLED / 0.78x 5.76M dot OLED / 0.76x 9.44M dot
OLED 0.9x 5.76x dot OLED / 0.78x Rear screen 3.2" 2.1M dot Tilt + Fully Artic. 3.2" 2.1M dot Fully Artic. 3.2" 2.1M dot Tilt + Fully Artic. 3.2" 2.1M dot two-way tilt Max video resolution

8.1K [1.89:1] / 30p
UHD 8K / 30p
Full-width 5.9K 60p

DCI 8K / 60p
UHD 8K / 60p

UHD 8K / 24p

5K [3:2] / 30p
UHD 4K / 60p

Output options MOV H.264
MOV H.265
ProRes 422
ProRes RAW

MP4 H.264
MP4 H.265
Canon Raw (/Light)

MOV H.264
MOV H.265 MOV H.265
MP4 H.264 Storage formats 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B
External SSD 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B 2x UHS-II SD / CFe A 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B / XQD Flash sync speed 1/250 sec 1/250 sec
1/160 sec 1/250 sec 1/320 sec HDR output options (Stills / Video) - / HLG video HDR PQ HEIF / HDR PQ video HLG HEIF
/ HLG video HLG Photo / HLG video USB USB-C
3.2 Gen 2
(10 Gbps) USB-C
3.2 Gen 2
(10 Gbps) USB-C
3.2 Gen 2
(10 Gbps) USB-C
3.1 Gen 1
(5 Gbps) Battery life
LCD / EVF 350 / 300 540 / 250 530 / 440 380 / 360 Dimensions 134 x 102 x 92mm 139 x 101 x 94mm 131 x 97 x 82mm 149 x 110 x 97mm Weight 795g 746g 723g 1,020g

Despite being comfortably less expensive than its immediate peers, the S1RII's specs are competitive across the board. And while its video exhibits a fair bit more rolling shutter than the Stacked-sensor Nikon and Canon models, it significantly out-performs the Sony.

The a7R V's rolling shutter rate of 38ms means it can't deliver 8K/30, whereas the Panasonic can shoot 8K 30 and do so as fast as 24ms. This is respectable but not as impressive as the ∼13 and 14ms that the EOS R5 II and Z8 provide, respectively, from their much more expensive sensors.

Much of whether it's actually competitive, for both stills and video, will come down to whether the autofocus improvements are as significant as Panasonic promises.

Body and handling

The S1RII uses a body based on the smaller S5II series, rather than the more substantial design of the first-gen S1 series cameras. This leaves it both smaller and lighter than its predecessor.

It has the internal fan from the S5II, with two small exhaust ports on either side of its viewfinder hump. This doesn't give quite 'GH series' recording reliability, but still allows the S1RII to record for extended periods.

However, while the body itself is similar in size to the S5II, it has a deeper hand grip, making it more comfortable to use with larger lenses. It maintains a row of three buttons along its top plate, immediately behind the shutter button, but omits the top plate display that the Mark 1 had.

Other losses in the move to the smaller body see the S1RII offer only a single function button between the mount and the hand grip, and the replacement of the two-position switch at the lower corner of the front panel by a large red [REC] button (whose function can be customized).

The S1RII also goes without a flash sync socket, but gains a dedicated Stills/Movie/Slow&Quick switch. Moving the exposure modes to the right of the camera allows the drive mode to be promoted to the top of the left-side dial, making room for shooting mode to occupy the switch underneath. Both mode dials have toggle lock buttons.

The removal of movie mode from the exposure mode dial in turn provides room for five custom positions on the exposure dial, each of which can be customized separately for stills and video custom settings. Position 5 on the dial can be used to access custom banks 5-10, if you wish, giving you a total of up to ten photo and ten video custom setting sets. Thankfully the camera's settings can be saved to a memory card and duplicated across cameras.

Rear screen

On the back of the camera, Panasonic has adopted a similar screen layout to the one Panasonic used on its explicitly video-focused S1H: a fully articulated rear screen mounted on a cradle that tilts up and down. This means that stills shooters can use the tilt mechanism if they want to keep the screen on-axis (and can flip the screen to face inwards for protection, when stowing the camera), but video shooters can extend the screen out and tilt it away from the mic, headphone and HDMI sockets while shooting.

Battery

The S1RII uses the same 15.8Wh DMW-BLK22 battery as the S5II, a significant reduction compared with the original S1R. Despite this, it achieves a CIPA battery rating of 350 shots per charge if you use the rear screen and 300 via the viewfinder. The usual caveats apply to this number: most people get many, many more shots out of a camera than the CIPA rating (between two and three times the rated figure isn't unusual). To put it in context, 350 is a respectable figure and shouldn't leave you caught out during a busy day's shooting, but it doesn't have the confidence-inspiring duration that Sony's a7R V offers.

A new DMW-BG2 battery grip is also available to fit the S1RII. It adds a second battery in the grip, and is designed to allow hot-swapping of batteries: the external battery is used until the battery door is opened, at which point the camera switches to using the internal battery until a new battery is inserted in the grip. The grip also allows the camera to use both batteries simultaneously, for high power-consumption combinations such as capturing high bit-rate video to an external SSD.

Image Quality

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

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The results are pretty positive. In terms of detail capture, the S1RII performs as we'd expect, capturing less detail than the 61MP Sony a7R V but with no meaningful difference vs the likes of the Canon EOS R5 II, Nikon Z8 or its own predecessor.

There's a fair bit of moiré visible in various places suggesting there's no anti-aliasing filter. But it's not significantly more pronounced than in most of its rivals, suggesting we were just unlucky that we got to see some artefacts in one of our real-world shooting. If anything, looking around various high-frequency targets in the scene, Panasonic's JPEG engine seems to be doing a pretty good job of suppressing the effects of moiré.

In terms of color rendition the Panasonic looks a lot like its immediate peers, with no significant differences in most colors, compared with its peers. The light skin tone patch is perhaps a fraction more pink than Canon's rendering, but there aren't any nasty surprises: something backed up by our experiences of shooting with the camera.

Noise levels seem competitive at low to moderately-high ISO settings but it looks like noise reduction is being applied to the Raws at the higher ISO settings, with distinct blurring of the noise patterns. JPEG noise reduction strikes a pretty good balance between noise suppression and detail retention, but gets a bit overwhelmed at the highest settings.

Dynamic range

The S1RII's sensor is a modern design with dual conversion gain; it has Panasonic's 'Dual Native ISO' function that lets you decide exactly where the switch in modes happens, but at default settings, it's at ISO 400 that the switch happens. Sure enough, if you brighten an ISO 320 image, you'll see it has slightly more noise than images shot at ISOs above that point, with the same exposure.

The further you venture into the ISOs from that low gain mode, the more noisy you'll find the very deep shadows (this is exactly the read noise that using the higher gain step minimizes). So the widest possible dynamic range is encountered at ISO 80, but if you're tempted to underexpose in low light, to protect highlights, you shouldn't venture below ISO 400.

The S1RII has a lower base ISO than its predecessor, so you can't make a direct comparison (the new camera receives 1/3EV more light), but even with that slight discrepancy, it's results seem comparable. It's a competitive result, even compared with the best of its peers.

High res multi-shot

Shot using hand-held multi-shot mode.

Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 | 26mm | F8 | 1/250 sec | ISO 80
Photo: Richard Butler

While we generally haven't found high-resolution multi-shot modes to be particularly useful, they can help you capture a bit more detail in the right circumstances. The S1RII has one of the best implementations of the feature, too, with both tripod and handheld modes and the option to compensate if your subject moves a bit at the cost of resolution in that area. Perhaps most importantly, the processing happens in-camera; you don't have to manually combine the shots later on in desktop software.

It's pretty apparent that the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII is built around the IMX366 sensor from Sony Semiconductor. So we see a sensor with dual conversion gain giving lots of dynamic range at base ISO and well-controlled noise once you move to the second gain mode. Its BSI design means its high image quality should be maintained right to the corners of the image, as it means the pixels can reliably receive light from more acute angles than on older FSI sensors.

Autofocus Autofocus operation

The Panasonic S1RII features a revised version of the phase-detection AF system introduced with the S5II cameras. It can detect and track more subjects than the S5II supported at launch, and Panasonic promises it's both quicker to find focus and more tenacious in terms of tracking.

The S1RII's button layout puts all your autofocus controls close at hand.

The interface will be familiar to anyone who's used a Panasonic in the past ten-or-so years: pressing the AF Area button on the back of the camera brings up a row of seven icons representing the different AF areas the camera offers. Pressing upwards on the four-way controller or joystick then lets you choose whether the camera should look for a recognized subject near your chosen AF area. Pressing the 'DISP' button lets you select which subjects the camera looks for.

The S1RII's autofocus menu gives you a lot of options from a single screen.

There's a twist, though: the S1RII can either be set to use its focus tracking system or it can be set to track a recognized subject but, unlike most modern cameras, these are separate functions. The upshot is that if you want to focus on a non-recognized subject for one shot, or the camera fails to find the subject it's supposed to recognize, you'll need to disengage the subject tracking: the S1RII will not fall back to its generic tracking system.

This is disappointing as the S5II has now gained the ability to detect all the same subjects as the S1RII, but its subject recognition is built on top of the generic tracking system, so the camera will fall back to tracking AF, making it more flexible.

AF interface

The interface generally does a good job of managing multiple subjects without overwhelming you with information. In most AF area modes, it'll only draw a box over the recognized subject nearest your selected area. If you move the point over another subject in the scene, it'll instantly snap the box to that subject instead. It's responsive enough that it doesn't feel like you're missing out by not having all the recognized subjects highlighted.

When the S1RII finds faces, it can do a good job of sticking with them. In this scenario, it was able to track someone who started out walking straight-on towards the camera but who ended up at an angle to it without losing track of them or jumping to the person next to them.

Lumix S Pro 24-70 F2.8 | 35mm | F4 | 1/200 | ISO 80
Photo: Mitchell Clark

If you prefer, you can use the 'full area' tracking mode. In this mode, the camera highlights all the recognized subjects, letting you select which one you want to focus on using the joystick or touchscreen. The boxes do jiggle quite a bit, though, and can sometimes flicker on and off, which isn't the most confidence-inspiring user experience and means a tap of the joystick doesn't always select the subject you wanted.

Autofocus performance

Our experiences with the S1RII were distinctly mixed: when the AF system works, it can be very good, but overall, we found it to be appreciably less reliable than we've come to expect from the likes of Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras.

We found the camera's AF Custom Setting Set 3 mode was better at tracking the subject than the defaults, which frequently lost track of it if it changed speed as it approached the camera. The custom setting, which is designed to handle unpredictably moving subjects, increased success in following the subject around, but the camera usually still struggled to keep it in focus as it changed speeds.

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Standard tracking, AF Custom Setting Set 3

The subject recognition mode is more successful at tracking the subject and keeping it in focus; using AF Custom Setting Set 3 upped this dependability further. While the camera couldn't respond quickly enough to the subject's approach-rate changing to get every shot in focus, unlike the generic tracking it recovered quickly enough to give a good hit rate.

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Subject recognition mode, AF Custom Setting Set 3

Testing the camera in a variety of settings suggests the S1RII's AF performance varies much more with adjustment of the AF Custom Settings than we've become used to with other brands. Generally, we consider Set 3 to be a good starting point.

Perhaps the most concerning behavior, though, was one we've seen in other recent Panasonic cameras, where very occasionally, tracking AF will fail to find something to focus on at all and will simply present a red flashing box and make no further attempt to focus. This is offputting enough to undermine our faith in the reliability of the camera, probably out of proportion to how often it occurs. Just knowing that the camera will sometimes fail to focus and make you wait a few moments is an unpleasant thought to have lingering in the back of your mind and not something we're used to encountering on a modern camera.

Conclusion

By Mitchell Clark

What we like What we don't

• Excellent image quality
• Solid and highly customizable controls
• Comfortable ergonomics
• Large, responsive viewfinder
• Versatile display with tilting and articulation
• Competitive burst rates and pre-burst options
• In-camera multi-shot provides resolution boost for static subjects
• Solid L-mount lens ecosystem
• Relatively extensive suite of video features, codecs, and resolutions
• Fan allows dependable video recording for extended periods

• Relatively short battery life
• Autofocus tracking still isn't as reliable as its rivals
• Subject detection doesn't fall back to standard tracking autofocus
• Higher rolling shutter rates than Stacked-sensor cameras
• Relatively small buffer given fast burst rates
• In rare instances the AF will fail to focus altogether

The S1RII is very much a hybrid camera and we'll be looking into its video handling and performance at a future date. But for now we're going to assess the stills side of the camera.

Image quality is, as you should expect from a modern camera, very good. The out-of-camera JPEGs are attractive, and the Raws seem to be both detailed and flexible when you process them. The S1RII gains Panasonic's LUT options, giving you essentially endless customization options if you want to develop your own 'look.' And, while we tend to find multi-shot high res modes quite limited in their value, the S1RII has probably the most usable implementation.

A 177MP image, produced using the hand-held multi-shot mode.

Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 | 21mm | F8 | 1/500 sec | ISO 80
Photo: Richard Butler

We were also impressed by the S1RII's body and handling. It has a more comfortable grip and retains a good level of direct control and customization without these control points getting too cramped, despite a move away from the large 'professional' style body of its predecessor. It's only really button backlighting that goes missing in the transition, but the updated tilting/articulating screen more than makes up for that, in our opinion.

Our biggest concern with the camera is its autofocus system. While AF tracking is an improvement from previous Panasonic cameras, its performance is still well behind that of its competitors. That's combined with Panasonic's unusual decision to separate general tracking from subject recognition, which makes the camera slower and less dependable to use. The battery life also isn't great, considering its pro-level aspirations, though that can be mitigated with Panasonic's battery grip, which supports hot-swapping.

If the S1RII was everything Panasonic promised it would be, this would be a very different conclusion, especially given just how much cheaper it is than its high-res peers. But while it's a very capable camera, especially for video, the autofocus system and performance make a compelling argument to spend the bit more for one of its competitors if your shooting includes action and movement. While it may be possible to fix some of those issues with firmware updates, at the moment we don't feel the S1RII stands out enough to get one of our awards.

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RIICategory: Semi-professional Full Frame CameraBuild qualityErgonomics & handlingFeaturesMetering & focus accuracyImage quality (raw)Image quality (jpeg)Low light / high ISO performanceViewfinder / screen ratingOpticsPerformanceMovie / video modeConnectivityValuePoorExcellentConclusionThe S1RII is a hybrid camera that offers solid detail capture, pleasing JPEGs and plenty of video capabilities, but its autofocus system isn't the best for capturing action and movement.Good forHigh quality movie and stills shooting without stacked sensor priceNot so good forShooting action when absolute dependability is required91%Overall scoreRegularScoreCompareWidget({"mainElementId":"scoringWidget","mainProduct":"panasonic_dcs1rii","scoringSchema":{"id":"SLRs","variables":[{"id":"BuildQuality"},{"id":"ErgonomicsAndHandling"},{"id":"Features"},{"id":"MeteringAndFocusAccuracy"},{"id":"QualityRaw"},{"id":"QualityJpeg"},{"id":"LowLightHighISO"},{"id":"ViewfinderScreenRating"},{"id":"Optics"},{"id":"Performance"},{"id":"Movie"},{"id":"Connectivity"},{"id":"Value"}],"categories":[{"id":"EntryLevel","label":"Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Entry Level"},{"id":"MidRange","label":"Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Mid Level"},{"id":"EntryLevelFullFrame","label":"Entry Level Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Full Frame"},{"id":"MidRangeFullFrame","label":"Mid Range Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Mid Range Full Frame"},{"id":"SemiProfessional","label":"Semi-professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Semi-professional"},{"id":"SemiProfessionalFullFrame","label":"Semi-professional Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Semi-professional Full Frame"},{"id":"Professional","label":" Professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Professional"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEntry","label":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEnthusiast","label":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"VideoCamera","label":"Video Camera","shortLabel":"Video Camera"}]},"helpText":"Choose one or more cameras from the drop-down menu, then roll your mouse over the names to see how their scores compare to the camera on review."}) Compared to its peers

The Canon EOS R5 II and the Nikon Z8 are the S1RII's main competitors. They offer similar image quality and hybrid capabilities, though they don't have the excellent tilting/articulating rear display and can't deliver multi-shot high-res images out-of-camera. Both, however, have better battery life, deeper buffers and lower rolling shutter rates for shooting video or stills using the electronic shutter. We also find their autofocus tracking performance to be more capable and user-friendly, as they both fall back to their still quite reliable generic tracking systems when there's no subject to detect. You'll certainly pay for the extra speed and reliability, but it's probably worth it.

Sony's a7R V also has a very capable autofocus system, though it trades speed for even higher resolution. If you're looking to do video or shoot faster-moving subjects, the S1RII is a much better pick, as the a7R V reads out quite slowly. However, it produces even more detailed photos, which may be useful depending on what you're shooting.

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