Produkt nyheder

The 7 Best compact zoom cameras in 2025

Nyt fra dpreview - 29 maj 2025 - 15:56

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Updated May 29, 2025

It's sad to say, but the golden age of compact cameras is pretty much over, thanks to the rise of smartphone cameras that are, in many cases, good enough for most people. Manufacturers seem to realize this, too; the major players have only released a small handful of compact zooms in the past few years, and most were very minor updates on old designs. The ones that remain can be difficult to find in stock, even when the companies that make them promise they're still a part of their lineups.

However, that doesn't mean the category is completely dead. Even today, there are several types of compact cameras, and some have capabilities that pretty much no phone can match. This list calls out the few that are still available and looks at what they're good for – because there are still cases where a compact camera is a great option.

Our recommendations:

Enthusiast camera

Waterproof cameras
- Best waterproof compact: OM System Tough TG-7

Long zoom camera
- Best long-zoom camera: Sony RX10 IV
- Best ultra-zoom camera: Nikon Coolpix P1100

Vlogging cameras
- Best vlogging compact Sony ZV-1 Mark II

Enthusiast compacts

The final niche in which it's difficult for a smartphone to compete is for enthusiast photography. No matter how good smartphone image quality gets, it's difficult for a phone to provide the feeling of connection to the process of taking photos that an enthusiast compact with lots of direct controls can offer.

We've picked cameras with large sensors that deliver good image quality, zoom lenses and direct controls. Some have built-in electronic viewfinders for shooting when it's bright outside, again giving a more pleasant experience than a smartphone.

Best enthusiast compact: Canon PowerShot G7 X III

20MP Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor | 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens | 4K/30p video capture

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.com Buy at B&H Photo Buy at MPB What we like:

Nice grip and well-placed controls
4K/30p recording with live streaming to YouTube
Fast burst shooting

What we don't:

Lens is soft at wide-angle
Limited battery life
Contrast-detect only autofocus

The Canon PowerShot G7 X III is an enthusiast compact built around a 20MP Type-1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm) Stacked CMOS sensor with a bright 24-100mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 zoom.

The large sensor, and zoom that covers a really useful range help set it apart from a smartphone but it's clicking control dial around the lens and the dedicated exposure compensation dial that really help you feel you're in the driving seat of the photo-taking process that makes us enjoy it so much.

This camera is frequently out of stock, but Canon has told investors it was ramping up production of its compacts, citing the popularity of the G7 X III, and has assured us it's still in production.

"If you're after a pocketable high-quality compact, the Canon G7 X Mark III is well worth a look" Though it's jacket-pocketable, the G7 X Mark III has a decent-sized grip and feels secure in the hand. The 'clicky' control rings around the lens and on the rear of the camera give good control over aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and the exposure compensation dial on the top plate is a nice touch. The touchscreen interface on its tilting 3" LCD is polished and responsive. Overall, we're impressed by the upgrades on this model. The Mark III brings improved video and continuous shooting performance while maintaining excellent controls and a competitive price point. If you do a lot of wide-angle shooting, there are options with better lenses, but if you're after a pocketable high-quality compact, the Canon G7 X Mark III is well worth a look.

Read our Canon Powershot G7X III review

See the Canon Powershot G7X III studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. What about the PowerShot V1?

Canon recently released the PowerShot V1, which may tempt photographers hungry for a new compact thanks to its large Type 1.4 (18.4 x 12.3mm) sensor. However, it's clearly designed for vlogging; its cooling fan makes it relatively thick, which, paired with its shallow grip, makes it a bit hard to handle. Its controls – especially the free-rotating lens dial – also aren't optimized for stills, and it lacks the G7 X III's dedicated exposure compensation dial. For photography, we'd recommend sticking with Canon's older compact if you can find one, though we're still evaluating the PowerShot V1's vlogging capabilities.

Best do-it-all compact: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII

20MP Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor | 24-200mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 lens | Hybrid AF system

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.com Buy at B&H Photo Buy at MPB What we like:

Industry-leading autofocus
Excellent image quality
Oversampled 4K video

What we don't:

User interface can be overwhelming
Low light performance limited by slow lens
Slippery grip
Expensive

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII is built around a 20MP Stacked CMOS sensor and a long, flexible 24-200mm equivalent lens. It's not as bright at the long end as the zooms on the now-discontinued Mark VA or the Canon G7 X III, but it provides a lot more reach, still in a compact package.

Like the Canon, the RX100 VII can be difficult to find, but Sony tells us it's still making it. It also uses micro USB to charge instead of the near-ubiquitous and, in the EU, legally-mandated USB-C. US buyers should also be conscious of price; the camera launched at $1200, but when it's available, it now seems to be selling for around $1700, though Sony hasn't said if this is the result of tariffs or other factors.

"The RX100 VII is the most capable pocketable camera ever made" The RX100 VII has a limited number of direct controls, but offers extensive customization for making the most of them. A touchscreen can be used for choosing a focus point or initiating AF tracking in video. The camera also includes the single-press pop-up viewfinder we liked so much on its predecessor. The RX100 VII is easily the most-capable compact camera on the market thanks to its great image and video quality, fast shooting, versatile lens and a highly-capable, easy-to-use AF system, though all of that comes with a high price tag.

Read our Sony RX100 VII review

See the Sony DSC-RX100 VII studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Best interface: Leica D-Lux 8

17MP crop of Four Thirds sensor | 24-75mm equiv F1.7-2.8 | 4K video

Photo: Richard Butler

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama Buy at B&H Photo Buy at Leica What we like:

Photo-focused interface
Large sensor
Bright lens

What we don't:

Zoom is laggy and slow
Lens not always sharpest

The Leica D-Lux 8 is an enthusiast compact with one of the largest sensors with a fixed zoom lens.

The D-Lux 8 combines an enjoyable shooting experience with a large sensor and bright lens. It's expensive, for sure – a situation made even worse for US buyers thanks to tariffs – but it is one of the few enthusiast compacts to receive a refresh in recent years, so we felt we should include it.

"The D-Lux 8 is a lovely camera to shoot with and offers a lot of image quality in a compact package" The D-Lux 8 has an elegant and photo-focused interface, with dedicated dials for shutter speed and aperture, and a couple of buttons that are easy to customize. It's engaging and enjoyable to shoot with. The D-Lux 8 is a lovely camera to shoot with and offers a lot of image quality in a compact package. But, for us, its image quality doesn't live up to its promise, or its price tag.

Read our Leica D-Lux 8 review

See the Leica D-Lux 8 studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Waterproof cameras

Waterproof cameras are another specialty that smartphones can't necessarily displace. Many flagship phones are waterproof to a decent degree but you shouldn't try to submerge them to any appreciable depth. Waterproof cameras also tend to be pretty rugged, designed to withstand a lot more mistreatment than a phone will withstand, meaning you can carry them with you at all times, without ever having to worry about it. Great for bikers, climbers and custodians of small, inquisitive but not necessarily careful children.

Best waterproof camera: OM System Tough TG-7

25-100mm equiv. F2.0-4.9 lens | 12MP Type 1/2.3 sensor | Waterproof to 15m (50ft)

Buy now:

$550 at B&H $550 at Adorama $532 at Amazon What we like:

Bright, wideangle lens
Built-in GPS, compass and manometer
Raw image capture allowing creating edits
Range of accessories

What we don't:

12MP is fairly low
Lens isn't very bright at long end
Limited battery life
Relatively expensive

The OM System Tough TG-7 is a rugged, waterproof compact with a 25-100mm equivalent zoom lens. It is fully waterproof down to a depth of 15m (50 ft).

The OM System isn't the only rugged waterproof still on the market, nor the cheapest, but it has several major factors in its favor. The first is that it lets you shoot Raw images, which gives you the ability to correct the white balance, which even the best cameras tend to get wrong when shooting underwater. Another factor is that there is a range of accessories for the TG-7, including a light guide that directs light from the built-in flash into a circle around the lens, letting you illuminate close-up objects.

"The TG-7 is relatively expensive but packs in a host of useful features that help it stand out"

Beyond this there are a few details that different users may find handy: it has an unusually wide-angle lens with a bright maximum aperture, helping the performance underwater and in low light. It also has a built-in GPS, compass and pressure sensor that lets you log your adventures. These all add up to a camera that's worth the added expense, we feel.

Read our hands-on with the OM System TG-7 article

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Long zoom cameras

Perhaps the greatest weakness of smartphones is their lack of zoom capabilities. Many of the best phones have a camera with a slightly longer focal length and then try to crop into their images and use AI algorithms to try to approximate the fine detail to give the impression of zooming, but this has its limits.

Dedicated cameras aren't constrained by the need to slip into your pocket, which can afford them the space to have an optical zoom lens to gain you more reach than your smartphone can deliver. There can be a trade-off: the small sensors required to put lots of zoom in a relatively small camera will be outshone by the computational cleverness that smartphones bring to bear on their images. But superzoom cameras can gain you the kind of reach that no current smartphone can get near.

Best long-zoom camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

20MP Type 1 Stacked CMOS sensor | 24-600mm equiv. F2.4-4 lens | 4K video

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.com Buy at B&H Photo Buy at MPB What we like:

Long, very sharp lens
Very good image quality
Impressive subject tracking
Excellent video quality and features

What we don't:

Very expensive
Large and heavy
Some camera features locked while buffer clears

The Sony RX10 IV is a superzoom cameras with a large Type-1 (13.2 x 8.8mm) Stacked CMOS sensor and a 24-600mm equivalent F2.8-4.0 zoom lens. The large sensor gives it image quality up there with the best smartphones while the lens delivers a 24x zoom that smartphones can't come close to matching.

The RX10 IV has been on the market for a while, so its autofocus isn't as good as Sony's newer cameras, but its fast Stacked CMOS sensor and excellent face detection system means it'll track action very well. This combines with its ability to shoot at 24 frames per second to stretch its capabilities even further beyond those of a smartphone.

Like Sony's other compacts, availability is a big issue; it's only occasionally in stock at some stores, so getting one may require some patience.

The RX10 IV offers a reasonable degree of direct control and customization, including a dedicated aperture ring, exposure comp dial and controls that can be kept silent for video shooting. It has a hefty, weather-sealed body along with a tilting touchscreen display and high-res OLED viewfinder. "The RX10 IV offers a high level of competence across an impressively broad range of shooting situations" The F2.4-4.0 lens means you can get a decent amount of light to the sensor at any focal length, which helps get the most out of the camera's Type 1 (13.2x 8.8mm) sensor. The JPEGs' color isn't our favorite but the sophisticated sharpening and noise reduction mean they remain detailed even in fairly low light. The camera's oversampled 4K is some of the most detailed available and exhibits little in the way of rolling shutter. Mic and headphone sockets, along with a selection of tools to help judge exposure make the RX10 IV a very flexible all-in-one package. The RX10 IV is an expensive camera but it's also unique in its combination of zoom range, image quality, autofocus and excellent video with a lot of detail. It's not the best possible solution to any one question but it offers a high level of competence across an impressively broad range of shooting situations.

Read our Sony RX10 IV review

See the Sony DSC-RX10 IV studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Best ultra-zoom camera: Nikon Coolpix P1100

16MP 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor | 24-3000mm equiv. F2.8-8 lens | 4K video capture

Photo: Barney Britton

Buy now:

$1097 at Adorama $1097 at B&H Photo What we like:

Focal range cannot be matched by any camera
Respectable image quality, given camera's purpose
Raw support
Well-built, with logical control layout

What we don't:

Large and unbalanced when zoom is extended
Lens is slow at long end, reducing sharpness
No touchscreen
Poor battery life

The Nikon Coolpix P1100 is a very slightly refreshed version of the P1000, with the biggest difference being the adoption of a USB connector. Its Type 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55mm) sensor will be out-performed by a good smartphone's clever merging of multiple images but the Nikon's gargantuan 24-3000mm equiv. lens is its selling point.

The small sensor means image quality isn't the camera's strength, but its frankly ludicrous zoom reach means it can photograph distant subjects in a way no other device (smartphone or dedicated camera) can.

The P1100 is a large camera that weighs a substantial 1.4kg (3.2lbs). We found it can be difficult to compose a photo at 3000mm equiv since the stabilization can't fully correct hand movement. A 'snapback' function quickly zooms out so you can locate your subject. The P1100's fully articulating LCD, is not touch-enabled. Connectivity to smartphones works well. "When it comes to zoom power, there's no camera that comes close to Nikon's Coolpix P1100" The P1100's image quality depends greatly on the focal length. Photos are generally on par with other small-sensored cameras, with pleasant colors and a bit too much noise reduction. It offers Raw, though, so you can choose your noise/detail balance and modestly brighten shadows. Heat haze, coupled with the lens's slow maximum aperture limit image quality at the longest focal lengths. The P1100 has very good video quality for a camera with point-and-shoot roots. It can capture 4K video at 30p (with no crop) as well as 1080/60p and time-lapse/super-lapse clips. There's a manual exposure mode, a zoom microphone and a socket for addition an external mic. Electronic Vibration Reduction is available at 1080p and below. When it comes to zoom power, nothing comes close to Nikon's Coolpix P1100. Whether it's taking a portrait from 2 blocks away or getting up close and personal with a bird in the distance, this lens can do it. That said, while other cameras can't match that lens, many will offer better image and video quality for the same money, especially those with larger sensors.

Read our review of the existing P1000 model

See the Nikon Coolpix P1000 studio scene

Vlogging cameras

Smartphones are great for vlogging, but a dedicated vlogging camera can shoot better quality video, have more sophisticated microphones (and provide options for connecting better mics), and can autofocus very reliably, dependably delivering YouTube-ready footage.

Best vlogging camera: Sony ZV-1 Mark II

20MP Stacked CMOS sensor | 24fps burst shooting | 4K/30p, 1080/120p video

Photo: Shaminder Dulai

Buy now:

$898 at B&H $898 at Adorama $898 at Amazon What we like:

Low rolling shutter
3-way mic array
Touchscreen interface for vlogging

What we don't:

Limited body buttons/dials
No stabilization for stills
8-bit color not ideal for grading

The Sony ZV-1 Mark II is one of three ZV-1 models and is by far the best. Its wide-angle 18-50mm equivalent F2.8-4.0 lens is ideally suited to self-shot video. Its excellent autofocus includes options such as 'Product Showcase' that focuses on the presenter unless an object is held up to the camera.

"A vlogging beast for smartphone users wanting to upgrade to a dedicated device for more control over exposures, file workflow, sound and optical zoom without a large learning curve" The ZV-1 Mark II is primarily touchscreen-controlled to allow control while vlogging or shooting selfies. It's lightweight and easy to hold but has limited control points if you want to take more manual control. The ZV-1 Mark II is a big improvement on the original thanks to a more selfie-video-friendly zoom range. Video footage and autofocus are both very good. It is a camera that thrives in auto modes, making it best suited for users seeking a simple-to-use camera.

Read our Sony ZV-1 Mark II Review

See the Sony ZV-1 Mark II studio scene

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Why you should trust us

This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview's editorial team. We don't select a camera until we've used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.

Kategorier: Produkt nyheder

Using the Camp Snap camera

Nyt fra dpreview - 28 maj 2025 - 16:00

Photo: Dale Baskin

With summer approaching, many kids will soon head off to summer camp, toting duffel bags filled with sunscreen, bug spray, and, often, a camera to capture their memories. The Camp Snap ($70) is a point-and-shoot camera designed specifically for this purpose. It’s super simple – no LCD screen, no complex settings – and its price means it won’t be a disaster if it ends up at the bottom of a lake or covered in s'mores.

Crucially, its screen-free design helps address a common challenge: many camps restrict or ban smartphones and regular digital cameras, aiming for an immersive, screen-free experience for campers.

Key features

8 Megapixel resolution (4.6 x 3.2mm sensor)
35mm (equivalent) F1.8 lens
LED flash
4 GB microSD card included
USB-C port
Internal battery

Buy now:

Buy at Camp Snap The case for a dedicated summer camp camera

Summer camp can be one of the most magical experiences kids can have. I admit I might be biased; not only did I attend camp in my youth, but I also ran a summer camp for several years when I was a bit older. I won’t lie – it was probably the best job I ever had.

"Its screen-free design helps address a common challenge: many camps restrict or ban smartphones and regular digital cameras."

One of the best things about camp is it provides an opportunity to immerse kids in an experience different from their normal lives, focusing on new activities and the environment. Fortunately for me, I ran a camp before smartphones were everywhere. If kids brought cameras, they were film cameras, and they had to wait until they got home to see the photos.

Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/750 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin

Today’s camp directors face a very different challenge. To ensure kids get that immersive experience, many camps restrict or prohibit smartphones or regular digital cameras. Constant digital interaction is a distraction, and many camps insist on a screen-free experience. That’s where the Camp Snap comes in. It lets kids capture memories without a screen, complying with camp rules.

In use

The Camp Snap camera is super easy to use because there’s very little to control – perfect for most kids. In fact, it's a lot like using a disposable film camera. There's only one button, the shutter button, and there’s an optical tunnel-type viewfinder. A tiny LCD on the back displays the shot count.

The Camp Snap camera has only two physical controls: the shutter button on top (which doubles as an on/off switch) and a switch for the flash setting (on, off or auto).

Photo: Dale Baskin

The only other physical control is for the LED flash, which can be switched to on, off, or auto. This simplicity ensures kids won’t come home with unviewable photos because a setting was accidentally changed.

It ships with a 4GB microSD card, which Camp Snap says should hold about 2,000 photos. Based on my usage, it's probably closer to 1,500, but that's probably ample for a week at camp, and you have the option to put in a larger card if needed.

"The Camp Snap camera is super easy to use because there’s very little to control – perfect for most kids."

Notably, the microSD card slot is hidden behind a panel that requires a small Phillips screwdriver to remove. This prevents kids from casually removing the card and, more importantly, losing it. Trust me, kids are really good at losing things at summer camp.

The manual flash control is a pleasant surprise, though I suspect most kids will either leave it off or set it to auto. The flash is an LED type, similar to a smartphone, which can result in that same washed-out look.

The microSD card is located on the bottom of the camera behind a screw-in panel that discourages kids from trying to remove the card. The USB-C port can be used for charging or to plug the camera into a computer for direct file transfer.

Photo: Dale Baskin

There's a slight delay between clicking the shutter and taking a photo. It's not as fast as a DSLR, but it's more responsive than many compact cameras I've used. The shutter button also doubles as an on/off switch. You press and hold it for about three seconds to turn the camera on, at which point the shutter button glows green. A flashing red light indicates a low battery. (I only ran into this once during testing.) Holding the shutter button down for another three seconds turns the camera off.

There's one small quirk to the on/off process. When pressing the shutter button to turn off the camera, the camera emits the shutter click sound, followed by another sound about three seconds later when it powers down. Initially, I thought I was taking an extra photo every time I turned off the camera. That turned out not to be the case, but it was confusing.

Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/160 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin

In my opinion, the 35mm equivalent lens is a good choice. It’s wide enough for activities like boating or building a monkey bridge, but not so wide that friends look distorted in group shots. The optical viewfinder doesn’t provide 100% coverage, meaning photos should have a bit of extra room around the edges, which can be helpful for cropping. Unfortunately, the viewfinder itself is tiny and exhibits distortion. It's functional, but not great.

The camera can capture photos using several preset filters, including Standard, B&W, Vintage, KodaClone and 101Clone. Only one filter can be loaded into the camera at a time. Interestingly, it ships with the 'Vintage' filter installed by default, something I didn’t realize until I was well into testing. Camp Snap claims the battery should last for about 500 photos, and it recharges via the USB-C port; I never ran out of power when testing it.

Image quality

Let’s set appropriate expectations: the Camp Snap aims to survive summer camp and provide a screen-free experience, not win image quality awards. Photos are OK, but the camera's sensor is smaller than the ones found on the main cameras of most smartphones and half the size of those in most older compact models, and it will perform accordingly.

Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/100 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin

In short, if you have a modern Android phone or iPhone, don't expect the same level of image quality, particularly since the Camp Snap doesn't benefit from the sort of computational wizardry those devices employ. However, the photos should be good enough to capture those core camp memories.

The camera uses a fixed-focus lens design, so there's no autofocus system to worry about. In even light, the metering does a pretty good job, but it struggles with strongly back-lit scenes. White balance is generally on target, though some of my photos exhibited a slightly green color cast.

The most visible artifacts you're likely to observe are clipped highlights on bright objects or skies, and if you zoom in, you’ll probably see compression artifacts.

This photo illustrates the types of artifacts you're likely to see in some photos from the Camp Snap camera. Look closely at the sky: you'll see banding in the blue areas and places where the color is clipped, making the sky appear cyan and white.

Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/640 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin

As mentioned, this camera isn't going to win awards for image quality. Does it matter? When I look back at the grainy, often over- or under-exposed photos 12-year-old me took at summer camp with a film camera, I don’t worry much about the quality because those photos captured important memories. I think the same applies here, particularly if the alternative is having no camera at all due to technology restrictions.

"This camera isn't going to win awards for image quality. Does it matter?"

One minor annoyance: most of the photos I shot are tilted slightly to the right, suggesting the sensor may not be perfectly aligned with the camera. However, considering how many of the photos I shot as a 12-year-old were off-kilter anyway, I'm not sure this is a showstopper.

Should you buy it?

If your child is headed to summer camp and you need to navigate a screen ban – whether it’s a camp policy or your own rule – the Camp Snap is worth considering. In my opinion, it's best suited to younger kids. Older kids (13 and up) might find it a bit simplistic. Just set your expectations appropriately; a modern smartphone will take better photos, but those may not be allowed at many camps.

It’s worth considering other screen-free options, too. A disposable film camera won’t violate screen bans, and if your child can change film rolls, a used point-and-shoot film camera could work. Instax or other instant cameras offer instant fun, though film costs can rise quickly. That’s one area where a digital camera like the Camp Snap, with its large capacity and one-off price, has an advantage.

Summer camp is special, creating memories that last a lifetime, and If your kid has an interest in photography, I encourage you to support that enthusiasm. Whether it’s with the Camp Snap camera or something else, camp is a great place to begin, or feed, one’s photography journey.

Buy now:

Buy at Camp Snap

Kategorier: Produkt nyheder

Canon EOS R50 V review

Nyt fra dpreview - 27 maj 2025 - 17:00

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. 84%Overall scoreJump to conclusion

Product Photos: Mitchell Clark

The Canon EOS R50 V is a small mirrorless camera designed for vloggers and consumers looking to take video. It's built around the same 24MP APS-C sensor found in the more stills-oriented EOS R50.

Key Features

24MP Dual Pixel AF CMOS sensor
Full-width 4K up to 30p, derived from 6K
4K 60P w/ 1.56x crop
Front-facing tally lamp
Dual record buttons and zoom toggle
Canon Log-3 profile, HDR PQ and HLG options
Extra 1/4-20" tripod thread for vertical shooting

The EOS R50 V is available for $649 body-only, and in a kit with the RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PZ power zoom lens for $849.

Index:

Buy now:

Buy w/ 14-30mm at Amazon.com Buy w/ 14-30mm at B&H Photo Buy w/ 14-30mm at Canon What's New Video-first design

Despite the camera's name associating it with the EOS R50, the two cameras actually have very different designs. The EOS R50 V lacks a viewfinder and built-in flash, has an almost entirely redesigned control scheme and features a headphone port, which its sibling lacked. It also adds a tally light on the front to make it obvious when you're recording, a front-facing record button, a zoom toggle switch and an additional tripod thread on the right side of the camera, which lets you easily mount it for vertical shooting.

The front grip is also substantially less pronounced than that of the standard EOS R50. While this makes it less comfortable to hold in the traditional way, depending on your hand size it may be quite a bit more comfortable to hold the camera facing yourself for when you're vlogging or taking selfies.

The mode dial also gets a redesign, with stills shooting relegated to a single space. The rest is taken up by video modes.

Stills For taking photos; exposure mode is selected using the touchscreen S&F Slow and Fast: for recording slow-motion video in-camera and timelapses Video Standard video mode with configurable settings Video C1 First custom video mode you can use to save specific settings (e.g., 60fps 4K with V-Log color and human subject detection AF) Video C2 Second custom video mode Video C3 Third custom video mode Scn Scene mode: pick from 'smooth skin movie,' 'movie for close-up demos,' and 'movie IS mode' scenes Video A+ 'Fully Automatic Recording' - adjusts camera settings based on scene conditions

Somewhat oddly, the close-up demo mode, which over-rides the camera's face detection autofocus when you hold an object up close to the camera, can't be accessed in the rest of the video modes. That also means you can't use it with your chosen exposure mode; you're stuck with letting the camera automatically pick the settings, which you can only influence by using exposure compensation.

Fujifilm X half review-in-progress

Nyt fra dpreview - 22 maj 2025 - 07:00

All product photos: Richard Butler

The Fujifilm X half is a JPEG-only compact camera with a fixed focal length and a vertically orientated sensor, designed to mimic the experience of shooting with a half-frame film camera. It prioritises fun over technical excellence.

Key features

Vertical 18MP, 8.8 x 11.7mm CMOS sensor
32mm equiv F2.8 lens
JPEG-only output
2-in-1 mode combining sequential shots into a 3:2 image
Tunnel-style optical viewfinder
Film Camera mode simulates the film camera experience
10 Film Simulations
18 Filters
Twin touchscreen interface
Date stamp option
880 shot per charge rating when using OVF
'Film advance' lever
Direct printing to Instax printers

The obvious reference point will, no doubt, be Fujifilm's own X100 series cameras, and we doubt Fujifilm will dislike the comparison, given their popularity. But, whereas the X100 cameras look a lot like miniature Leicas, the cute, boxy X half looks more like a scaled-down Rollei 35.

The X half will have a recommended price of $849 and will be available in black, charcoal or silver. There's no obvious precedent for a camera like this and the uncertainty around the cost of importing items from China into the US makes it a little hard to make sense of, but it seems like a lot for a camera that's putting more effort into being fun than functional.

Index:

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama Buy at B&H Photo What is it?

The Fujifilm X half is a fixed-lens camera built around an 8.8 x 11.3mm sensor. Those dimensions may not sound familiar but it's essentially a 4:3 crop from a 20MP 3:2 Type 1 sensor, turned on its side.

So, when Fujifilm talks in terms of half frame, it's talking about the 3:4 shooting experience you get from shooting half a frame of 135 film, not about mimicking the same capture area that would give.

It has a 10.8mm F2.8 prime lens, and that sensor's 2.94x crop factor means this gives a 32mm equivalent field of view and an F8.2-equiv maximum aperture.

Flicking the film advance lever just after you've taken a shot (or when you're reviewing an image in playback mode) lets you combine that shot with the next one you take.

Left image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | ISO 200
Right image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/1600 sec | ISO 200
Photos: Richard Butler

You can shoot individual 3:4 vertical images, swiping on the Film Simulation window on the back of the camera to change your virtual film stock. Alternatively, if you flick the film advance lever after taking a shot, you can combine your previous and next images to create a side-by-side diptych. Both individual images are saved to the memory card, in addition to the combined version.

Film Camera mode

The X half is best understood through its Film Camera mode. Engage the mode and you'll be asked how many exposures you want on your virtual film: 36, 54 or 72. If those second two numbers look unfamiliar, remember that this is styling itself as a half-frame camera, so you can fit 72 shots on a '36 exposure' film.

"Once you start shooting, you'll have to use the film advance lever after each shot: the camera won't take another photo until you do"

When in film camera mode, you lose the live view on the back of the camera and have to compose via the optical viewfinder. You also lose the ability to swipe to change Film Simulation or filter: you're using a single roll of 'film,' after all.

And, once you start shooting, you'll have to remember to use the film advance lever after each shot: the camera won't take another photo until you do.

Once you've taken all your photos, you can connect your camera to the app and transfer the photos, at which point you get to see a contact sheet and watch the images 'develop.' That contact sheet image, complete with sprocket holes, frame numbering (with the images numbered as 01, 01A, 02, 02A and so forth), can also be downloaded.

If you lose interest in a project before the end of the roll, you can double-tap the film window screen and the camera will 'rewind' the roll, leaving you with a partially-complete film strip. Fujifilm also warns that removing the memory card or the battery can result in film camera mode being abandoned.

Filters and Film Simulations

One of the X half's main selling points is likely to be Fujifilm's film simulation modes, and the camera includes ten of the most popular ones.

Provia / Standard
Velvia / Vivid
Astia / Soft
Classic Chrome
Reala ACE

Classic Neg.
Nostalgic Neg.
Eterna / Cinema
Acros (with Red, Yellow or Green filter)
Sepia

The X half also has a range of Filter modes, including Toy Camera, Vignetting, Light Leak, Halation and Expired Film. These give more extreme looks than the film simulations, but include some fun options such as giving the expired film mode a green or red tint, or the light leak mode that applies a one of a selection red/yellow bursts across each image at random, which are only visible in the final image. Filters can't be combined with Film Simulation modes.

ISO and Autofocus

The camera's base ISO is 200 and there are three pre-defined Auto ISO settings, you choice is essentially whether the camera stops at ISO 800, 3200 or 12,800.

In terms of autofocus, you have a choice of two AF area modes: a large central point or an AF area that can be moved to one of nine positions. There are eye and face detection options on top of this, and the camera will prioritize faces in your scene, regardless of the AF position.

Autofocus is somewhat laggy and distinctly slow, though, so we found the camera to be much more dependable in AF-S mode. This is not a camera for action or moving subjects, really.

Video

The X half can shoot up to 1080/24 footage at up to 50Mbps, captured in a 3:2, 1080 x 1440 format. It can also shoot 2x slowmo footage. These video clips can be combined with still images in 2-in-1 diptychs, output as 2160 x 1440px MOV files. There's a 3.5mm-to-USB-C lead in the box that lets you use an external mic with the camera, if you insist.

Body and handling

The X half is small, boxy and really rather cute: both its size and looks attract attention. It's also pretty well built. It feels like a lot of it is plastic but it's thick enough that the camera doesn't feel flimsy. It's small enough to fit in a coat pocket, despite the protruding lens.

The lens has an aperture ring around it, controllable in whole stops and with an 'A' position at one end, passing control back to the camera body. There is no other control dial on the camera, so there's no way to gain 1/3EV control of the aperture.

The camera's shutter tops out at 1/2000 sec, so in bright light you'll need to remember to stop down; especially if you're using the viewfinder, where there's nothing to indicate that your shots will be overexposed.

The lens is covered with a soft plastic lens cap. It's not the prettiest or most convenient feature, but ends up highlighting a benefit to the lens design: it doesn't change length. As such you never have to worry about stripping the gears or damaging a motor if you turn the camera on in your pocket or with the cap still attached.

The top of the camera is decidedly simple: a large exposure comp dial, that photo advance lever and an power switch, which releases the level from its stowed position. There's also a cold shoe slot in the middle of the camera. We're not really sure why.

The whimsy continues on the back, with a film-window-style rounded LCD panel that displays the currently active Film Simulation mode or Filter effect. It's a touchscreen, so you can swipe up or down to change mode (unless you're in Film Camera mode).

Next to this is the main display, a small, portrait-orientation 2.4" 640 x 480px touchscreen. In regular shooting mode this shows a live view display, just as you'd expect. Swiping your finger across the screen brings up one of four menus.

Swipe right

Swipe down

Swipe right

Swipe up

Swipe left

Swiping down gives you the choice between connecting to a smartphone and entering Film Camera mode.

Swiping right lets you select whether you're in Film Simulation or Filter mode. There are icons at the bottom of the screen to let you determine which of these modes applies to stills or video shooting. You don't select which of the simulations of filters you're using, just which mode the camera is in.

Swiping up brings up a quick menu, detailing eight of the camera's core settings:

Exposure mode (P, S, A, M)
Image size (L, M, S)
Face/Eye detection setting
Portrait enhancer

Focus mode (MF, AF-C, AF-S)
Self-timer (2s, 10s, Off, Continue)
Grain (Roughness / Size)
White balance

Finally, swiping left brings up the camera's main menu. It's a much-simplified variant of the one from other Fujifilm cameras, divided up into seven catagories: Shooting settings, Movie settings, IQ settings, AF/MF settings, Audio settings, Set up and Networking/USB settings. These catagories are navigated by swiping up and down on the film window, next to the main LCD.

The film advance lever

One of the only physical controls on the whole camera is the film advance lever. In normal camera mode its job is to engage 2-in-1 diptych mode, in Film Camera mode it acts as the film advance lever it mimics. Push the lever in towards the body in normal shooting mode and the camera will show you the last image you took, while the lever is held in. Again, we're not entirely sure why.

Battery

The X half takes the same NP-W126S battery as Fujifilm's other small cameras. It's a relatively large battery for such a small camera, making up something like 1/7th of the camera's volume. This helps power the camera to a rating of 880 shots per charge, if you use the OVF. We've not seen a figure for shooting with live view.

This is enough that you'll essentially never have to worry about charging the battery. The camera can charge over its USB-C socket, so all you need to do is remember to plug it in from time-to-time.

Initial impressions

The Fujifilm X half is, objectively, a profoundly silly camera. It is, after all, a digital camera with a film advance lever. But that's not to say it's a joke, necessarily.

Whether you think the X half is cute and fun or utterly ridiculous is likely to come down to what you think of its Film Camera mode. If you like the creative challenge and playfulness of a mode where you have to shoot a whole virtual roll's worth of images before 'developing' them on your phone, then you might well really enjoy the X half.

If you find the idea preposterous, worry about it only being able to produce JPEGs, or find yourself thinking 'it's basically half of Four Thirds, doesn't that make it 1/8th frame?' then it's fair to say this isn't the camera for you.

Even without using Film Camera mode, the ability to combine images (with a choice of dividers and widths) prompts you to think about pairs of images that will go well together.

Left image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 640
Right image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 640
Photos: Richard Butler

The X half will inevitably ride on the coat-tails of the hugely successful X100 series, but whereas that camera was beloved both by established photographers and newcomers enraptured by its stylish aesthetic and attractive color response; the X half's pull is likely to be much stronger for the latter group.

"Expecting you to crank the non-existent film forward is inherently ridiculous, but entertainingly so"

The pictures aren't great and the camera is distinctly laggy in most of the things it does. If you're coming from a modern mirrorless camera, it might be a bit of a shock. If you've been buying old compacts on eBay, you'll probably feel right at home. And it seems likely that this is the intended audience for this camera: someone who appreciates a small camera with a sense of fun.

Because yes, the Film Camera mode is fun. Expecting you to crank the non-existent film forward is inherently ridiculous, but entertainingly so. Likewise the idea of a retro-feeling compact camera that can deliver Fujifilm's Film Simulation colors is a delightful prospect, even with the X half's drawbacks.

It's hard to get a sense, from pictures, of just how small the X half is. It's not much bigger than the palm of my hand.

Our main concern is the price, though. Even after a surge of inflation that's left us all a little unsure how much our money is now worth, $849 feels like a lot for something so playfully flirting with frivolity. And, on our production camera, albeit with non-final firmware, the lagginess and autofocus speed risks taking some of that joy out of the experience.

The X half doesn't take itself too seriously, and that doesn't in itself make it a joke, but we worry its price tag risks being a punch-line that falls rather flat.

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Kategorier: Produkt nyheder

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1II preview

Nyt fra dpreview - 13 maj 2025 - 16:00

Product photos: Richard Butler

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1II is the company's second-generation, high-end 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera, now based around a Stacked CMOS sensor, and the same body introduced as the S1RII.

Key specifications

24MP partially-stacked BSI CMOS sensor
Up to 70fps shooting, including Raw
1.5 seconds pre-burst capture
96MP multi-shot mode with in-cam combination and motion correction
10-bit HLG HEIF still images
In-body stabilization rated at up to 8.0EV of correction
Open-gate 6K video up to 30p
Full-width 5.9K or 4K up to 60p
4K/120p video with slight crop
6K Raw output over HDMI
Built-in fan for extended recording
External SSD output for video
V-Log with 15-stops in DR Boost mode
Arri C-Log3 paid upgrade option
4 channel and 32-bit float audio with XLR2 adapter
Bluetooth timecode sync

The Panasonic S1II will be available from June 2025 at a recommended price of $3199. As with the launch of the original S1, this is a around $600 more than the list price of its nearest competitors from Nikon or Canon.

Index:

What's new Partially-stacked CMOS sensor

The S1II becomes the second camera we've encountered to promise a 'partially stacked' CMOS sensor. This is a conventional BSI sensor with more complex readout circuitry applied as an additional layer around the edges of the sensor. This allows faster readout than with a BSI chip with single-layer readout circuitry, but without the significantly higher manufacturing complexity and cost of a fully Stacked CMOS design.

Panasonic says the 24MP sensor it's using is 3.5x quicker to read out than the BSI chip used elsewhere in its range. It's unlikely to be a coincidence that this is the same figure Nikon gave the the improvement it saw between the Z6 II and Z6III.

The sensor allows the S1II to shoot stills at up to 70fps (10fps with mechanical shutter). Panasonic highlights that this capability, combined with pre-shot capture, is designed to help capture key moments, not to make it an out-and-out sports camera. We found it could shoot for around 3 seconds at full speed, which is going to be more than enough for most people's photography.

ISO and dual gain

The sensor's base ISO is 100, when using the camera's Standard Photo Style. Other response modes have higher base ISO ratings to encourage the use of lower exposures to capture additional highlight information. The sensor is a dual conversion gain design on which Panasonic lets you manually select which gain mode the camera is using.

Low gain mode High gain mode Standard Photo Style ISO 100 ISO 800 Cinelike A2, D2, V2 ISO 200 ISO 1600 Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) ISO 400 ISO 3200 V-Log ISO 640 ISO 5000 HLG HEIF

The S1II gains the ability to shoot 10-bit HEIF files using the HLG high-dynamic range tone curve. You can shoot with the standard color response, a mono mode or with a custom LUT applied. This allows you to shoot true HDR photos in-camera and do so while still capturing a Raw file alongside.

You can convert the HEIF to an SDR JPEG or, alternatively, you can re-process the Raw in-camera and output an adjusted version as a HEIF. This only works for Raws taken with the camera in HEIF mode, though: Raws shot alongside JPEGs can only be re-processed as SDR HEIFs or JPEGs.

This brings us another step closer to cameras being able to exploit the increasing prevalence of HDR displays. The HEIF format still isn't widely, reliably supported, and HLG files don't always live up to the promise of working equally well on SDR and HDR displays, but with Panasonic, Sony and Nikon all offering HLG HEIFs as an HDR option, it looks like the industry is approaching the adoption of a common standard.

Urban sports AF

The S1II gains a new subject recognition mode, Urban Sports recognition. This is designed for the likes of breakdancing or skateboarding, essentially: situations in which humans are making shapes that the basic human recognition mode isn't necessarily trained to recognize.

Settings backup and transfer

The S1II gains the ability to back-up its settings to an SD card. These can then be used to reset the camera to your preferred settings or to quick-configure other cameras. Panasonic says this capability will be extended to other models, with mutually-supported settings carrying over from one model to another.

Video capabilities

It shouldn't come as a surprise to find the S1II's video feature set is extensive, building on the large array of options provided by the S1RII but underpinned by a much faster-reading sensor.

We detail the options as fully as possible, later in this article, but the headlines features are:

Open gate recording
The S1II can record 6K footage from its entire 6000 x 4000 sensor at up to 30p or 5.1K footage derived from the same region at up to 60p
4K up to 120p
4K video can be captured in DCI or UHD 4K at up to 60p from the full width of the sensor or in 5.9/5.8K resolution from the same regions. Alternatively, with a small crop, the camera can capture 4K/120p
Cinemascope 120p
Another option is to shoot a very wide 'Cinemascope' style 2.4:1 region of the sensor in 4K resolution at up to 120p
Anamorphic shooting
Videographers using anamorphic lenses can capture 4.8K video from a 4:3 region the full height of the sensor at up to 60p
ProRes RAW capture
The S1II can also capture 1.89:1 ProRes RAW video from either the full sensor width at up to 30p or from a native DCI 4K region at up to 60p

Beyond this, the S1II offers highlight warnings set at two different thresholds (dual zebras), false color, the ability to specify exposure in terms of shutter angle (especially valuable on a camera that can so easily switch between frame rates), and the ability to preview corrected Log footage and record proxies.

Cinelike A2

Like the S1RII, the S1II gains the new Cinelike A2 color profile. It's essentially a midway between the low-contrast Cinelike D2 profile and the punchier, ready-to-use Cinelike V2 one. The color response is designed to be a little more like that of a major cinema camera maker.

On a similar note, Panasonic says that the ability to natively shoot Arri's Log C3 profile will be offered as an extra cost firmware upgrade to the S1II. They say this uses Arri's Log response natively, not shooting V-Log and —trying to map across to an approximation of C3.

DR Boost

The S1II has a Dynamic Range Boost mode, allowing it to capture up to 15 stops of dynamic range. We were not given details on how it's being delivered.

All we were able to establish is that it's not comparable to the GH7's DR Boost function that combines parallel readout paths, shot simultaneously (but with no option to turn the function off). Nor is it the same as the DR Expansion function on the S1RII, which changes the readout bit-depth to gain DR at the expense of more rolling shutter.

There is a significant rolling shutter impact for DR Boost on the S1II, and the available video modes top out at 30p (24p for the full-height 6K, 5.1K and 4.8K modes). Base ISO in V-Log mode increases by 2/3EV to ISO 1000, when engaged.

DR Boost Off DR Boost On 6K Open Gate /30 14.6ms — 6K Open Gate /24 14.6ms 34.1 ms UHD 4K /24 12.5 ms 30.4 ms

Panasonic promises a DR increase from "14+ stops" to "15 stops" of dynamic range if you engage DR Boost mode, but its lower speed not only makes many of the camera's video modes impossible, it also means you should only use it in situations with very little motion in the scene.

32-bit Float capability

As with other recent Panasonic cameras, the S1II is compatible with the optional DMW-XLR2 adapter, making it one of the only cameras able to capture 32-bit Float audio. This uses two different gain levels and clever data encoding to allow very quiet and very loud signals to be captured simultaeously, meaning you don't have to worry about audio levels.

AI-AWB

As well as the ability to re-process Raws as HEIFs (so long as you were shooting HEIF at the point of capture), the S1II gains a new, "AI Auto White Balance" option if you re-process a Raw file in the camera.

The mode is too processor-intensive to use as you shoot but will try to analyse the scene to give the best white balance. Panasonic also says additional processing should allow it to cope better with shots taken under mixed lighting.

How it compares

The S1II comes in at something of a premium, compared with its apparent peers. Its $3200 price tag makes it a fair bit more expensive than the likes of Nikon's Z6III, with which it shares a sensor, or the Sony a7IV and Canon EOS R6 II with which the Nikon competes.

There aren't currently many other cameras that sit between the mass-market $2500 models and the high-end, high-res options, for nearer $4000. This essentially means one of its only direct competitors is its own sibling, the S1RII, whose list price is just $100 more, giving a high speed or high-res choice of second-gen S1 cameras.

Here we're going to show it against the Nikon, the Canon and its less-expensive sister model, the S1IIE (the 'E' stands for "essentials," Panasonic tells us).

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1II Panasonic Lumix DC-S1IIE Nikon Z6III Canon EOS R6 II MSRP $3199 $2499 $2499 $2499 Pixel Count 24MP 24MP 24MP 24MP Stabilization Up to 8EV Up to 8EV Up to 8EV Up to 8EV (with lens sync) Max burst rate 10fps mech. (continuous AF)
70fps e-shutter (continuous AF)

10fps mech. (continuous AF)
30fps e-shutter (continuous AF)

14fps mech. 20fps e-shutter
60fps e-shutter JPEG only 12 fps mech.
40fps e-shutter (12-bit) Pre-burst capture Up to 1.5 sec Up to 1.5 sec Up to 1 sec JPEG-only Up to 0.5 sec in Raw Burst mode Viewfinder res / mag 5.76M dot OLED / 0.78x 5.76M dot OLED / 0.78x 5.76M dots / OLED 0.8x 3.69M dots/ OLED 0.76x Rear screen 3.2" 2.1M dot Tilt + Fully Artic. 3.2" 2.1M dot Tilt + Fully Artic. 3.2" 2.1M dot fully articulated 3.0" 1.62M-dot fully articulated Max video resolution 6K/30 (3:2)
5.9K/60p (16:9)
DCI 4K/96, 120p w/ 1.17x crop

6K/30 (3:2)
5.9K / 4K UHD 30p
6K/60 (2.4:1) 6K/60 (Raw)
5.4K 60p
UHD 4K/60, 120 w/ APS-C crop UHD 4K/60 (full width, from 6K) Rolling shutter rate (UHD 24p) 12.8ms 21.6ms 9.4ms 16.3ms Video format options H.264
H.265
ProRes
ProRes HQ
ProRes Raw

H.264
H.265
ProRes
ProRes HQ
ProRes Raw

H.264
H.265
ProRes HQ
ProRes Raw
N-Raw

H.264
H.265
Raw output over HDMI

Storage formats 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B
External SSD 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B
External SSD 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B 2x UHS-II SD HDR output (stills / video) HLG HEIF / HLG HLG HEIF / HLG HLG HEIF / HLG PQ HEIF / PQ USB USB-C
10 Gbps
UVC USB-C
10 Gbps
UVC USB-C
5Gbps USB-C
10Gbps
UVC Battery life LCD / EVF (CIPA) 360 / 320 380 / 340 360 / 390 580 / 320 Dimensions 134 x 102 x 92 mm 134 x 102 x 92 mm 139 x 102 x 74 mm 138 x 98 x 88 mm Weight 800g (28.2oz) 795g (28oz) 760g (26.8oz) 670g (23.6oz)

The Panasonic S1II is competitive on paper with all its immediate peers, even pulling ahead in terms of continuous shooting rate and its vast array of video modes. Its peers are starting to compete with the range of video support tools provided but the Panasonic still outshines them with specialist options such as full support for anamorphic shooting. The Panasonics are also the only cameras in this class to let you shoot multi-shot high-res images and have them automatically combined in camera (Raw and JPEG).

Only its price counts against it, with it commanding a significant premium compared with its immediate peers.

Body and handling

The S1II's body is essentially identical to that of the S1RII: similar in size to the more basic S5 models but with a better grip design and a carefully-struck balance between being compact and giving an excellent level of direct control.

The camera is appreciably smaller and lighter than the original S1 model but still feels solidly built. It maintains an extensively environmentally-sealed design with gaskets at all the joins. Its feels solid in the had with a pleasant density to it.

The mic socket sits high up on the left hand side of the camera, comfortably clear of the rear monitor, which pulls out on a tilting cradle, as well as then flipping out and rotating, which lets you keep it clear of the headphone socket, further down its flank. A USB C socket with 10 Gbps transfer speeds sits below this, allowing charging tethered shooting and video recording to SSD. A full-sized HDMI socket completes the left-side ports.

On the right-hand side of the camera is a 2.5mm remote socket. There's no flash sync socket on the S1II but anyone looking to sync timecode from the camera will find the S1 compatible with Atomos' Bluetooth timecode sync system.

Like the S1RII, and distinct from the S5 models, the S1II has one CFexpress Type B slot and one UHS-II SD card slot. It can also output video over its USB socket to an external SSD.

It has both the viewfinder and the adjacent cooling fans of the S1RII, meaning it has a 5.76M dot display (1600 x 1200 pixels). It has 0.78x magnification, making it pretty large. An eyepoint of 21mm means it can be a little difficult to see the extreme corners, if you wear glasses.

Battery

The S1II takes the same 15.8Wh DMW-BLK22 battery as most of the rest of Panasonic's range. This powers it to a CIPA rating of 360 shots per charge via the rear LCD or 320 shots using the viewfinder. Both figures are measured using an SD card, with both declining by 10 shots per charge if you use a CFexpress card. As always, these numbers are likely to significantly under-represent how many shots you're likely to achieve, but they provide a reasonably like-for-like comparison and these are reasonable numbers for this class of camera.

The S1II is compatible with the DMW-BG2, introduced alongside the S1RII. This adds a second battery and has a sensor on the battery door that switches the camera over to the internal battery when its open, allowing you to hot-swap batteries.

Video capabilities

As you'd expect from Panasonic, especially one with a relatively quick sensor, the S1II has an extensive array of video features. In addition to its many, many recording modes, the camera has a considerable array of supporting features to help you get the best results.

The S1II lets you control exposure in terms of shutter angle (handy for quick changes when using different frame rates), waveforms, false color and dual zebras for setting exposure, a vectorscope display for matching color, the ability to show a corrected view for Log or HLG shooting.

There's a tally lamp to make it clear when the camera is recording, the ability to record low-res proxy versions alongside your primary footage, a choice if mic gain levels. The list is near endless. On which note: the ability to add video modes to a custom list by pressing the 'Q' button, letting you quickly access just the modes you want to use is hugely valuable on a camera with this many video modes.

Open gate and Anamorphic modes

Users wanting to crop after the fact or add digital stabilization during their edit are likely to appreciate the S1II's open gate recording mode, which captures the full area of the sensor.

As has become standard for Panasonic, the S1II can alternatively capture a full-height 4:3 region of the sensor for use with anamorphic lenses. It comes with the option to show a desqueezed preview when working with anamorphic lenses and, in a feature unique to Panasonic, lets you set the stabilization system to correct shake with anamorphic lenses.

Widescreen modes

The S1II's partially stacked sensor reads out faster than any in a previous S-series cameras, allowing it to offer full-width 60p capture or 4K/120 with a moderate crop.

There are also a host of 5.xK modes that capture most of the sensor width natively, rather than downsampling to 4K. The S1II, like its 'E' sister model, adds a very widescreen 2.41:1 mode, mimicking the CinemaScope movie aspect ratio of the 1960s. Conveniently, this is also uses about the maximum height of the sensor that can be read fast enough for 120p output, without having to crop horizontally.

Internal Raw

The S1II can capture ProRes RAW footage, either in the standard or HQ levels of compression. These are taken either from a 5760 x 3040 region of the sensor or a native 4096 x 2160 pixel region. In both instances, footage can be recorded either to the camera's CFexpress slot or to an external SSD.

Dimensions Rates Crop MOV ProRes 1.89:1 5.8K 5760 x 3040 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:0 Up to 30p 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.04 — Raw DCI 4K 4096 x 2160 96*, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:2 Up to 60p 120, 100 1.17 4:2:0 120, 100, 96, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.45 4:2:0 Up to 60p 60, 50, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.46 — Raw 16:9 modes 5.9K 5888 x 3312 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:0 UHD 4K 3840 x 2160 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:2 Up to 60p 120, 100 1.24 4:2:0 120, 100, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.51 4:2:0 Up to 60p 2.4:1 'Cinemascope' 6K 5952 x 2512 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:0 Cs4K 4096 x 1728 120, 100, 96, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:2 Up to 60p 120, 100, 96, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.45 4:2:0 3:2 Open gate 6K 5952 x 3968 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:0 5.1K 5088 x 3392 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.00 4:2:0 4:3 for anamorphic shooting 4.8K 4800 x 3600 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.13 4:2:0 Up to 30p 3.3K 3328 x 2496 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.63 4:2:2 Up to 60p 120, 100 1.72 4:2:0

Despite this table covering 166 different modes without even deliving into different compression levels or including MP4 options, it's not quite complete, as there are instances of Pixel/Pixel and APS-C modes that have identical options and virtually identical crops existing alongside one another. For reasons of sanity, we've not tried to measure them all.

For similar reasons, we'd strongly suggest the use of the camera's 'My List' feature, that lets you quickly create a list of the modes you plan to use, preventing accidental use of a mode with the wrong frame rate, chroma subsampling method or crop factor and avoiding you needing to scroll through the whole list.

Raw over HDMI

Alternatively, if you have an Atomos or Blackmagic external recorder, the S1II can output a Raw stream over its HDMI port, which can be encoded into ProRes RAW or Blackmagic Raw.

Resolution Aspect ratio Frame rates Crop 6K 6000 x 4000 3:2 30, 25, 23.98 1.00 (Full height) 5.9K 5888 x 3312 16:9 30, 25, 23.98 1.00 5.7K 5738 x 3024 1.89:1 60, 50, 30, 25, 23.98 1.00 4.8K 4800 x 3600 4:3 60, 50, 30, 25, 23.98 1.20 (Full height) C4K 4096 x 2160 1.89:1 120, 100, 60, 50, 30, 25, 23.98 1.46 3.5K 3535 x 2656 4:3 60, 50, 30, 25, 24, 23.98 1.63 Sample gallery

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Kategorier: Produkt nyheder

Panasonic Lumix DC-S1IIE preview

Nyt fra dpreview - 13 maj 2025 - 16:00

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Product Photos: Mitchell Clark

The Panasonic Lumix S1IIE is a 24MP full-frame camera aimed at stills and video shooters. It uses the same BSI sensor found in the Panasonic S5II and S5IIX but paired with the body of the S1II and S1RII, giving it some additional capabilities and features not found in the S5-series.

Key Features

24MP BSI CMOS sensor
Up to 30fps e-shutter shooting with C-AF and Raw
1.5 seconds pre-burst capture
10-bit HEIF recording
6K 4:2:0 open-gate recording up to 30p
Internal Raw recording
32-bit float recording via optional XLR 2 adapter
2.1M dot flip-out and tilting display
5.76M dot viewfinder

The S1IIE will be available starting in late June for a recommended price of $2499.

Index:

What's New

As a blend of existing cameras, the S1IIE doesn't have anything entirely its own. However, some of the features are brand-new on the S1II, announced the same day as the S1IIE, so it's worth looking at what it inherited from that camera and the S1RII and what it keeps the same as the S5II/X.

HLG HEIF

Like the S1II, the S1IIE can record stills to a 10-bit HEIF file using the HLG high-dynamic range tone curve, which can also be paired with mono and LUT color modes. This lets you get HDR images straight-out-of-camera without the need to process Raws, though HEIFs aren't nearly as widely supported as JPEGs.

You can do an in-camera HEIF to SDR JPEG conversion, though there is a strange limitation when outputting HDR HEIFs. If you originally shot the image as HEIF+Raw, you can reprocess the Raw and output an HDR HEIF, adjusting settings such as white balance. However, if you shot the image as JPG+Raw, you can only reprocess the Raw into an SDR HEIF. Of course, you can always bring that Raw into desktop editing software to output it however you like, but it is strange that the in-camera processor can only output HDR HEIFs in certain circumstances.

AI white balancing Image Comparison SliderThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Photo taken in a challenging condition with daylight coming in through a window and indoor lighting. The AI white balance tool was much closer to what it looked like in real life.
S1IIE | Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art | 1/250 sec | F1.4 | ISO 100 | Cropped to taste

Speaking of the in-camera Raw processing, the S1IIE has the same "AI Auto White Balance" feature as the S1II. It's only available in post-processing, but Panasonic says it should be better at producing pleasing colors in difficult lighting situations.

New Body

The S1IIE has the same body as the S1RII and S1II, which makes it just a tad bigger than the S5II. That means it has the same control layout, complete with a dial for switching between stills, video and slow and quick modes, the lock switch and extra custom modes. It also has the large, high-resolution viewfinder and the tilting/fully-articulating display.

Updated autofocus

The S5II brought phase-detect autofocus to Panasonic's full-frame lineup, and the system the S1IIE inherits from the S1RII is a refinement of that. It has the enhanced human subject recognition, complete with support for "urban sports" like breakdancing or skateboarding, where people will be moving their bodies into positions that the previous system may not have recognized.

Compared to the S5II, there's a key difference in the autofocus user interface: the S1IIE, like the S1RII, doesn't fall back to its generic tracking if it's in subject detection mode but doesn't recognize a subject in the scene.

New movie capabilities

Despite using the same sensor, the S1IIE has 30 more recording modes than the S5IIX. Some of those are the "Cinemascope" modes, which offer a 2.4:1 aspect ratio, as well as the ability to shoot in 60/50/48p in full-width 6K and 4K. Like the S5IIX, it's essentially achieving the faster frame rates by dropping down to an APS-C region of its sensor, just a super-wide one.

The S1IIE also includes the "Cinelike A2" color profile, the ability to record ProRes Raw internally to a CFexpress Type B card, proxy recording to a second card and 32-bit float audio recording via an add-on XLR 2 adapter. You can also use it with Bluetooth timecode synchronization devices and Panasonic's Lumix Flow app, which aims to streamline the process of writing a script, creating storyboards and shotlists and sorting captured footage.

It has the S1II's upgraded stabilization system as well, which the company says is "60% more efficient" than the S5II's. That includes the "cropless" electronic image stabilization mode that's compatible with the company's S-series lenses, though not other L-mount options from Sigma or Leica.

And even more...

As is becoming tradition, Panasonic has promised even more features coming via a future firmware update. Those include:

A paid upgrade for Arri LogC3
Multiple frame markers, like the S9 and S5II
Bluetooth connectivity to DJI gimbals

How it compares

The S1IIE is playing in a relatively crowded field; every manufacturer is pitching their mid-level full-frame cameras as a great hybrid option for stills and videos. We're comparing the S1IIE to Nikon and Canon's similarly-positioned Z6III and EOS R6 II. We've also compared it to the S5IIX, which Panasonic has said will remain in its lineup for now, as the S1IIE is essentially an upgraded version of that camera.

Lumix S1IIE Lumix S5IIX Nikon Z6III Canon EOS R6 II MSRP $2499 $2199 $2499 $2499 Pixel Count 24MP 24MP 24MP 24MP Stabilization (IBIS / Synced) Up to 8EV Up to 6.5EV Up to 8.0EV Up to 8EV Max burst rate

10fps mech. (continuous AF)
30fps e-shutter (continuous AF)

9fps mech. (single AF)
30fps e-shutter (continuous AF) 14fps mech. 20fps e-shutter
120fps JPEG only, APS-C 12 fps mech.
40fps e-shutter (12-bit) Pre-burst capture Up to 1.5 sec Up to 1.5 sec Up to 1 sec JPEG-only Up to 0.5 sec in Raw Burst mode Viewfinder res / mag 5.76M dot OLED / 0.78x 3.8M dot OLED / 0.78x 5.76M dots / 0.8x 3.69M dots/ 0.76x Rear screen 3.2" 2.1M dot Tilt + Fully Artic. 3" 1.84M dot fully articulated 3.2" 2.1M dot fully articulated 3.0" 1.62M-dot fully articulated Max video resolution 6K 30p (3:2)
5.9K / 4K UHD 30p
6K 60p (2.4:1) 6K 30p (3:2)
5.9K / 4K UHD 30p 6K (Raw) 60p
5.4K 60p
UHD 4K 60p / 120p w/ APS-C crop UHD 4K 60p (full width, from 6K) Video format options

H.264
H.265
ProRes
ProRes HQ
ProRes Raw

H.264
H.265
ProRes
Raw (via HDMI)

H.264
H.265
ProRes HQ
ProRes Raw
N-Raw

H.264
H.265
ProRes RAW (w/ Atomos recorder)

Storage formats 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B
External SSD 2x UHS-II SD 1x UHS-II SD
1x CFe B 2x UHS-II SD HDR output (stills / video) HLG HEIF / HLG - / HLG HLG HEIF / HLG PQ HEIF / PQ USB USB-C
10 Gbps
UVC USB-C
10Gbps

USB-C
5Gbps USB-C
10Gbps
UVC Battery life LCD / EVF (CIPA) 380 / 340 370 / 370 360 / 390 580 / 320 Dimensions 134 x 102 x 92 mm 134 x 102 x 90 mm 139 x 102 x 74 mm 138 x 98 x 88 mm Weight 795g (28oz) 740g (26.1oz) 760g (26.8oz) 670g (23.6oz)

The Z6II and EOS R6 II are both strong competitors, and we've found their autofocus systems to be quite capable of shooting moving subjects and action, which wasn't always the case for Panasonic's system when we tested it in other cameras. With such feature-packed cameras, though, the differences are going to come down to the details like the fact that the Canon can't do internal Raw video, the Z6III's highest burst rates being limited to JPEG-only, or that the S1IIE doesn't have an automatic subject detection mode like the Z6III and EOS R6 II do.

Those who focus on video have to deal with even more nuance. Nikon's use of a partially-Stacked sensor lets it shoot at quite high framerates, though sometimes only in Raw. While the S1IIE doesn't have the same level of speed, Panasonic has loaded it with resolution and aspect ratio options and an army of assistance features. Those are things like waveforms, vectorscopes and false color monitoring to help you nail exposure, a desqueezed preview if you're shooting with anamorphic lenses and its real-time LUT system that lets you use industry-standard color profiles to grade your footage straight out of camera.

Body and handling The S1IIE's buttons and dials are well-placed, making it easy to almost completely control the camera using one hand.

The S1IIE's body will be familiar to anyone who's used an S5II/X, and even more so to those who've used an S1RII. It's a tiny bit larger and heavier than the S5-series and has a larger grip, but otherwise feels quite similar in the hand. The control layout is largely similar, with the same autofocus layout and dial setup that should make it easy to avoid the menu system during a shoot.

Compared to the S5II, the S1IIE gains a lock switch, which can be customized to lock different buttons depending on whether you're shooting stills or video, a mode dial for stills, video and slow and quick mode and a slightly deeper grip. There's also now a record button on the left front corner of the camera, which we've found is extremely easy to accidentally press, though you can set it to do nothing in stills mode.

The camera's ports now get their own individual doors, which makes for less flapping around if you only have a few things plugged in.

Rear Display

The S1IIE inherits the combination tilting / articulating screen from the S1RII, giving you the versatility of a fully articulating screen that can be viewed from the front without sacrificing the ability to position it for waist-level or above-the-head shooting with a single motion. It also provides plenty of clearance, even with a microphone and headphones plugged into the camera.

Battery

The S1IIE uses the same 15.8Wh DMW-BLK22 battery as the S5II and the rest of the S1II family. It's CIPA-rated to provide 380 shots when using the LCD. You'll likely be able to shoot many more photos than that on a single charge, but the rating provides a consistent point of comparison between cameras. It's not the best in class, but it should get you through a weekend of light-to-moderate shooting.

You can charge it via USB-C, and it's compatible with the DMW-BG2 battery grip launched with the S1RII, which should roughly double its battery life.

The company says it can record an approximately 100-minute continuous 4K 60p clip on a charge, and about half that if you're repeatedly starting and stopping recording.

Initial Impressions

Let's get this out of the way: there's a lot to like about the S1IIE. It'd be shocking if there wasn't, given that it's essentially a blend of the S1RII and S5IIX, both of which are more than solid in their own right. While we haven't put it through our thorough testing process yet, it's pretty much a given that it'll provide great image quality, sturdy ergonomics and more video features than most people would use in a lifetime.

While the formula isn't new, the S1IIE is in a bit of a complicated position. On one hand, it's a version of the S1II that costs substantially less and comes with a lot of the same features but has a slower sensor that limits burst rates and 4K-and-above framerates. But you could also look at it as a slightly fancier S5IIX; its capabilities are quite similar, but its upgraded processor, refined design and higher price tag will give you a more premium experience.

You now have to consider five cameras if you want a 24MP hybrid camera from Panasonic

For certain users, that'll be worth it. Depending on what you need from a camera, the S1IIE's support for Capture One tethering could be a deciding factor on its own. But if you don't have a slam-dunk reason to buy it, you now have to consider five different cameras (the S5II, S5IIX, S1II, S1IIE and S9) if you're looking to get a 24MP hybrid camera from Panasonic.

Even as a reviewer, it can be hard to keep the differences straight in my head, and I feel like I'd need to have a 15-minute conversation with someone before I'd feel confident that I knew which model(s?) they should consider. And that's before you even consider the competition: the S5IIE is up against cameras with just plain faster sensors, which allow for higher framerates and better rolling shutter performance.

Panasonic still includes plenty of features that make its cameras stand out, like shutter angle, timecode sync, in-camera multi-shot and support for anamorphic lenses. However, some of those will only appeal to people with quite specific needs, and the base video capabilities that used to be Panasonic's competitive advantage are now relatively common. We'll have to fully test the S1IIE to see if it does enough to stand out among the rest.

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Kategorier: Produkt nyheder

Sigma BF review

Nyt fra dpreview - 12 maj 2025 - 17:11

Product photos: Richard Butler

The Sigma BF is a minimalist 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera that offers distinctive design and an unconventional user interface.

Key specifications

24MP full-frame CMOS sensor
Phase detection AF with human and animal detection
Full-time HDR capture embedded in JPEGs
No mechanical shutter
3.2" 2.1M dot rear touchscreen
Pressure-sensitive buttons with haptic feedback
6K video up to 30p, 4K up to 30p
1080 up to 120p
Leica L-Log profile
Zebras and False Color exposure displays
230GB of internal memory
10Gbps USB-C port, external mic compatible

The Sigma BF is available in Black or Silver at a cost of $2000. Sigma has also made versions of all its i-series primes to match the silver version of the camera.

Index:

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama Buy at B&H Photo

Mar 13: Initial review published
Apr 21: Shooting experience and additional galleries added
May 12: IQ, AF, Video and conclusion added

What is it?

The Sigma BF is explicitly not trying to be a do-everything, Swiss Army Knife of a camera. Sony's a7C II already exists, bringing an EVF, multiple dials, a mechanical second-curtain shutter mechanism and in-body image stabilization, for a list price just 10% higher than the BF's.

But if Sigma was trying to go head-to-head with Sony in the mass market, it probably wouldn't be spending seven hours milling each camera out of blocks of aluminium, nor doing so in Japan: neither of which is the approach you take if you're primarily driven to hit a specific price point.

Similarly, just looking at the specs, the BF might be mistaken for an unstabilized Panasonic S9 in a fancier body, but despite sharing a sensor, the two cameras couldn't be more different.

Instead Sigma explicitly says the BF is designed for 'everyday' photography. An elegant object designed to be carried with you, rather than a utilitarian device you take when you're taking photos. It's absolutely not optimized for rapid operation, it's not teeming with clever features. Instead it includes only the bare essentials for photography (or, arguably, slightly less than that, given its lack of mechanical shutter).

Think of it like a Moleskine notebook: in many respects it's not as practical for taking notes and recording ideas as the smartphone you're already carrying, but the very process of carrying it with you acts as a prompt to look at the world and capture the thoughts you were having. The BF is trying to do the same.

It's the difference between a camera that you'd grab when you want to go and take photos of something, vs a tool that encourages you to look for things to photograph.

Body and controls User interface

The best way to understand the BF is to note the dedicated settings display towards the top right-hand corner on the back of the camera. This displays one of ten parameters:

Drive mode File format Aspect ratio Focus mode White balance Shutter speed Aperture value Exp comp. ISO Color mode

These are also the ten parameters that appear on the main screen if you press the center button on the back of the camera, in the pattern shown in the table above.

You can navigate between them by pressing the cardinal points on the rear dial, then scroll the dial to change the current setting.

Pressing the center button lets you see and edit the camera's core ten parameters, but the chosen setting is also shown in the dedicated settings display to the top right of the screen.

In this instance the aperture value is shown in dark grey because it's being controlled from the lens.

But you don't have to press the center button and bring them up on the main screen: once you've learned their relative positions (and chances are it's the ones in the bottom row you'll change regularly), you can navigate around them just using the settings display. And, for me, that's the key to understanding the BF: it's designed so that the core settings can be adjusted without looking at the main screen. You can set the camera to show all the settings on the main screen,

In keeping with this idea, the touchscreen is almost solely used for positioning the AF point or selecting a subject to track: even if you summon-up the settings on the main screen, you can't tap to change settings, just choose what to focus on.

Exposure modes

The BF has no mode dial, so exposure mode is set by selecting which parameters you want to be controlled by the camera. This is done via the main screen. Press the center button to bring up the settings then press it again to edit them, and the ISO, aperture value and shutter speed indicators show 'Auto' options above them, letting you engage and disengage automated control of each parameter.

Any of the exposure parameters that can't be changed by spinning the dial, either because they're set to Auto or because aperture value is being set by an aperture ring, is rendered in darker grey, both in the settings display and on the main screen display.

Other settings Ten further settings, including the level gauge and options to display information such as focal length and focus distance are accessed via the three-dot button. Navigating down to the word 'System' takes you to the menu where fundamental settings such as date and time are edited.

Another ten settings, six of which relate to how much detail appears on the main screen (exposure parameters, guides, virtual horizon, etc), can be accessed by pressing the 'three dots' settings button. At the bottom of this settings menu is the word 'System' which gives you access to a ten-option-long list of fundamental camera settings, including firmware information, copyright information, menu language and date/time.

That's the extent of the BF's interface: ten top-level parameters, ten settings and ten menu options. But what this doesn't fully convey is the degree to which it's a camera in which Shutter speed, Aperture value, Exposure compensation and ISO can all be set using just the settings display, leaving the monitor solely for focus and composition.

Handling

The BF is a very solid-feeling camera, as you might expect from something hewn from a solid block of metal. The body itself is relatively light but the weight adds up as soon as you mount a lens of any appreciable size on it.

Despite it's minimalist appearance, it's quite easy to hold. The textured front-plate and raised thumb rest at the back mean you can get a pretty solid grip on the camera, and you can cradle the weight of the lens in your left hand if you're working with anything larger than one of the compact primes offered by Sigma or Panasonic.

However, we found that it was common for our ring finger to wrap around to the base of the camera as we held it, which quickly makes apparent how sharply angled the edge of the BF is. It's not hard to imagine users adding a little tape to the lower edge of the camera or being tempted to chamfer the edge with a fine file, once they come to live with the camera.

I've primarily used it with the Sigma 35mm F2 prime and the Panasonic 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 lenses, both of which are small and light enough that it's been comfortable to use.

Electronic shutter

The BF has no mechanical shutter and a sensor that takes 24.8ms to read out. Having seen this sensor in other cameras, this suggests its stills are being captured with 12-bit precision, which will slightly blunt the dynamic range at base ISO.

This readout speed (corresponding to 1/40 sec) also means the camera couldn't sync with a flash at shutter speeds faster than this rate. It also introduces the possibility of rolling shutter distortion of fast-moving subjects and means you're likely to encounter banding when shooting under artificial lights.

It's better news on the video side of things, where a rolling shutter rate of 20.9ms for its 24, 25 and 30p modes (6K, 4K or 1080) isn't too terrible. Things speed up to deliver the 1080/60 mode (10.4ms) and 1080/120 modes (7.8ms), suggesting line-skipping is being used.

Battery

The BF uses a new 11.88Wh BP-81 battery. This will power the camera to a CIPA rating of 260 shots per charge. As always, the CIPA figure will tend to under-represent how many shots you're likely to get, and we found it's the camera's propensity to show its charge percentage on its settings display that caused us to worry a little disproportionately.

Still, a rating of 260 is pretty low and means you may want to consider carrying a power bank if you plan to do more than occasional shots each day. Putting it on to charge overnight, just as you might do with your phone will probably be sufficient for everyday casual use, though.

A gentle press of the power button puts the camera into standby mode, but the battery will continue to drain at an appreciable rate. The BF starts up from cold quickly enough that this is usually a better approach.

Initial impressions

By Richard Butler

Even the body cap is an over-engineered delight.

The Sigma BF is one of the most unusual cameras we've ever encountered. On paper it looks like an under-specced rival to the Panasonic DC-S9 or even the Sony a7C II. Or, perhaps even a slightly re-purposed Sigma fp. But, even though it shares components and a small rectangular body, the BF is quite unlike any of these cameras.

Sigma's CEO, Kazuto Yamaki talked about completely re-thinking the camera's interface to pare it back to the fundamental things a camera needs to offer, in an attempt to make it simple to use, with the aim of making a camera for everyday use. And the more I use the BF, the more I think I understand this intent.

The idea of a dedicated settings display, leaving the main screen as a means of composing your image and positioning the focus point is a refreshingly simple one, undermined only by the challenge of viewing a fixed LCD in bright light. The decision to display only one setting, rather than a full array of settings and icons makes it very quick to interpret and I did find it made me consider what changes I wanted to make, shot-to-shot, in a way I don't on a more conventional twin-dial camera.

Playback mode has three levels of information that can be displayed, this is the most detailed, but you can also opt just to see the top two rows of information, or just the first.

Touching, rather than pressing, the playback button lets you review the last image you shot, without entering the full playback mode, for as long as your finger remains on the button.

This really hit home when I realized I prefer to set aperture from the camera, rather than using an aperture ring; I think the camera works best with everything controlled from the settings display, rather than trying to increase the number of control points.

Another surprise was how good the BF's autofocus appears to be. Its subject tracking is very simple to use and impressively tenacious, while its eye detection works well and can be left turned on without minimal risk of the camera prioritizing nearby faces ahead of a different subject you've selected.

There are distinct downsides, though. The lack of mechanical shutter not only means there's a risk of rolling shutter and that the camera can't be used with flash, it also means it's quite prone to banding caused by the inherent flicker of artificial lights. This can be fairly subtle at longer shutter speeds but becomes increasingly apparent in short exposures, limiting its use as an indoor camera, despite a sensor that works well in low light.

Sigma 35mm F2.0 | F4.0 | 1/500 sec | ISO 400

Photo: Richard Butler

Sigma's sometimes quite dramatic color modes may not be to everyone's tastes, and I'm not wholly convinced by the 'Light Source Priority' auto white balance mode, that tries to maintain some of the character of the detected light source. But even when the results are unexpected, they're often interesting.

The BF's battery life is also quite short. An external charger is available, if you want to keep a second battery topped-up, but mainly it's a case of remembering to put the camera on to charge regularly, just as you might for your smartphone.

Other than a slight concern about the sharp lower front edge, I'm really looking forward to spending more time with the BF. It's not a camera that lets you respond quickly to the unexpected; instead it's one that makes you slow down and look for the photos you might otherwise not notice.

Shooting experience

We took the time to spend a couple of weeks shooting with the BF the way it was designed to be used: as a daily companion whose presence would hopefully encourage us to look for photographic opportunities we might not otherwise recognize.

It constantly asked "what are you trying to photograph, and how do you want to capture it?"

It turns out to be surprisingly capable, if seen and used this way, with its unusual but highly focused interface making us think about what we were trying to achieve, with each shot. Find out more in our shooting experience article:

What's the Sigma BF really like to live with?

Image quality

We'll be conducting our full studio tests soon. We'll be testing a series of cameras alongside one another and will add the images to this review and revisit the score as necessary.

In our general use we've found the camera's standard color mode to be pretty good and its slightly more idiosyncratic 'Rich' color mode gives distinctive, and often attractive, results. We've encountered this sensor often enough that we're confident in the Raw results.

Base ISO and HDR

The JPEGs do contain a surprise though: the BF has a base ISO of 320 and an Auto ISO system that likes to use ISO 400 as its lowest setting. This is done to prompt lower exposure levels, capturing more highlight information. This extra highlight information is then used to give highlights with a more gentle roll-off and to allow the camera's undocumented HDR capabilities.

The JPEGs look normal on most displays but they also include a gain map that can be used by devices with high dynamic range displays to make the very bright highlights glow brighter. You don't have to do anything, an HDR version of your image is created within the standard JPEGs.

The downside of this is that, unless you override it by setting the camera to a lower ISO, all your shots with be a bit noisier than they could be, because you're capturing less light for your midtones and shadows, in order to capture more highlights.

There are a few odd quirks beyond this: at present DNGs shot below ISO 320 can sometimes be rendered at the wrong lightness if you try to re-process in-camera, and minor adjustments of the 'Look Effect' of each mode can have an unexpectedly large and unpredictable impact. But generally, we found the Sigma produces interesting-looking images and gives you a good amount of scope to adjust them in-camera.

Autofocus

The BF's autofocus system is very simple: you can either select all-area or specify a single point. You can decide whether subject detection is engaged and whether it is looking for people, animals or both.

The BF's AF is simple but effective, and its eye detection is very reliable.

Sigma 35mm F2 DG | F2.8 | 1/100 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler

There's also a choice about whether manual focus for fine-tuning is available any time you turn the focus ring or just when the shutter is half-pressed. With focus precision in mind, there's a focus peaking option, with a choice of color and intensity and, in AF-S mode, the option for the camera to show you a zoomed-in view of the selected AF point when focus is achieved.

Generally we'd leave the camera in AF-C mode and all-area focus with subject detection engaged. This way the camera would focus on people's eyes if there's a human in the frame but leaving the option to tap on the screen if there's a specific point we wanted to focus on instead. For the kinds of photos the BF is designed for, this worked 99% of the time (with one instance of having to use manual focus override for a very backlit shot).

The camera's eye detection proved very fast and precise, letting us focus on composition and capturing a good expression, in social situations. It's not a complex system that would be well suited for sports or wildlife shooting, but for casual and social photography, it does exactly what you want, without you really having to think about it.

Video The Sigma BF has a surprisingly strong video feature set, can accept external mics via USB and is easy to balance on a gimbal.

The Sigma BF has a surprisingly extensive video feature set for such a seemingly minimalist camera. But perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise, given the same sensor underpinned Panasonic's S1H video flagship.

You have the option to shoot 6K (or UHD 4K derived from that same capture) at up to 30fps. Alternatively it can capture 1080 video at up to 120p. Unlike the fp, though, the BF can happily save 10-bit footage as H.265 files, and gains the ability to shoot Log footage using Leica's Log profile (meaning conversion LUTs are available).

The Sigma includes video features that are still relatively unusual on hybrid cameras, including a false color display that applies a colored tint to different brightness regions, to let you quickly assess exposure even when working in hard-to-interpret color modes. It can also let you adjust exposure time in terms of shutter angle, making it easy to maintain correct exposure when switching frame rates.

"Its compact form, low body weight and built-in storage means it's a surprisingly good choice for gimbal work"

It can accept external mics or headphones via its USB socket. We weren't able to test whether its 'Headset' mode, that expects both a mic and headphone connection works with a USB splitter/adapter. The BF is also compatible with the UVC/UAC standards, so can be used as a webcam.

Its lack of stabilization weighs heavily against it for handheld use, but its compact form, low body weight and built-in storage means it's a surprisingly good choice for gimbal work. The single dial interface is likely to be a little fiddly to adjust, once mounted, but if you set the shutter speed (or shutter angle, that's an option) to your chosen value, use a lens with an aperture ring and either leave ISO locked or on Auto, you shouldn't need to change too many settings.

Conclusion Pros Cons

Excellent image quality
Elegantly focused UI
Simple, powerful autofocus
Interesting range of color modes
Strong video feature set
Distinctive design and solid build
Built-in storage provides speed and space
Connects quickly to most USB devices (phone, PC or SSD) for image transfer
Good in-camera DNG conversion system
HDR images embedded in standard JPEGs

Lack of mechanical shutter limits its flexibility
Absence of viewfinder a drawback in bright light
Short battery life
Needs USB cable to offload images
Body has some sharp edges
Lack of mechanical stabilization limits video
Auto ISO's use of ISO 400 exposures (to capture HDR highlights) increases noise

On paper the Sigma BF sounds worryingly like a rebodied Sigma fp: the company's modular hybrid camera that was received as much more of a video rig than they'd intended. Encountered in-person and it risks looking like a design exercise, with all the attendant concerns that it might be style over substance. Actually using the camera dismisses both concerns.

The BF's user interface is perhaps its strongest feature, giving a refreshingly uncluttered shooting experience. There aren't indecipherable icons or pages of menus, just a settings display for your shooting parameters and a rear LCD for composition. It's about as back-to-basics as you can get but, critically, without its minimalism making things awkward.

The Sigma BF doesn't have a large, protruding grip, but the textured metal front means it's easy enough to grip, fairly comfortably (unless your fingers extend around the sharp lower edge of the camera).

It's not an all-rounder by any means. Its lack of viewfinder limits its usability in bright light, its lack of mechanical shutter rules out the use of flash and means you have to pay attention to artificial lighting. Its interface and operation prioritizes considered shooting ahead of the ability to respond quickly. If you're looking for a camera that can do a bit of everything, there are plenty of better alternatives.

However, as a device for capturing moments, and encouraging you to capture moments, it's really rather good. Its interface is genuinely radical and well thought out and I was constantly surprised by how simple but effective its autofocus is.

The Sigma is a lovely device for capturing the world around you.

Sigma 35mm F2.0 DG | F7.1 | 1/160 sec | ISO 125
Photo: Richard Butler

Overall I've enjoyed my time with the BF tremendously, and I suspect plenty of other people will, too. I found the experience both fascinating and refreshing: paring photography back to its very essence. It was this focus and simplicity – which shouldn't be mistaken for minimalism for its own sake – that makes the BF so unfamiliar and so compelling. The allegation that it's style over substance is misguided, I believe, as it's the substance, rather than the style that I found most enjoyable. It certainly has some style to it – I don't remember the last time so many friends and strangers asked me what I was shooting with – but it's not something that evoked much of a response, personally.

That's probably too niche a prospect for us to be able to give the BF one of our awards. Those are framed in terms of whether a camera should be on your shortlist. And if there's any other camera on your shortlist, then the BF shouldn't be there, because it's a dreadful substitute for anything else. But that's not its intent and that's not its appeal.

I don't feel we can give it an award, but it's going to take a lot for it not to be my Gear of the Year.

Scoring

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

Sigma BFCategory: Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLRBuild qualityErgonomics & handlingFeaturesMetering & focus accuracyImage quality (raw)Image quality (jpeg)Low light / high ISO performanceViewfinder / screen ratingOpticsPerformanceMovie / video modeConnectivityValuePoorExcellentConclusionThe Sigma BF is an idiosyncratic photo taking device, to the point we'd barely call it a camera: its not a sensible substitute for much else that's on the market. But every aspect of its design is both innovative and clever. It's focused solely on exposure and composition. Joyously so.Good forCapturing the details of your life.Not so good forShooting in bright surroundings, sports photography, flash photography...85%Overall scoreRegularScoreCompareWidget({"mainElementId":"scoringWidget","mainProduct":"sigma_bf","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

As I've tried to argue throughout most of this review, the Sigma BF doesn't really have any direct peers, because it's not really trying to be the same thing as other cameras. If judged on their terms, it's limited and limiting. You can look at the list of what it lacks, by comparison, and write it off. And if you're considering other cameras, then you'd probably be right to do so.

It's barely appropriate to even think of it as a camera. At the most fundamental level a car and a bicycle are both devices to get you from A to B, and yet thinking of a bike as a car that's missing an engine and two of its wheels would be to completely miss the point. The BF and most other cameras are both devices for capturing images, but the way they do it and the experience that you get from them means direct comparison doesn't necessarily make sense.

The BF costs more than Panasonic's S9 because it features much more solid (and expensive) construction and is made in Japan by a company that can't compete with the economies-of-scale larger camera companies can achieve. There's little sign of any significant Leica-esque 'luxury goods' markup, though.

If you want to be needlessly reductive, you could compare it to Panasonic's vlogging-focused Lumix DC-S9. They're both small, single dial cameras with no viewfinders, based around the same sensor and same lens mount. The Panasonic has a flip-out screen, in-body image stabilization and a list price $500 lower. For taking photos I'd choose the Sigma every time.

The S9 has a single control dial but uses the same interface as Panasonic's three-dial S-series cameras. This isn't necessarily a drawback for the vlogging for which it's designed, but having used both for photography, the BF feels pleasantly focused, while the S9 feels maddeningly lacking. If you've never used either, it might look like the S9 lets you get just as much camera, plus IBIS and a lens for the same money. That's a cynical assumption, duly evoking Wilde's line about knowing "the price of everything and the value of nothing".

Buy now:

Buy at Adorama Buy at B&H Photo Sigma BF sample gallery

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

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