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Graphic: Leica

Leica has announced that the L-Mount Alliance is growing. Chinese lens and accessory maker Sirui (pronounced "Sue-Ray") is joining the alliance, becoming the ninth company to do so. The addition of another lens maker means more options for those who use L-mount cameras.

Sirui is perhaps best known for its reasonably priced anamorphic lenses, which offer a morte affordable route to cinematic looks than traditional options. The company already has a fairly healthy lineup of lenses in multiple series. That includes the relatively new Aurora series, which currently only features the Aurora 85mm F1.4, the company's first full-frame autofocus lens. More recently, Sirui launched the Vision Prime Series, a lineup of full-frame cine lenses. Outside of lenses, the company also makes a few tripods and lighting options.

For its part, Sirui says it is "set to significantly enhance the L-Mount Alliance lens ecosystem." The lens maker already offers four L-mount lenses: two cine lenses and two anamorphic lenses. Joining the L-mount Alliance means that more are on the way, and, given what Sirui currently makes, it should add greater variety to the L-mount lineup. "Our aim is to introduce a broader range of outstanding, high-value L-mount lenses to the market," said Li Jie, Founder and CEO at Sirui Optical.

Leica, Sigma, and Panasonic are current members of the L-mount Alliance producing L-mount lenses, but none of those offerings are anamorphic lenses. Plus, while there are options that work well for cinematography, none are dedicated cine lenses. Given that Blackmagic Design joined the alliance in 2023, it is likely a welcome addition to have the promise of more cine lenses on the way. The two companies didn't share any specific product announcements along with the reveal of the partnership, though, so only time will tell what will eventually be on the table.

SIRUI joins the L-Mount Alliance and utilizes the L-Mount standard developed by Leica Camera AG in future product development

Teaneck, March 20th, 2025. As a new member, SIRUI is the 9th company to join the L-Mount Alliance since the public announcement of the L-Mount standard at Photokina in 2018. The alliance consists of founding members Leica Camera AG, SIGMA, and Panasonic, as well as Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH, DJI, ASTRODESIGN, SAMYANG Optics, and Blackmagic Design. This collaboration enables SIRUI to develop products with the L-Mount, which will present great benefits for a wide range of photo and video applications.

The L-Mount was developed by Leica Camera AG with the aim of providing customers with a future-proof, flexible, robust, and precise bayonet mount that would fulfil even the most demanding photographic needs. Since its initial appearance, development of the L-Mount was continued by Leica as well as by its strategic partners. This led to significant improvements and an effectively new and more polished L-Mount technology, resulting in an ever-growing portfolio of cameras and lenses from all existing and new alliance partners. All lenses made for the different systems within the L-Mount Alliance can be used on all cameras without adapters and without any functional limitations – this illustrates one of the numerous benefits of the common bayonet.

Valentino Di Leonardo, Managing Expert Technology & Licensing at Leica Camera AG: “The L-Mount Alliance stands for openness, innovation, and the highest quality in photography. By welcoming SIRUI as a new member, we are not only expanding our network with another strong partner but also reinforcing our commitment to diversity and fresh impulses within the ecosystem. SIRUI brings new perspectives and expertise to the Alliance, enriching the L-Mount system with forward-thinking approaches. Together, we aim to provide photographers and filmmakers with an even more comprehensive and flexible system that meets the highest standards.”

Li Jie, Founder and CEO at SIRUI Optical: “SIRUI is a globally recognized brand in optical imaging, offering a diverse product lineup that includes optical lenses and photography and videography equipment. Our company operates with its headquarters in China and has subsidiaries in the United States, Germany, and Japan. With its in-house optical R&D and manufacturing facilities, SIRUI has established a fully integrated system encompassing research, production, and sales, with a distribution network spanning over 60 countries and regions worldwide. By leveraging its proprietary brand, independent technological innovations, vertically integrated supply chain, and cost advantages, SIRUI is set to significantly enhance the L-Mount Alliance lens ecosystem. Our aim is to introduce a broader range of outstanding, high-value L-mount lenses to the market.”

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Product Photos: Richard Butler

The Fujifilm GFX100RF is a 100-megapixel medium format digital camera with a fixed 28mm equivalent F4 lens.

Key features

• Medium format (44 x 33 mm) 102MP sensor
• 35mm (28mm equiv) F4 lens w/ leaf shutter
• 5.76M dot OLED EVF
• Weather sealed when using filter ring and filter (included)
• Subject recognition autofocus
• Aspect ratio dial
• 3.2" tilting rear touchscreen
• 4K video up to 30fps
• Built-in 4EV ND filter
• 14 film simulations

The GFX100RF will retail for $4899 and will be available starting April 24th. It will come in either black or black and silver, and includes a braided strap, filter ring, filter and a color-matched square lens hood.

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• What's new
• How it compares
• Body and handling
• Initial impressions
• Sample gallery
• Specifications
• Press Release

What's New Fixed lens medium format body

The GFX100RF occupies a new space in Fujifilm's lineup and comes with a new design. It's essentially the long-rumored 'medium format X100,' in that it takes the formula of classic styling, direct controls and a wideangle prime lens permanently mounted on the front.

Don't take the rangefinder implications of the letters 'RF' too seriously though: this is essentially the world's most ambitious compact camera, lacking not just a rangefinder but also the X100/X-Pro hybrid viewfinder that gives the appearance of a classic rangefinder camera. Instead, the RF's EVF is a relatively standard 5.76M dot affair located in the top left corner of the back of the camera.

While the body is nowhere near as large as the interchangeable lens GFX cameras, it still has a lot of presence. You'll never forget that you have it on you and would be hard-pressed to fit it into a pocket. That's especially true when it's fitted with the included square lens hood, which adds style points but has to be mounted on the adapter ring, adding a substantial amount of depth, substituting flair for flare.

Like the X100VI, the GFX100RF can be weather-sealed with an adapter ring and filter, though this too makes it bulkier. The hood can still be fitted to the adapter ring when the filter is installed.

The fixed lens

Fujifilm says it went with a 28mm equivalent for two reasons: to make the camera as compact as possible while also letting users shoot with relatively lower shutter speeds without the aid of IBIS or optical stabilization. That ability – which will largely depend on how still your hands and subject are – will come in handy given the lens' relatively slow F4 (F3.2 equiv) 9-blade aperture.

The lens is made up of 10 elements in 8 groups, with two aspherical lenses. It has a minimum focus distance of 20cm (7.9") and can accept 49mm filters when fitted with its adapter ring.

The fixed lens also allows the provision of a leaf shutter, allowing the GF to sync with flashes up to 1/2000 (technically, it can sync all the way up to 1/4000, but you risk cutting off some of the flashes' burst using such a brief exposure).

Aspect ratio dial

Looking at the back of the camera, the first thing that sticks out is the large dial above the screen. Its singular purpose is to let you apply various crops to your image, changing your JPEG's aspect ratio – and reducing how much of the sensor's area and resolution you're using.

There are nine options to choose from, and the camera gives you a few ways to preview your chosen aspect ratio. It can use black borders, a bounding box or raise the opacity of the portions of the image that will be cut off

Amusingly, the label for the XPan-emulating 65:24 aspect ratio is a bit too wide for the window; you can see the labels for neighboring aspect ratios peaking through.

There's also a "C" setting that lets you control the aspect ratio via one of the camera's command dials or the menus. If you decide you're unhappy with the crop after the fact, you can use the in-camera Raw reprocessing feature to change the aspect ratio, assuming you've been shooting in Raw + JPEG, as the camera maintains the full sensor Raw file and saves the intended crop as metadata.

Crop zoom 28mm equiv. 35mm equiv. 50mm equiv. 63mm equiv. GFX100RF | F9 | ISO 80 | 1/125

Photos: Mitchell Clark

In addition to its choice of aspect ratio crops, the GFX100RF has a crop mode that punches in to give the impression of using a longer lens. You physically control the crop using a toggle switch situated under the power switch and front control dial.

As always, cropping reduces the area of the sensor being used, meaning a reduction in resolution and of total light capture. This has a consequent reduction in tonal quality if viewed at the same scale as full-sensor images. The table below indicates the equivalent focal length that each of the crops gives, both with reference to the camera's 44 x 33mm sensor, which is how the camera reports the 'focal lengths' of the crops, and in terms of their full-frame equivalents for reference.

In 44x33 terms In 'full-frame' terms Effective focal length Crop Equivalent focal length
(vs full-frame) Crop factor Pixel count
(4:3) 35mm 1.00x 28mm equiv. 0.79x 102 MP 45mm 1.29x 35mm equiv. 1.00x 62 MP 63mm 1.81x 50mm equiv. 1.42x 31 MP 80mm 2.28x 63mm equiv. 1.79x 20 MP

As you can see, hitting the lever once essentially turns the camera into a "full-frame" camera with a 35mm F4 equiv lens, before dropping down to nearer APS-C and Four Thirds image quality.

As with the aspect ratio crops, the zoom is only applied to the JPEG, leaving your Raw untouched. You also have the same preview options, as well as the ability to have your chosen crop fill the screen, though doing so won't give you any context to what's outside of your frame.

You can remove the crop using the in-camera Raw reprocessing feature, though you can't select a different crop in-camera, though: it's the crop you shot the image with or the full sensor, only.

How It Compares

The fixed-lens camera market is small but has several strong competitors, especially if you're willing to spend this much money on one. Leica's Q3, with its high-resolution full-frame sensor and 28mm focal length, is the most obvious point of comparison, but Fujifilm's X100VI is also a potential competitor for those who prefer the 35mm field of view or want a substantially smaller, less expensive option.

We've also included the Hasselblad X2D, which has a similar sensor but with an interchangeable lens mount. The Fujifilm GFX 100 S II is perhaps a more direct competitor in both specs and price, but the Hasselblad's size and use of leaf shutter lenses prompted us to include it instead.

Fujifilm GFX100RF Leica Q3 Fujifilm X100VI Hasselblad X2D MSRP $4899 $6295 $1599 $8,199 Sensor 102MP medium format (Bayer) 60MP full-frame (Bayer) 40MP APS-C
(X-Trans) 100MP medium format (Bayer) Lens (full-frame equiv.) 28mm F3.1 28mm F1.7 35mm F3.1 Interchangeable - Hasselblad X mount Stabilization? No Optical IBIS / Optical IBIS Built-in ND? 4EV No 4EV No Weather sealing With included filter Yes With optional filter No Viewfinder res / mag 5.76M dot
0.84x equiv
OLED
electronic 5.76M dot
0.79x equiv
OLED
electronic 3.69M dot
0.66x equiv
OLED
electronic / optical 5.76M dot
1.00x equiv
OLED
electronic Video capture 4K/30p 8K/30p
4K/60p 6.2K/30p
4K/60p None Rear screen 3.2" tilting

3" tilting

3" tilting 3.6" tilting Storage formats 2x UHS-II SD,
external SSD 1x UHS-II SD 1x UHS-1 SD 1TB internal, CFexpress Type B Flash sync speed 1/4000 s 1/2000 s 1/4000 s up to 1/4000 s* Battery life
(CIPA) 820 shots 350 shots 420 shots 420 shots Dimensions 134 x 90 x 77mm 130 x 80 x 93mm 128 x 75 x 55 mm 149 x 106 x 75mm Weight 735g (25.9oz) 743g (26.2oz) 521g (18.4oz) 895g (31.6oz) *Flash sync speed is lens-dependent

The GFX100RF's sensor may appear to be in a class above many of its fixed-lens peers, and in good light, we'd expect its larger sensor to give it a proportionate image quality advantage.

But it's worth considering raw light-gathering ability if low-light shooting is a big concern for you. Wide-open, the Q3's much faster lens gives it a 1.7EV potential advantage despite its smaller sensor, and there are lenses substantially faster than F4 available for the X2D (though they do come at significant expense). Even the APS-C-equipped X100VI* can gather a bit more light per-whole-image than the GFX can in its 35mm crop mode.

While the difference in focal length is a deal-breaker for some photographers, those who like 35mm equiv may find that Fujifilm's smaller offering provides a more engaging shooting experience thanks to its standout hybrid viewfinder – the GFX100RF, meanwhile, has a good but otherwise standard EVF. It's also the only camera in this lineup without any form of stabilization, which further reduces its capability as light level drops, even if you take into account the reduced risk of shake from its leaf shutter.

*It's impossible to mention the X100VI without acknowledging that, over a year after its announcement, it's still extremely hard to get. Persistent stock issues mean you'll have to be patient or willing to pay a reseller a substantial premium over MSRP if you want one.

Body and Handling

The GFX100RF is relatively wide and boxy, though a small grip helps make it easier to hold. While it's undoubtedly large for a fixed-lens camera, it's not particularly heavy, making it easy to tote around all day.

The rear touchscreen display can be tilted up and down, though not left and right, as with some of Fujifilm's other cameras. The EVF is bright and crisp, making it easy to compose your shot.

From the top, the family resemblance to the X100VI is obvious. Though that top plate sits on an appreciably larger camera.

The GFX100RF is brimming with controls. There are two programmable command dials: a knurled barrel on the front and a conventional dial in the back, with the rear one being clickable to cycle through functions. There's also a dedicated exposure compensation dial and autofocus mode control.

Shutter speed and ISO control share a dial, with the latter requiring you to pull up on the bezel before rotating. The lens has an aperture ring, which includes an automatic setting and two opposed nubs that make it easy to turn.

On the left of this shot, top-to-bottom are the camera's power switch, the barrel-style front command dial and the 'digital teleconverter' toggle at the bottom. To the right is the front plate lever (designed to look like the self-time control on a film camera). This can be flicked in either direction to access two functions or held in either direction to access two more.

Also fixed in function is the zoom toggle on the front, as well as the aspect ratio dial; neither can be reconfigured. The lever on the front plate, however, is entirely customizable, and you can assign up to four functions to it, as it can differentiate between a flick and a pull and hold. The latter action takes around three seconds to activate. It also has a customizable button in the center.

The Q button, which by default brings up a customizable, on-screen control panel, is on the edge of the grip, which makes it difficult to press without adjusting your hand. This sort of placement makes a bit of sense on smaller cameras where there's nowhere else to put it, but is baffling on a camera that has so much room on the back. Also hard to hit while using the camera is the small, unlabeled button on the top plate right above the exposure compensation dial, which can be customized. As with many of Fujifilm's cameras, you can also have up to four settings that are controllable by swiping up, down, left or right on the touchscreen.

You can also use the touchscreen to position the autofocus point, though the camera has a dedicated joystick for that purpose.

The dual UHS-II SD card slots live on the right-hand side of the camera, while a door on the left opens up to reveal headphone and microphone sockets, the USB-C port, and a micro-HDMI port.

Battery

The GFX100RF uses the 16Wh NP-W235 battery, the same that powers cameras like the GFX 100 II or X-T5. It's rated to get 820 shots in its normal mode, which is a frankly stunning performance. We consider ratings – which rarely reflect the number of shots most people get but rather act as a standard benchmark to measure cameras against each other – of around 400 shots or more to be sufficient for a heavy weekend of shooting, and the GFX100RF almost doubles that figure.

Initial Impressions

By Mitchell Clark

Sometimes, it's just nice to see a swing for the fences. To an extent, the GFX100RF is a variation on the X100-series' winning formula, though the changes it brings may mean it's destined to be a cult classic rather than an immediate blockbuster. It has a different focal length – Fujifilm's 28mm fixed lens cameras historically haven't set the world on fire – isn't quite as pretty, doesn't have the hybrid viewfinder, comes in a much larger body and, of course, has a much larger price tag.

It's also a camera with plenty of quirks, though that could make it more appealing to a certain audience. The biggest are the two non-programmable controls, the zoom toggle and the aspect ratio dial. There is a cleverness to the former in that, in conjunction with the medium format sensor, it adds back a little bit of the flexibility fixed-lens cameras usually give up. It's not only a 102MP camera with a 28mm equiv. lens, but also effectively a 62MP full-frame camera with a 35mm lens, a 31MP ∼APS-C camera with a 50mm equiv. lens, and a Four Thirds-ish camera with a 63mm equiv. lens.

As fans of the RX1 series are likely to attest, a fixed lens camera with the a7R V's sensor and a 35mm lens could certainly be attention-grabbing. In some ways, the GFX100RF can become that with the flick of a switch – or, at least, a version of that with a lens that's substantially slower than what you'd normally find on a fixed-lens camera.

Fujifilm says it went with an F4 lens to make the camera as small as it could. And indeed, the GFX100RF isn't all that much larger than some of the company's ASP-C cameras, though it certainly weighs more.

That's where the camera's footing starts to wobble a bit. With the zoom and aspect ratio choices each cropping into the sensor, you're utilizing less and less of the light-gathering ability you paid so dearly for. The chart below shows just how much you're giving up: using an admittedly extreme aspect ratio and crop, you can get down to a 9MP image from a 19x7mm region of the sensor. The lack of sensor or optical stabilization also means that, even when utilizing the whole sensor, you have to be cognizant of lighting conditions and shutter speed if you want sharp images.

Aspect ratio 28mm equiv. 35mm equiv. 50mm equiv. 63mm equiv. 4:3 102MP
44x33mm 62MP
34x26mm 31MP
24x18mm 20MP
19x14mm

3:2

90MP
44x29mm 55MP
34x23mm 28MP
24x16mm 17MP
19x13mm 16:9 76MP
44x25mm 46MP
34x19mm 23MP
24x14mm 15MP
19x11mm

65:24

50MP
44x16mm 30MP
34x13mm 15MP
24x9mm 10MP
19x7mm 17:6 48MP
44x16mm 29MP
34x12mm 15MP
24x9mm 9MP
19x7mm 3:4 57MP
25x33mm 35MP
19x26mm 18MP
14x18mm 11MP
11x14mm 1:1 76MP
33x33mm 46MP
26x26mm 23MP
18x18mm 15MP
14x14mm 7:6 89MP
38x33mm 54MP
30x26mm 27MP
21x18mm 17MP
17x14mm 5:4 95MP
41x33mm 58MP
32x26mm 29MP
23x18mm 18MP
18x24mm Shaded to show highest resultions (dark) to lower resolutions (light)

Realistically, though, none of that is really what this camera is about. It's about being an object that proves to yourself and others that you are a 'Photographer' and about giving you direct control over the image-making process. And, yes, it's about being able to create some gorgeous, high-resolution shots while still having the freedom to crop away that resolution if it fits your vision.

In some ways, this camera feels like peak Fujifilm. It's a culmination of everything the company has been doing for the last few years, with its physical controls for the camera's key features and focus on creating the image you want in-camera without the need to crop or color grade in an external program. It's also one of the most photo-focused releases we've seen from the company in a while. Because while it has the same video capabilities as the GFX 100S II, in this instance, they almost feel vestigial; the company isn't really talking about them because that's not what this camera is about.

We'll have to wait until we can get our hands on a production model to fully evaluate its autofocus and image quality performance, but one thing is already clear: this camera is anything but boring.

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Yuji Igarashi, Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group, holding the GFX100RF on stage.

Photo: Mitchell Clark

Fujifilm has announced the GFX100RF, a fixed-lens medium format camera, at its X Summit event in Prague. It uses a 102MP sensor, paired with the X-Processor 5 chip found in the rest of the company's lineup and a 35mm (28mm equiv.) F4 lens with a leaf shutter – a first for the GFX lineup.

Read our GFX100RF initial review

The company says it's the "most compact and lightweight" model in the GFX series. It comes in at 735g, which is slightly lighter than the GFX50R, which weighs 775g. It also says the "RF" stands for "Rangefinder style Fixed lens." The emphasis is on style – the camera doesn't feature an actual optical passthrough window, but instead uses a 5.76M dot EVF with 0.84x magnification – the same found on the GFX100 S II. There's also a 3.2" LCD, with a redesigned user interface to match the 3:2 aspect ratio.

The lens gives a 28mm equiv. field of view.

Image: Fujifilm

The company says it designed the 35mm F4 lens with compactness in mind, trying to keep the unit small despite the large sensor it has to cover. The lens doesn't have any optical image stabilization, and the sensor is also unstabilized. The leaf shutter allows you to sync flash "at any shutter speed," according to the company. The camera also features a built-in ND filter.

The top plate is made out of aluminum, and the company says it tried to make the camera feel even more luxurious than the X100VI, giving the controls a "precise and tactile feel." The camera will be available in black and silver finishes.

On stage, Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group Yuji Igarashi said the camera is "a combination of two things: our cutting-edge technology and our history of film cameras." The camera features a dial for controlling your aspect ratio, simulating the shooting experience from several of the company's film cameras, and letting you shoot images in 1:1 and even 65:24.

Image: Fujifilm

The camera also features a lever to control the "digital teleconverter," letting you crop in to several different focal lengths in-camera: 45 (35mm equiv.), 63 (50mm equiv.), and 80mm (63mm equiv.).

The company says the GFX100RF's autofocus algorithms are specifically "tuned" for it.

Fujifilm also says that it's developing a "workflow online using encryption technology" that will help you check the Content Credentials of an image, verifying that it's authentic, though it's currently still in the testing phase. The company joined the C2PA and CAI content authentication organizations in 2024.

The camera will be available in April and will cost $5,499 Euro, inclusive of VAT. In the US, it'll retail for $4,899 before sales tax.

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This summit's "one more thing" announcement was a look at the GFX Eterna cinema camera.

Image: Fujifilm

During the event, the company also revealed that some of the footage from its announcement video was shot with its upcoming GFX Eterna cinema camera. Yuji Igarashi confirmed that the camera is still on track to launch by the end of the year, as originally announced.

Today seems to be the day for teasers, with March 26 shaping up as the day for announcements. Canon just shared a teaser suggesting two new cameras coming on March 26, and now Sony has shared a mysterious YouTube video teasing a new camera also coming on the same date.

The video is short and has very little information. Typical of teaser content, the camera is heavily cloaked in shadow. It primarily reveals the sensor and lens mount, along with a "Go small, shoot big" tagline. The first part of that phrase suggests a smaller form factor. The "shoot big" portion, though, along with the view of the lens mount, gives away that it is an interchangeable lens camera.

The rest of the video doesn't provide much other than a button labeled "5" and a 3.5mm jack. The video caption simply states, "Be ready for the announcement of a new product," and provides the announcement time as March 26th at 10:00 EDT / 14:00 GMT / 22:00 CST / 23:00 JST.

It seems likely that the announcement is for a cinema-style camera, in the vein of the FX6, Burano, or Venice. The video was posted on Threads by Sony's Cine account, with hashtags like "videoproduction," "filmmaking" and "cinematography."

Naturally, the comment section is full of guesses. Many are speculating that it could be the FX3 II or FX6 II, while a few think it could be the a6900. Luckily, the announcement is only a week away, so the answer will be revealed soon.

Image: Canon

Canon posted a teaser across its social media channels, promising that something is coming soon. The post features two cameras shrouded in shadow, with a large "V" between them and the date March 26. "In one week, a new chapter begins! We promise it's worth the wait," says the Instagram caption. "Subscribe to our YouTube channel at the link in our bio to be among the first to know!"

Of course, as a teaser, details are minimal. But the photo does provide some worthwhile details. One of the cameras is less hidden in shadow than the other, revealing a bit more. It looks remarkably like the Canon PowerShot V1, which was recently released in Asia during CP+. You can even make out the 8.2-25.6mm lens, which is what the V1 features. So, it seems like a safe bet to guess that we will see a broader release of the new compact vlogging camera.

The second camera, though, is much darker. Even when brightened, it doesn't reveal any additional details. However, the giant "V" in the image suggests that both cameras will fall in the company's V series of vlogging and creator cameras. It looks to be only slightly larger than the PowerShot V1, though the lens seems quite a bit larger than the V1's. It's hard to tell if it's another fixed-lens compact or if it could be an interchangeable lens system for vloggers.

Luckily, the announcement is only a week away, so we don't need to wait much longer to find out what Canon is hinting at.

2012's XF1 was just one of a range of high-end compacts Fujifilm produced in the past.

Photo: DPReview.com

In our interview with Yuji Igarashi, Fujifilm's Divisional Manager, Professional Imaging Group, he seems to hint at more affordable models, aimed at first-time photographers.

"I think now that cameras have become quite expensive, that’s maybe why young people are going to second-hand cameras for their first camera," he says: "I think maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras."

"Maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras"

The public awareness generated by the X100V and VI puts them in a good position, he suggests: "We’re getting a lot of interest from the younger generation. The younger generation and also a more female audience. Because in the past it was a more male-dominated industry."

"That's an opportunity for expansion: the younger generation, both male and female."

This audience isn't necessarily familiar with cameras, he suggests: "I think you know many people are the first-time buyers of cameras, so I think that's a huge difference. People who were coming to our system maybe five or ten years ago had experience in shooting with other cameras and then starting with X-series, whereas now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life, so they’re comparing their experience to smartphones, rather than comparing to other cameras."

"Now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life"

"To be honest, we’re still trying to figure out what is the right camera. Of course many young people are interested in X100, X-M5, X-T30 and even X-T5 so they’re quite diverse: we can’t really categorize that audience."

But, he hinted, addressing this audience might mean an expansion beyond its existing models. "They want what’s right for them," he says: "it’s not like there’ll be one camera that’s right for everyone."

"I think [X100VI] has helped raise awareness of other X-series cameras," says Igarashi

Photo: Richard Butler

Could be compact

Could there be room in Fujifilm's lineup for a compact camera, again, we wondered. "I think there is demand for compact cameras," says Igarashi.

"I think that smartphones have actually helped people get into photography because everybody takes pictures. So I think there's potential for compact cameras."

The younger generations' relationship with photos is different from their established users, he suggests: "When young people now take a picture and then look back at a picture they took maybe 10, 15 years ago, it may look almost exactly the same because image quality has remained very good."

"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique"

"So they’ve never experienced this kind of nostalgia in their images. I think second-hand compact cameras are perhaps unique because the images look kind of old and the body looks old and gives this nostalgic feeling to it."

"For my generation, when we were children we had film cameras: we already experienced that, so it’s not a new thing for us, but it’s a new thing for a younger generation."

"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique, and provides a unique experience for the users."

Must be engaging

Experience, is a critical consideration Igarashi says: "I think that the shooting experience is probably the most important thing that distinguishes smartphones," he says: "For our cameras, at least."

"I think that experience is what young people are looking for: the fact that you’re intentionally capturing this moment in time, the way you want to capture it."

"Smartphones can be a great tool, but I think there’s more emotion you can add by using a camera to capture the scene."

Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.

Fujifilm's Makoto Oishi and Yuji Igarashi at the company's booth at CP+ 2025.

Photo: Dale Baskin

Fujifilm is still committed to both the X-Pro and X-E lines, says Yuji Igarashi, Divisional Manager of its Professional Imaging Group, as we discussed the future of those cameras, the challenges of autofocus and addressing the X100VI backlog.

X100VI backlog

Igarashi was keen to explain how the X100VI has ended up back-ordered and clear-up the mistaken impression that the shortages are intentional.

"The number of pre-orders on Day One was so big that some people have been waiting for a year," he acknowledges: "It was an extraordinary volume of orders and, of course, we're doing our best to catch up with that. We've been shipping consistently, and we continue to do our best."

"We've increased our production of X100VI quite a lot," he says. To put it in context, he tries to give an idea of how they got caught off-guard: "if you look at the X100 series’ history, we’ve had five cameras preceding this camera and we've already sold in a year what they would have sold in three or four years."

"We've already sold in a year what they would have sold in three or four"

Ramping-up production is harder for a camera like the X100VI, he says: "Generally speaking, a premium product is more difficult to produce. For example, the top plate of X100VI, you can see the sharp edges are made from aluminum, and it goes through many processes like stamping and milling, and filling in the colored details. So, it's not like you can simply increase production, quickly. But of course, we will continue to do our best to make a camera available to everyone who wants one. "

Autofocus concerns

Igarashi also said he recognized the concerns some users and reviews have expressed about autofocus.

"I don't think we are at the point where I can say, ‘Ok, this is good enough and we’re not going to do any more', he says: "So even today, we're working on making improvements."

"Of course, we always continue to improve our autofocus and also we are aware that we have room to improve as well. And so we’re making a continuous effort."

"We are aware that we have room to improve... so we’re making a continuous effort"

One aspect is that the evolution and expansion of the X-series is exposing their cameras to new photographic challenges, he says: "Picking up the X100 autofocus, and then using an X-H with a telephoto prime lens and trying to capture wildlife is a completely different story."

"Of course we know that shooting wildlife or sports is not our bread and butter: it’s not what we’ve been doing for years, and that’s what we’ve been learning as we create these longer lenses. We’ve been expanding our field of photography as we’ve been expanding our lens lineup."

"The areas we’re used to, I think we’re better at, and the new areas we’re expanding into, those are both the spaces we think we have room to improve."

On X-Pro and X-E

"Our plan hasn't changed, we still plan to launch a successor to X-Pro3, but we don’t have a date, yet. And X-E of course, too. We haven’t abandoned the line either."

But, especially in the light of what he'd said about a younger audience, we wondered whether it was likely that the X-E series would return to its more enthusiast-focused roots, given how much the X-T series has now expanded to address that audience.

"We’re always considering what's right, so it's never fixed," he says: "I think we look into every product, not just X-E. There’s nothing that’s perfect, which is totally unchangeable: it’s something we consider every time we come up with the next version."

There are limits to this, he suggests: "I think everybody would be surprised if it wasn’t rangefinder style," he jokes.

"Some people really liked the latest X-E"

But, he says, it's impossible for one product to serve everyone: "Some people really liked the latest X-E we had: X-E4, but some did not, so while we can’t make everyone similarly happy, we try to come up with the best possible solutions. We try to listen to the latest feedback and make improvements from there."

Jun Watanabe, Product Planning Manager, explained the sorts of users they will be building the next X-E for: "They love the rangefinder style, and they don’t have a specific shooting subject [in mind]," he says: "They love daily life photography [and using X-E] as a snap camera." Importantly, "they love the style and the design," he confirms.

The future of photo-focused cameras

Existing photographers shouldn't be alarmed at the company's efforts to broaden their appeal, Igarashi stresses. If anything, the broadening product line lets each camera be a bit more focused: "I think improving cameras for photographers is very much possible. Very small things, but for example, because we have more hybrid cameras like the X-H, that's allowed us to make the X-T5 screen a tilting screen instead of flip out screen. We can probably separate our cameras more between stills and hybrid models."

"We just need to be mindful of who the audience is, and how to provide the right fit for those people."

Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.

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

Viltrox has announced that its highly regarded AF 135mm F1.8 Lab lens is now available for Nikon Z-mount. The lens was initially released last fall for E-mount, offering a much more affordable prime portrait lens alternative to Sony's FE 135mm F1.8 GM lens. Now, Nikon users will have a budget-friendly version of Nikon's 135mm F1.8 S Plena.

The Viltrox Lab lineup is the third-party lens maker's high-end series, offering flagship quality and more premium features than its other series of lenses. As a result, Viltrox promises edge-to-edge sharpness in the 135mm F1.8 Lab. The E-mount version has received excellent reviews for the quality it provides, especially for the price, and the Z-mount model should be the same, given that the mount is the only difference between the two.

The lens uses the Viltrox HyperVCM motor for autofocus, which Viltrox claims offers 150% faster autofocus than traditional STM motors. It says the lens will provide 100ms near to far focus point switching for fast yet smooth transitions. It also promises silent autofocus with minimal focus breathing, making it a worthy lens for video purposes. It offers a 0.72m (2.4') minimum focusing distance with 0.25x maximum magnification, roughly the same as Sony's 135mm and slightly closer than Nikon's Plena lens.

Image: Viltrox

The AF 135mm F1.8 Lab features an 11-blade aperture diaphragm for attractive bokeh. The optical design is comprised of 14 elements in 9 groups, which include four ED low-dispersion lenses and two high-refractive-index elements. It's made to be durable, with a dustproof and splash-resistant design and magnesium alloy barrel.

Like the E-mount version, it features a small screen on the top of the lens that can be customized to show relevant information. The lens also offers an AF/MF switch and an aperture de-click switch. A multifunction ring enables adjustable function modes such as aperture adjustment, exposure compensation or ISO control on Nikon cameras. Finally, a USB-C port allows for firmware updates.

One of the tradeoffs for the budget price is more weight. 135mm prime lenses aren't known for being very lightweight, but the Viltrox lens is an especially hefty offering. At 1265g (2.8lbs), it is a bit heavier than the Nikon 135mm F1.8 S Plena, which weighs 995g (2.2lbs). Saving money, in this case, means added weight.

The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 Lab lens for Nikon Z-mount is available now on the Viltrox website for $854, which is a temporary discount from its $899 price.

Buy now: $854 at Viltrox

Photo: Google

Google has announced its latest budget smartphone, the Pixel 9a, which does away with the iconic camera bar by making the cameras smaller. The tech giant claims the new model offers an ideal balance of features and price. Despite that, the team acknowledged that the camera is what draws people to the Pixel lineup, so Google says it aimed to provide quality image-making features on the budget-focused device, claiming it is the best camera in its class.

Resolution Sensor size Aperture Field of view Wide rear camera 48MP Type 1/2
(6.4 x 4.8 mm) F1.7 82°
(25mm equiv) Ultra wide rear camera 13MP Type 1/3.1
(5.0 x 3.7mm) F2.2 120°
(12.5mm equiv) Front camera 13MP Type 1/3
(4.7 x 3.4mm) F2.2 96.1°
(∼19mm equiv)

Like the Pixel 8a, the 9a features a wide-angle main camera and an ultra-wide. Those who want a dedicated telephoto camera will need to upgrade to the Pro lineup of Pixel phones. While the dual camera layout remains consistent, Google opted for a different main camera sensor in the new model. Instead of the 64MP wide-angle main camera on the 8a, the 9a uses the same 48MP Quad PD Dual Pixel sensor as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Main camera resolution Main camera sensor size Main camera aperture Main camera field of view Pixel 8a 64MP Type 1/1.7
(7.3 x 5.5mm) F1.89 80°
(26mm equiv) Pixel 9a 48MP Type 1/2
(6.4 x 4.8 mm) F1.7 82°
(25mm equiv)

This move to a smaller effective sensor is interesting since it's a bit of a downgrade from the 8a in terms of resolution, sensor size and aperture. Granted, due to pixel binning – the process of combining adjacent pixels together to function as a larger pixel – the dip in resolution isn't quite as significant as it may initially seem. The Pixel 8a typically produces 16MP images, while the main camera of Pixel 9a uses pixel binning to produce 12MP images.

Even though the difference isn't massive, it is still less, and it's not typical to see lower resolution in a newer model. This, combined with the slightly smaller sensor and aperture, means the computational photography and processing will need to work that much harder.

While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing.

While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing. Those computational photography tools involve image processing for every image you take in the standard camera modes, along with some specialized options currently found on the Pixel 9 Pro.

One such feature is the Macro Focus setting, which is coming to a-series phones for the first time. This mode allows users to get as close as 2cm (0.8") to create pseudo-macro images or videos without a dedicated macro lens. It uses AI to detect when you are close to a subject and automatically switches to the main lens (due to its higher resolution) and macro focus setting instead of requiring a manual switch to a macro mode.

The Pixel 9a's main camera also provides optical and electronic image stabilization, though the ultra-wide rear and selfie camera do not. The main camera uses Google's Super Res Zoom, a form of digital zoom that relies on software and machine learning algorithms to crop and upscale, offering up to 8x magnification. It's no replacement for dedicated telephoto cameras, but it is better than nothing.

As we've seen with other Pixel phones, there are plenty of AI-based editing tools at play on the 9a. Google AI promises the ability to fix blurry images with Photo Unblur. The Magic Editor can automatically crop your image for you or expand the image to invent what's beyond the edges of the frame, much like you can in Photoshop. The Reimagine tool in Magic Editor can even completely change the image using AI, such as making grass green or adding entirely new items to a photo to change the scene.

Image: Google

Of course, the most obvious change with the 9a is the new design that ditches the protruding "camera bar" that has become synonymous with Pixel phones, in favor of a flatter design. Google says this design is inspired by "nature and water droplets," which seems like a stretch, but it is certainly more minimal. It's also slightly more durable than previous models, with a bump from IP67 to IP68 protection and a new scratch-resistant Actua display.

The Pixel 9a steps up to the Tensor G4 chipset, which is the same chip that's in the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It also features the largest battery in the a-series, promising up to 30 hours of battery life or 100 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. When it needs a charge, the phone supports fast charging and wireless charging. Google has also promised seven years of OS and security updates, prolonging the life of the phone.

Image: Google

The Pixel 9a will be available for purchase beginning in April for $500. It comes in 128GB or 256GB storage capacities and is available in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony and Iris (the black, cream, pink and blue colors pictured above).

A still shot from Zafra's timelapse of the event.

Photo: Dan Zafra

Capturing the total lunar eclipse is special enough, but one photographer took things to the next level. Dan Zafra saw the forecast for a period of high solar activity during last week's lunar eclipse and traveled from his Las Vegas home to the Alaskan Arctic to capture the rare event.

Aurora trips are typically best with a new moon because it ensures the darkest possible skies, enhancing the aurora's visibility. This time was an exception, though the eclipse yielded a similar result. "The total lunar eclipse meant that the Moon would darken, allowing the northern lights to shine even brighter," Zafra said.

Photo: Dan Zafra

Getting the timing and location right was a significant challenge, Zafra said. He had to calculate where to be to ensure both the Moon and potential aurora were in the same composition. Location scouting was part of this process, though the subzero temperatures added to the challenge. He finally settled on a frozen lake south of Fairbanks, Alaska, which offered an unobstructed horizon.

The weather made things challenging the night of the event, too. Zafra had to contend with -23°C (-10°F) temperatures, requiring he switch between thin glove liners for dexterity and thicker gloves to keep feeling in his fingers. Cold temperatures also drain batteries quickly. He kept spares in his jacket, swapping them out as needed. He says he used six batteries in total between his three cameras.

Adding to the difficulty was the predictably unpredictable aurora. "At one point, my timelapse framing was completely off—the aurora surged higher in the sky than I expected," Zafra said. "I had to quickly reframe the shot mid-sequence, all while monitoring my other cameras."

Photo: Dan Zafra

Despite the challenges, Zafra managed to capture multiple shots of the event. A telephoto image, created using a 400mm telephoto lens on a Benro Polaris start tracker, enabled a close-up view to show detail on the surface of the Moon. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a 20mm wide-angle lens allowed him to capture a wide view of the entire scene, showing how grand the aurora was. He also created a timelapse of the event to show it all in motion, which you can see below.

Due to the extreme contrast between the Moon and the surrounding aurora, the final images involved some post-processing. Zafra says he bracketed multiple exposures during the shoot. He then used PixInsight to extract details from the Moon and Photoshop to blend them together with the aurora background. The wide-angle image required less editing, with a single exposure for the Moon and one for the landscape. The timelapse was processed with LRtimelapse.

Zafra says that of all of the images he captured that night, the telephoto shot is his favorite. "I’ve seen countless lunar eclipses and auroras separately, but never like this," he said. "It was as if the entire sky was working together to put on a show."

You can see more behind-the-scenes content and more of Zafra's incredible work on his Instagram page or website.

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

As part of our ongoing review of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII, we shot our standard test scene, to see how its sensor performs.

We're moving to a pattern of shooting test scenes together in batches, rather than risking delays to reviews, but the S1RII is a camera built around a sensor we've not seen before, so we rushed it straight into our studio to see how it performs.

Click here to read our initial review of the Panasonic S1RII

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

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

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

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

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

Dynamic range:

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

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

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

Summary

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

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It does this while being fast enough to deliver 8K footage at an acceptable rate (though not great by video camera standards), despite taking the unusual step of using a slower, 13-bit readout mode, which should give it a DR edge over its peers. We'll be looking more closely at that in the coming weeks. But on the stills side of things, the S1RII seems to be built on predictably firm foundations.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

As a tech journalist and photography educator, I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a variety of cameras. While each differs somewhat regarding menu systems, button placement and ergonomics, they are mostly subtle differences that haven't drastically altered my shooting style or process. That was not the story with the Nikon Zf, though, which surprised me by how much it changed the way I photograph.

The Nikon Zf has been available since October 2023, but I only recently had a chance to use it for the first time. As someone who learned photography on film (with a Pentax K1000, to be precise) and still shoots film, I have admired the camera's looks since it was first announced. I'm a sucker for that vintage film camera vibe, after all. Plus, I like having physical dials for my exposure settings, mainly for nostalgia.

My first time using the Zf was on a hike. It was a last-minute decision to bring it, so I didn't put any thought into using it instead of my trusty Sony a7 III. I knew the physical dials would change how I interacted with the camera and assumed there would be an adjustment period, but that was all. I certainly didn't set out with the intention of using the camera differently or think that my fundamental process would change. I simply tossed the Zf in my backpack as I would any other camera and set off.

Almost immediately, though, I noticed that the way I interacted with the camera was altered. In many ways, it felt much more like using a film SLR than a mirrorless camera. For starters, I exclusively used the viewfinder, not the rear display, to compose my images. That hasn't been the case since I switched to mirrorless many years ago.

The more significant change, though, was that my process slowed down.

The more significant change, though, was that my process slowed down, and I was much more selective about what I took photos of. On that hike, I took less than half of the images I typically take on a hike of a similar distance. Of course, some of this could be attributed to the location and general mood that day, but I was also distinctly aware of a shift in my mindset.

When I take photos during hikes with my Sony, I snap away. I pay attention to composition and subject matter, but it's often a more rushed process. I'm willing to take a handful of shots to get the composition or exposure right instead of slowing down and getting one shot that does what I want. I even take quite a few photos while still walking and not looking closely at the display. With the Zf, though, I was much more intentional about getting the composition where I wanted it in the first frame. I also didn't take photos at all unless I was excited about the scene, and I didn't take any frames while walking.

Photo: Abby Ferguson

Overall, using the Zf was much more reminiscent of how I shoot with film when I have limited frames to work with, and each one costs a dollar or so. Whether it was the physical dials and their placement that made me slow down, the vintage design that tricked my brain into thinking I was shooting film or a combination of the two, I'm not sure. But it was truly surprising how a very modern mirrorless camera could shift my process so dramatically.

Of course, Nikon isn't the only camera company offering vintage design and dedicated control dials. It wasn't even the first. This design choice has been a trend in recent years, and cameras from other companies could indeed provide the same effect.

No matter what the cause, the Zf brought back a sense of mindfulness to my photography that I had missed when shooting with digital cameras. In fact, I recently came back to shooting film after years away because I missed the push to slow down. Whether or not this change is sustainable as I keep using the camera remains to be seen. It could also be that I can put that mindset into practice with other cameras without control dials now that I am more cognizant of the change. No matter what, it was a refreshing change that certainly made me more aware of my approach and how different tools can shape my process.

Image: SmallRig

When Canon released the R5, a common talking point was the camera's tendency to overheat when recording video. Canon improved those problems with the R5 Mark II, but all cameras overheat at some point, especially when recording long takes in high resolutions. To help cool things down, SmallRig has adapted its Cooling Fan, originally designed for Sony cameras, to work with the Canon R5 Mark II and R5.

The SmallRig Cooling Fan is more than just a basic fan. It features multiple layers to efficiently pull heat away from the camera body, including a silicone thermal conductive gel, a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) component and an aluminum alloy heat sink. The fan blades sit on top of those layers to blow away the camera's heat. The fan offers two levels: A Cool Mode with a 4500 RPM fan speed for quieter operation and an Ice-Cold Mode with a stronger 7000 RPM fan speed.

SmallRig claims that at 40°C (104°F), the fan can increase shooting time by 30% for 8K 30p recording. It also claims that when shooting 4K 60p at 25°C (77°F), the fan can completely prevent shutdowns from overheating.

The Cooling Fan is easy to use with quick snap-on installation. No tools are required, so users can pop it on or take it off as needed. There are some potential downsides, though. First, it attaches where the screen folds, so you have to operate the camera with the screen folded out. Additionally, it lacks a built-in battery, requiring an external power source via a 5V USB input. It is compatible with the SmallRig V-mount battery ecosystem, though, making it a convenient option for those already invested in SmallRig products.

While SmallRig made this version specifically for the Canon R5 and R5 Mark II, it is compatible with Sony cameras as well. SmallRig designed the fan's bracket to be removable so it can be switched back and forth if needed. It is available for purchase today for $60 through SmallRig's website.

Buy now: $60 at SmallRig

Ricoh's Mayumi Ueda, Kazunobu Saiki, Shigeru Wakashiro and Ryutaro Aratama

"We don't just want to focus on the results of photography: we want people to enjoy the photography process," says Kazunobu Saiki, general manager of the Ricoh Camera Business Division.

We spoke at the recent CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan, where he told us about the challenges of DSLRs, the reaction to reviving film, the future of the GR series and why they're not particularly focused on video.

"We have to put our resources into making sure supply catches up with that demand. That's the first priority as a brand"

"The total number of compact cameras has largely decreased over the years," Saiki says, "but for unique products, which can attract the creative people, especially from the younger generation, I believe the market trend is to increase." He's referring to the prospects for models such as the WG waterproof series and the GR APS-C compact: "GR users, globally, are increasing."

In fact demand for GR is so high that the company has found it difficult to build enough.

"Thanks to increased demand for the GR series, there's a slight shortage of supply on a worldwide basis. So we have to put our resources into making sure supply catches up with that demand. That's the first priority as a brand, we believe."

The market for DSLRs

The DSLR market is rather more challenging, Saiki says: "New product sales [of DSLRs] are still in rapid decline in comparison to the huge emerging market of mirrorless. But we do believe there is a still a certain group of DSLR lovers."

"A lot of DSLR users still exist, but they're use their existing DSLR, which they bought a long time ago. Also the second-hand market of DSLRs is really booming."

"If we only count new product sales numbers it looks like the user is rapidly disappearing, but we don't assume in that way. We believe there's a group of DSLR lovers who still want to see real light, right through their lenses. And also want to enjoy the handling of the DSLR shooting experience."

"We believe there's a group of DSLR lovers who still want to see real light, right through their lenses"

"We know the second-hand marker for Pentax interchangeable lenses. But one of the reasons is that some people have sold their DSLR systems and moved to mirrorless. This has happened with all the brands."

"But we have a lot of very specialized lenses, such as the Limited and Star series lenses, and we appreciate that a lot of users still like to purchase these as a new products."

"We will carefully research the market and then listen to our users and DSLR fans," says Saiki. "Then we'll draw our business roadmap."

The revival of film

Saiki says it's too early to say what lessons can be learned from the Pentax 17 film camera. "I think there's two ways to evaluate it," says Saiki: "In terms of brand value, I think it was good sense to release the Pentax 17, as the first new film camera fifteen or twenty years after the industry discontinued them."

"We wanted to show to smartphone users what the basis of photography is. In that sense, the Pentax 17 played a very good role in saying what Pentax stands for."

"On the business side the contribution of film cameras has been smaller than the GR business. It's not the same size as GR."

This doesn't automatically rule out future film models, Saiki suggests: "If we can generate more interest in film photography, we can consider how we could make a product group. Now is not the time to consider that, though because we have only just released the first film camera in fifteen years. We need time to communicate with our users and find out what they appreciate or were disappointed by. We need sufficient time to evaluate the usage of Pentax 17."

The future of the GR series

The Ricoh GR III was launched back in 2018 but a revival in interest in compact cameras has seen demand outstrip supply.

Photo: Barnaby Britton

However, Saiki says, sometimes user feedback can be hard to respond to; something they're finding in the process of planning a future GR model.

"Compactness, high image quality and responsiveness are the core of the GR brand, along with evolution, so everyone looks for improvements in these three areas. So we have to think about how to evolve from here."

'We have conducted a lot of research in many countries. A lot of research tells us many users request built-in flash and that they are using small flashes, including 3rd party products, because we dropped the flash feature between GR II and GR III. So we know that a lot of people want flash, if it can be packed into the very small size of the GR III."

"These things are in conflict, though. Because people want improvements in all three areas, plus flash. If we want to make the image quality better, the body might become bigger, or if we use a more powerful processor to improve the speed and responsiveness, that would require a bigger battery, but the battery endurance should also be longer. "

"But we know the requests from the users," he says.

The demand for a GR Mono

We ask whether he believes there's any potential interest in a monochrome GR model.

"The K-3 Mark III Monochrome got a nice reaction from users. To be frank, more than our expectations. We knew from the Leica M9 or M11 that there were certain photographers who love real monochrome cameras, and the K-3 Mark III has maybe caught some of this demand."

"We know that a lot of GR users are already using the monochrome filter modes on that camera. And one of the symbolic photographers who uses GR is Daido Moriyama, who's famous for monochrome photography."

"Our research says a lot of GR users are waiting for the release of a monochrome compact camera"

"I've visited local GR fan events all over the world and I've observed many times people using Leica monochrome cameras or the K-3 Mark III Monochrome alongside their GR."

"Our research says a lot of GR users are waiting for the release of a monochrome compact camera. Of course that dedicated number is smaller than for other products. But at the moment there's only Leica, which is extremely expensive. If we released such a camera, I think we can appeal to them."

On photography

Finally, we asked about the future of photography, in a time when it's the industry's video features that have been advancing most obviously.

"The speed of evolution in video has been very quick, and the part of the industry dedicated to still imaging is maybe smaller now," Saiki says: "Sony, Canon and even Nikon are following that technology as well."

"We value not only the results of photography... we want to provide an enjoyable process"

"But among our brands, both Ricoh and Pentax, we value not only the results of photography or the result of recording: we want to provide an enjoyable process for photo taking. That's why we don't want to get heavily involved in video features."

"Of course we don't ignore it, but taking for example, GR. The user, if they just walk around the city they become sensitive to what's going on. They focus on capturing the real moment of something that stands out to them, rather than recording all the time. We want to cultivate that street photography culture, that's why we're not so much concerned about video or recording technology."

Illuminated water fountains light up the night on the Magic Water Circuit at Parque de la Reserva in Lima, Peru. The Magic Water Circuit features a variety of fountains, some featuring animated shows, that stretch across the park.

Photo: Dale Baskin

The theme for our March Editors' challenge is 'Water'.

Show us the essence of water in its many forms, from the roaring power of the ocean to a gentle rain, reflections on a lake, smooth waterfalls, frozen ice, or even fine art. The possibilities are endless, so let your creativity flow and show us your best photos that revolve around water. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.

This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.

Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 16, and Saturday, March 22 (GMT).

Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!

Visit the challenge page to submit your photo.

Visit the challenge page to submit your photo

Images: Godox, Shure and Fotogear

Happy Saturday, everyone! We've made it to the weekend, so it's time to look at some new accessories that came out this week. Today's roundup includes a battery pack for lights, a vintage-inspired smartphone case and a new mic. But first, let's check out what's on sale.

The sales Photo: Dale Baskin

Canon's powerful and versatile R6 Mark II is currently on sale for $200 off. We reviewed it two years ago, and although the camera is due for a refresh, it's still a very worthy piece of equipment, especially at this price.

Buy now:

$2099 at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo

Image: Fujifilm

For something a bit more fun (and affordable), the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is currently at its lowest price since the holidays. The Instax Mini 12 brought some worthwhile improvements over its predecessor, making it easier to get keepers with this fun little instant camera.

Buy now: $70 at Amazon Easier audio Photo: Shure

Shure's latest microphone, the MoveMic 88+, features direct-to-phone stereo microphone technology, making it faster to get to recording. Its Bluetooth connection offers a range of up to 100 feet, and there's no extra dongle or recorder necessary. It even offers four polar patterns to help you record a variety of situations.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Shure Turn your iPhone into a vintage camera Image: Fotogear

iPhoneographers who want something a bit more special to house their phone may appreciate the Fotogear Retro DMF Photography Kit. It's a multi-part case that looks like a vintage camera while adding control dials and a shutter to make your phone function more like a camera, too. It's compatible with the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max and comes in a few different configurations. The case is available for pre-order now through Fotogear's website.

Buy at Fotogear More power Image: Godox

The Godox BG02 Battery Grip is a powerful tool for photographers and videographers who use Godox lights on the go. The grip features a 95Wh capacity battery that is airline-friendly, extending the life of your lights when on location. It's compatible with the AD200, AD200Pro, AD200Pro II, AD300Pro flashes, ML100Bi, ML100R and FH series LED lights. You can pre-order it now through B&H.

Pre-order at B&H Back-button focus

Finally, this week's educational video comes from Adorama's YouTube series Ask David Bergman. In it, Bergman discusses back-button focus, how to set it up and whether it's still worthwhile with the advanced subject detection autofocus modes on new mirrorless cameras.

Read last week's roundup

A recent video from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) profiles the prolific street photographer Jamel Shabazz with a visit to his home studio and old neighborhood. In it, Shabazz discusses his influences, philosophy and process, as well as how he began his career in photography.

Shabazz is best known for his images of people on New York City's streets and subway, capturing life in the city for the past 40 years. He began his photographic journey in 1980 after serving in the Army in Germany. Once back in New York, he used a 35mm Canon AE-1 to capture hip-hop culture in the 80s and 90s. His work includes both posed and candid photographs and clips from his studio reveal the vastness of his archive.

A key point in the video is the importance of connection for Shabazz. He explains how he would always carry a photo album with him to show potential subjects so they could see his intentions. He also gave everyone he photographed his business card so that they could call him if they wanted the photograph. "It's not about me,” explains Shabazz. "I'm just a vessel using my position to freeze time and then thaw the moments out later on so people can see them and heal, rejuvenate, or just celebrate."

This connection is particularly evident when Shabazz reunites with two men who are the subjects of one of his most iconic images, "The Righteous Brothers." He met them on the day he photographed them, and they have remained friends over the years. The three talk about what was going on at the time and how powerful the photograph is for them.

It's a short video, but it serves as an excellent reminder of the importance and power of portraiture and photography as a tool for storytelling.

OM System's Director of Product Planning, Hiroki Koyama and VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning, Kazuhiro Togashi, at CP+ 2025

Photo: Dale Baskin

"We are considering the new Pen concept as OM System brand," says OM System's Kazuhiro Togashi, VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning.

We spoke at the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan, and he reassured us that the arrival of the OM-3 with a Pen-F style 'creative dial' on the front doesn't close the door on the rangefinder-style series.

"There's a different concept between OM-3 and Pen-F series," he explains: "basically the Pen-F series is about ultimate beauty and the ultimate craftsmanship. Whereas OM-3's core concept is to take authentic and great creative photos."

But, he says, it's too soon to know what a future Pen might look like. "We think the camera's design must realize the concept of the product, so we don't start to decide the camera design before deciding the camera's concept: the product concept must come first."

"Therefore, we haven't yet decided if the product design for a new Pen will look like the Pen-F or similar to the E-P7 because we haven't decided on the product concept."

But what's clear is that OM System does plan to continue the Pen line.

The continued appeal of dedicated cameras

We asked Togashi what he thought makes shooting with a dedicated camera special, in a time when smartphone image quality has got so good.

"Experience is very important," he says: "There's a different kind of experience between smartphones and a camera. For example, I personally love to use a smartphone, but just to record; without any emotional feeling."

"When a user decides the moment with their camera, maybe their feelings are being moved by such an attempt: they're not just recording, there's more to it."

"It's like with professional sportsmen. They have to prepare to give their best performance during the game. They are always training before the game."

"When you get a perfect photo, you feel a win"

"In the case of photos, photo enthusiasts always think or calculate before taking a photograph. Before you take something, you consider the place, or you think about which position is better, or what sort of atmosphere or angle: you calculate before you take the photo."

"This is like a serious game, just as it is for football or baseball player. And when you get a perfect photo, you feel a win. 'I win, by myself' I don't know if many people can get that similar experience by taking photos with a smartphone."

And he thinks this difference should remain, even as the image quality gap narrows. "Smartphone's development speed is very high, and in the future, the difference between smartphones and camera might become very small," he says: "however the difference in experience, is a bit bigger."

We're not the company to make an enthusiast compact

Despite this, and in spite of rising sales of compacts, Togashi says we shouldn't expect an enthusiast compact.

"As for the current popularity of compact digital cameras, lower-priced models seem to be selling very well worldwide, but we feel that this is a temporary trend." he says: "We are continuing to study the development of a successor to the TG series, but currently we don't have any plans to introduce other compact camera concepts."

"We don't have any plans to introduce other compact camera concepts"

“As for high-end compact digital cameras, we recognize that there is a dedicated user base that remains a valued segment of the market, however, at OM System, we are focused on developing products that align with the evolving needs of photographers, ensuring we deliver the best possible innovation and performance across our lineup."

“When we were Olympus, our brand was known for high-end compact cameras like the XZ series and Stylus 1. However, since becoming OM System, we no longer carry high-end compact cameras. Instead, we focus on cameras that align with broader market needs, including those of younger generation photographers. Given the significant investment required – not only in research and development but also in reestablishing a high-end compact brand image – such a product would be challenging to make profitable.”

The TG series endures...

The TG series of rugged, waterproof cameras continues to have an audience, the company says.

Image: OM System

But the TG series definitely has a future, says Togashi, because it has a dedicated user base.

"TG still survives and is well received by the market," he says: "Outdoor enthusiasts want to capture their activities and adventures. Also families look for ways to preserve special memories---whether it’s their children playing in the pool or on vacations and situations like that."

"On the other hand, professional scuba divers or climbers continue to rely on the TG series. For them, safety is very important during these extreme activities, and the TG series remains a trusted tool in these challenging environments. "

"Both types of users continue to use the TG series, setting it apart from other high-end compact cameras. Their main priorities are mobility and ease of operation, rather than smartphone connectivity. They love the operation and mobility."

...but a high-end TG would be challenging

These specific requirements might rule out a higher-end TG, he suggests

"We're always talking about the successor of the TG series and whether to add a new, higher TG line, maybe using a bigger sensor, or perhaps a TG-DSLR."

"We're always thinking about the possibilities. However, as of today we don't have any best answer to realize this concept because the requirement for TG series is very hard. For example, making a large or removable lens drop resistant is very difficult."

Also, he says, keeping the size down is important: "if we adopted a bigger sensor and we maintain the same optical zoom range, the body would need to be very big. That means such a TG would lose the mobility concept."

Togashi didn't seem enthused by our suggestion of a prime lens: "A lot of TG users' photographic needs are different from enthusiasts', so they like to use a zoom lens. They like to enlarge subjects in their photos, therefore they always use tele-zoom."

Director of Product Planning, Hiroki Koyama raises another concern: " We also give priority for close-up capability. TG can be used very close to the subject. If we choose a bigger sensor size, the close-up capability will be reduced. The current sensor size is the best balance, but we'll try to study the concept."

The OM System lens range

On the subject of lenses, we asked whether they believe the current Micro Four Thirds lens lineup includes all the options an OM-3 user might want.

"Still not yet," says Togashi: "We are also trying to develop small and light and bright lenses or something like that. We have space to make new lenses in the future. I can't disclose [the details], but yes."

Choosing the right lenses to add isn't always easy, he suggests: "People always ask 'will you make a pancake lens?'," he says: "but then the pancake lens sales are not so good in general. But still, we'll continue to consider it."

Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, answers edited for flow.

A lunar eclipse, captured by Jamie Malcolm-Brown in November 2021. Used with permission.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in 2022. We have updated it with information about the current eclipse as a service to readers.

Starting tonight, March 13, through the early hours of tomorrow, March 14th, skywatchers in the Americas will be able to view the first total lunar eclipse of the year. The moon will turn a 'blood red' hue for a brief period as it passes entirely into the Earth's shadow when lined up with the sun. Depending on where you are located, there is a specific time you can witness this phenomenon.

Time and Date, a top-ranking site for times and timezones, created a useful tool that allows you to make a plan by entering your viewing location. From there, it gives you pertinent information, including the total duration, what time each phase of the eclipse starts and the direction it'll travel, plus altitude during these phases. A helpful animation gives you a visual of how it will appear, minute by minute, once it starts.

Time and Date created a free tool to help you plan your total lunar eclipse viewing, depending on your location. This is the data for Seattle, WA, where DPReview's headquarters is located.

If you plan on bringing your camera out for the 'blood moon', photographer Jamie Malcolm-Brown has some helpful tips for camera settings. Describing his process for capturing a lunar eclipse in 2021, he tells DPReview that 'it was taken with [a] 200-600mm lens at 600mm, ISO 800, F6.3, at 1/3 sec. I bracketed the shots at 5 shots with an EV (exposure value) change of 1. Next time I would probably bracket 5 shots but with only an EV change of .3. The final image was cropped fairly significantly to fill the frame with the moon.'

While useful for capturing more detail on the moon's surface, you don't necessarily need a long lens that extends to 600mm to photograph the blood moon. John Weatherby released a quick, helpful tutorial on Instagram outlining his process for getting the best images possible. For one, you can shoot at a focal length between 100–200mm if you want to include a foreground.

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A post shared by John Weatherby (@whereisweatherby)

Weatherby also explains that having a sturdy tripod and ball head is an absolute necessity. Ensuring that the lens is locked in securely will yield clearer images of the moon. Using the camera's shutter delay or self-timer, or an external remote, will also help prevent blurry shots as the camera is likely to shake a bit once you press the shutter. PhotoPills, an app that helps you identify where the moon will travel in accordance with your specific location, is recommended as well.

It's important to check the weather in your area as cloud coverage can potentially conceal the moon completely. Windy.com is a free app available on desktop, iOS and Android that, in my opinion, does a decent job of forecasting weather patterns. It'll give you a visual of where clouds will appear at specific dates and times so you can determine the best place to set up in your state or country.

Windy.com, a free app, is an effective tool for forecasting weather elements, including cloud coverage.

The next total lunar eclipse will take place on September 7, and will be visible in parts of Asia, Africa and Australia. If skywatching interests you, you're in or near one of the locations where the eclipse is visible and weather permits, I recommend getting out for a few hours and witnessing this wonderful event first-hand.

Photo: Benedek Lampert

This weekend marks the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, and one photographer is kicking things off with a series of photographs to celebrate. With a fine focus on detail and many hours of work, toy photographer Benedek Lampert has recreated F1 moments using Lego. This project is just the latest for Lampert, who has previously created life-like scenes of Lego versions of the Eiffel Tower and Shackleton's Endurance.

In September 2024, Lego and F1 announced a partnership that included releasing numerous F1 Lego sets, some of which featured more realistic-looking models of F1 team cars. Lampert managed to get his hands on the entire starting grid and set to work on creating highly detailed, life-like photographs of the Lego F1 cars.

Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab. Photos: Benedek Lampert

As with all of Lampert's work, nearly everything was done in camera. "It’s extremely important to me that these are actual photos and not AI-generated graphics," he explained. That meant lots of hands-on time to build sets and problem-solve special effects. He built the track scenery and crafted unique sets that allowed him to get motion blur, spinning wheels, smoke and water vapor without any editing work. Lampert explained that the only thing he added while editing was the cloud texture in the sky and rear lights in one image.

All said and done, Lampert says the project took 70 hours for the 10 final images. The photo shoot portion of the project took five days, with ten to twelve-hour days at times. You can see how he meticulously created each image in the behind-the-scenes video below, as well as the photos in the gallery above.