Photo News

Kazuhiro Togashi, OM System's VP for Brand Strategy and Product Planning, wearing a hoodie with the company's 'Outdoor Monster' branding.

Photo: Richard Butler

OM System says it's focusing on outdoor photographers but hinted that the PEN series could yet return to the North American market. We spoke to Kazuhiro Togashi, the Vice President for Brand Strategy and Product Planning.

Recent Videos

"Currently we are focusing on outdoor use photography," he says: "Based on our research findings, the number of outdoor photographers is expected to increase, or at least to stay stable."

This makes sense for a company committed to a small system that's build-up a strong reputation for its weather sealing.

"First of all we have specifically targeted adventure and wildlife photographers because we believe our camera system is the best choice for this group of users," Togashi says: "In outdoor environments, having equipment that offers high performance while being small and lightweight is crucial. For outdoor photographers, capturing the decisive moment of a living creature or an awe-inspiring landscape photograph is paramount."

It's easy to assume that this just refers to the OM-1 and OM-5 models the company has updated since taking on the former Olympus camera business, but Togashi suggests this isn't the case: "our definition of outdoor use extends beyond just the adventurous; it encompasses outdoor activities in everyday life as well. Our system is ideal for individuals who enjoy capturing snapshots, macro shots while traveling, or shoot astrophotography."

It may be seen as a step down from the PEN F, and it isn't currently sold in North America, but OM System does still make and sell PEN-series cameras.

Image: OM System

Could this mean a revival of the PEN line, we asked. "In Japan and Asia we continue to sell PEN E-P7," he reminded us: "The E-P7 is small, with compact bright lenses, making it highly advantageous for travel photography. Therefore, we’ll reinforce such products in our lineup in the future."

Togashi didn't explicitly say that this means a return of the PEN line to North America, but says: "We’d like to try to expand the scope of people enjoying cameras for travels or for everyday use to capture scenery."

"The E-P7 is ... highly advantageous for travel photography ... we’ll reinforce such products in our lineup in the future."

For now, at least, the company's focus seems to be on higher-end products: “We anticipate that photography enthusiasts will remain central to driving growth in our industry," says Togashi. But, he added, it's important to attract new audiences to photography, identifying those "who currently lack an interest in cameras," as an opportunity for the industry.

"We firmly believe that maintaining a stable business scale has broader benefits for all customers," he reasons: "Conversely, a shrinking market causes challenges for manufacturers in innovating and developing new technologies. Therefore, it’s crucial to explore new potential customer segments. In the world of photography, acknowledging the diverse needs is paramount. By recognizing various perspectives on photography, camera equipment and the art of capturing images, we anticipate the entry of new customers into the fold more effectively.”

Trends and the role of AI

We asked Togashi about the significant trends OM System has seen in the past year. "I think the most significant trend in imaging has been the advancement of image processing applications and AI-drive noise reduction techniques. These innovations have greatly progressed the industry.”

We asked whether he thought AI has a different role to play in cameras than in smartphones. "I believe the role will vary," he says. "In terms of computational photography for cameras, we see its potential to revolutionize art creation and broaden photographers’ expressive capabilities."

As an example, he highlights a feature from the company's latest model: "photographers who may have shied away from using Graduated Neutral Density [GND] filters due to their perceived complexity could find these features invaluable. Additionally, for photographers accustomed to employing GND filters and post-processing their images, we believe that integrating Live GND during shooting to capture high-quality Raw images, followed by fine-tuning detail in editing software can give artwork that exceeds expectations. For smartphones their role is to record everyday life, beautifully. This is totally different: between artwork and recording something.”

Togashi highlights the virtual GND filter feature of the OM-1 Mark II, but suggests it would be very difficult to offer a comparable feature in the original model, as the memory handling of the camera has been re-written.

Photo: Shaminder Dulai

"As technology advances in the future, personally I think it will be possible to integrate such an AI noise reduction function into the camera body. But maybe it will be challenging to realize this."

We wondered whether collaboration between cameras companies might be an effective way to compete with the R&D budgets of the biggest smartphone makers.

“If our company had an opportunity to collaborate with other companies, maybe we would collaborate with an image processing software company, maybe." But there are areas in which Togashi thinks the industry should co-operate: "As a camera industry, we may have to consider technology to judge: is this picture a real one or a fake? For such kinds of things, maybe we should collaborate with all kinds of companies to develop such technology through using AI technology.”

The future for video

As the conversation continued, the topic turned to video, who's using it and what's required to make it useful to a wider audience.

“We are aware of the usage of our video features through our customer research data," Togashi says: "Encouraging more people to use a dedicated camera to shoot video, instead of using a smartphone, is less about technical specifications and more about creating opportunities for users to engage with video. Just as with photography for those who want to start photography.”

“Our user research findings show that people who don’t have high knowledge or long experience of video shooting have some concerns about how to enjoy and how to edit video. Therefore I think such user-friendly functions are very important to expand more fans to use video functions.”

“We believe it’s important to have functions and services that allow people to enjoy shooting video more easily, without specialized knowledge or expensive editing equipment."

OM-1 firmware

Finally, we asked about the OM-1 and the launch of the Mark II and whether Mark I owners can expect further updates. "OM-1 users can expect some additional functionalities as a result of firmware updates we announced on Feb. 21, 2024." says Togashi. But he also says it's not possible to simply duplicate all the OM-1 Mark II's features in the older model. "The OM-1 Mark II has increased internal memory and new optimized memory controls compared to the OM-1, so providing all the new features to the mark one is not possible."

A partial solar eclipse is seen as the Sun rises to the left of the United States Capitol building on June 10, 2021, as seen from Arlington, Virginia.

Image: Bill Ingalls/NASA

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Western Mexico starting in Mazatlán and heading up into the United States and across to Newfoundland, Canada. NASA has mapped the route with times and viewing conditions for several cities. Outside the path of totality, varying degrees of a partial eclipse will be visible from most of North and Central America.

Recent Videos

If you plan to be out and know how to photograph the event safely, we want to see your best images of the eclipse! Submit your best work by April 11, and it may be featured in an upcoming DPReview Editor's Picks gallery on our homepage.

And fear not, readers who are not along the path. We can still enjoy our peers' work together. Also, this is the first of many new DPReview Editor's Challenges we have planned. So, if you're not in North America, keep an eye out for our next challenge (or start planning a trip to Spain for Aug 12, 2026, for the next total eclipse).

How to submit your photos

Enter your photos and read all the rules

A view of the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse from Madras, Oregon.

Image: Gopalswamy/NASA

Sunsketcher, a new NASA-backed project with an iOS and Android app, wants your photographs of the “Great American Eclipse.” (Incidentally, so do we.)

Recent Videos

Scientists behind the project want to gather more information about the sun's interior and aid their work in accurately measuring the shape of the sun and testing theories of gravity, including general relativity.

Through the app, anyone photographing the event is asked to upload their pictures. Organizers say the more people using the app the better, as having a large database of images will help with the research.

To participate in the project, users need to situate themselves somewhere across the path of totality within the United States, which means points along the Mexican border to as far north as Maine. Although the path of totality goes beyond US borders, due to privacy laws the app isn’t available outside the US. Sunsketcher says it hopes to expand availability for future eclipses, but for now, the international community will just have to reap the benefits of scientific research.

It may also disappoint some photographers to learn you can’t use a dedicated camera to take part, meaning you can't take photos and transfer them to your phone to share with the app; you can only use the Sunsketcher app to create images. The organization says this is because “the Sunsketcher app generates other relevant, necessary data per image.” This likely means the research relies on some metadata and geodata and forcing everyone into the app allows researchers to have a consistant and predictable database strucutre.

Sunsketcher says you don’t need special equipment, such as lenses and filters, beyond a smartphone. Just open app at least five minutes before the eclipse and position your camera towards the sun. Ideally, you’ll want to use a tripod, but handheld is also fine.

To take part in the project, the app is available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art hands-on

Sigma's 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art lens is a large aperture lens that incorporates many of the thoughtful design choices for which the Art line has become known. It is the company's second F1.2 lens for the E and L full-frame mirrorless camera mounts and will be available on April 18.

Buy now:

$1399 at B&H Photo$1399 at Adorama

Sigma says it designed its latest offering with the goal of full detail levels across all apertures. In creating our sample gallery we found results that seemed to confirm its claim. Take a look for yourself and see if you agree.

Size and weight

One of the first things you notice when you hold the lens is that it's a little lighter than lenses of similar aperture and focal length. Coming in at 745g (1.6 lb) and 109mm (4.3"), Sigma says it's the lightest AF 50mm F1.2 interchangeable lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. It's also less than 1mm longer than the smallest of the major makers' 50mm F1.2 lenses and appreciably narrower.

To achieve this, Sigma says it made each piece of glass as thin as possible, reduced the weight of mechanical parts and used a new dual 'high-response linear actuator' (HLA) focusing system.

This makes the lens smaller and lighter than its four main competitors in the fast 50mm space: the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is 778 g (1.72 lb), Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM is 950 g (2.09 lb), Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S is a whopping 1090 g (2.4 lb) and Panasonic's closest Lumix offering, the S Pro 50mm F1.4, is 955 g (2.11 lb).

Sigma's fast lens feels notable and suggests that it's about as far as you can push a lens of this size using current design techniques.

Terms defined

In the name and along the barrel of the lens are some shorthand codes to pay attention to.

Sigma's 'Art' badge denotes lenses the company says are built with a bias toward the highest optical quality. Most Art lenses are fast prime and zoom lenses, often with features such as aperture rings.

'Art' is one of three lines of lenses Sigma produces. In 2012, the company announced it was establishing 'Art,' Sport' and 'Contemporary' lines because it "Simplifies the lens selection process for photographers,” said CEO Kazuto Yamaki at the time. "We’re empowering them with more control over their equipment, while furthing our commitment to them by establishing a higher expectation for the quality of the lenses we produce.”

DG denotes a full-frame lens, and DN means a lens designed for mirrorless bodies. When DG and DN appear together, this lens is made specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

External controls

There are three switches and one button along the barrel of the lens. Of course, one of them is an AF/MF switch. In manual mode, the focus ring (the wide band closest to the front element) has a nice steady rotation that isn't too fluid or firm, helping users avoid accidentally moving the ring mid-shoot.

Below the AF/MF switch is an auto-focus lock button (AFL), helpful if you want to prevent your focus from shifting once you've set it. The AFL button can also be assigned custom functions on cameras that support the feature.

Just behind these buttons is an aperture ring that allows users to switch between auto mode and manual aperture control via the ring. To prevent errant shifting between auto and manual aperture modes, a lock switch to the right of the ring allows users to lock themselves into one mode or the other.

A 'click' switch is also included for the aperture ring, giving users the option for how they'd like to step up/down f-stops.

Lens hood

The lens comes with a petal-shaped hood. Typically, we wouldn't call it out; it's a lens hood, and they're not complex objects, but the hood here is very well designed with small, thoughtful choices that felt worthy of a shout-out.

First, it's not flimsy like many lens hoods we come across. Thanks to a thicker base that houses a hood release button, it has a little heft to it. The thickness also limits how far the lens can flex, and while we haven't tried to break it, it does feel like you won't accidentally break it by dropping something on it.

The hood locks into place with a satisfying click, and the button keeps it there until you press it to release it.

Another nice touch is a subtle gray hashmark that can be used to visually align the hood with the correct orientation on the lens. The hashmark corresponds with a white dot on the base of the lens.

Optics

The lens comprises 17 elements (four of which are aspheric) in 12 groups. Sigma says the lens is designed to give full detail levels, even at maximum aperture. Looking at Sigma's published MTF plots does suggest that its image quality should be at least competitive with its peers.

There are thirteen rounded aperture blades, which should produce rounder bokeh across a wider aperture range and more points on sun stars.

The minimum focus distance is as close as 40cm (15.8"), on par with comparable lenses from Sony and Canon.

Focus is achieved by twin focus groups driven by new linear motors that are smaller and lighter.

Weather sealing

Sigma has said the lens is dust and splash-resistant and has special front lens coatings to repel water and oil, which allows "photographers to shoot without concerns even in harsh outdoor environments."

However, it's always good to be reminded that 'resistant' does not mean 'proof' and Sigma isn't claiming you'll have complete protection from the elements in every situation. They've called out that extra caution must be taken when bringing "the lens in contact with a large amount of water. Water inside the lens may cause major damage and even render the lens unrepairable."

Summary

Sigma's 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art is a lot of lens in a smaller package than its comparable peers. With a wide aperture, clickable aperture ring, nice build quality, and the IQ focus and thoughtful design reputation of Sigma's Art lens line, there don't seem to be any obvious trade-offs when comparing the lens to comparable OEM lenses.

For L-mount users, it's lighter and faster than Panasonic Lumix's F1.4 lens and comes in $400 cheaper. E-mount users can opt to save $600 over Sony's lens.

Sigma says the lens will be available from April 18th at an MSRP of $1,399.

Buy now:

$1399 at B&H Photo$1399 at Adorama

Image: TTArtisan

TTArtisan has announced the launch of its AF 35mm F1.8 lens for Sony’s APS-C E-Mount cameras. Costing less than $150, this “nifty fifty” equivalent adds another option for anyone looking for a budget prime lens.

Recent Videos

The lens was launched for Fujifilm's X-mount in November 2023. The 35mm F1.8 uses 10 elements in 8 groups and has 9 aperture blades. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.6m (23.6”) and a minimum aperture of F16. TTArtisan states the lens weighs between 199-210g (7-7.4oz), which is lightweight, though it’s unclear why the company doesn’t offer a more accurate figure.

Just the company's third AF lens, it uses a stepper motor to promise quick and quiet autofocus. The company also claims an all-aluminum build. Although such specs are eye-catching, keep in mind not all build qualities are the same. The lens hasn’t passed through our hands so we can’t comment on the user experience.

Naturally, people will make comparisons to Sony’s $475 E-mount 35mm F1.8. If you like to get close to your subjects, you’ll notice Sony slashes the minimum focusing distance in half, getting it down to 0.3m (11.8”). The Sony lens also has built-in image stabilization. TTArtisan's doesn’t, so it’s something to consider if you tend to shoot video or at slower shutter speeds.

Despite its limitations, at $150 the TTArtisan lens may prove to be a reliable alternative for those looking for a fast budget-friendly prime.

Photo: MPB

Let’s face it, sometimes upgrading your gear is the quickest way to advance your photography and videography. Capturing the decisive moment can require abilities your current camera just doesn't have. But fear not: experimenting doesn't need to break the bank.

That's where MPB comes in. The platform is world-famous for its gigantic selection of used photo and video gear, all individually inspected and photographed, and priced fairly. When you consider an upgrade to better gear, also consider trading in your old kit to save even more money. And, with a 14-day return policy, if your upgrade isn't working out, you can get a full refund.

Speaking of upgrades, here are five to consider.

Upgrade 1: Move to a faster lens Photo: MPB

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to snag a low-light shot and failing. High ISOs and stabilization aside, the ticket to better photographs in tricky conditions is a faster lens.

Thankfully, many lens makers have options for upgrades with a bigger aperture. If you have, say, Sony’s 24-70mm F4 lens, there’s an F2.8 option you could consider. Maybe you have Panasonic’s inexpensive 25mm F1.7 and want a little more background blur. Try something like the Leica-branded 25mm F1.4.

Shop Now at MPB Upgrade 2: Make your camera last longer Photo: MPB

Intensive shooting comes with a need for reliable power. Whether you’re outside waiting for wildlife to run by in the cold, or spending all day rolling video at an event, your camera’s battery life will come into play.

Some higher-end mirrorless models let you add a secondary battery with a custom-fit battery grip that functionally double your runtime. Pro videographers know that if you can screw it down to rigging, you’re golden. This is why versatile V-mount batteries like the Core SWX Hypercore are indispensable. V-mount batteries have a wide array of compatible adapters and mounts for video use no matter what kind of camera you have.

Shop Now at MPB Upgrade 3: Get a dedicated microphone Photo: MPB

“My camera's built-in microphone sounds amazing!” – said no one ever. Even video-centric cameras tend to have pretty thin-sounding onboard mics. And forget about getting clear voices for vlogs, or documentary filmmaking.

Even an inexpensive shotgun mic can make a world of difference to the audio quality of your videos, making the classic, tried-and-true Rode VideoMic Pro+ a no-brainer. And if you need lavaliers that can help your subjects' voices really pop, a secondhand set of Rode's Wireless Go II should serve you well.

Shop Now at MPB Upgrade 4: Switch to a carbon fiber tripod Photo: MPB

When it comes to working outdoors, every gram counts. After all, if you're hauling gear into the backcountry to capture a shot of the landscape or Milky Way, picking the wrong gear could just about break your back. Ditch the aluminum tripod and go for a compact, lightweight carbon fiber model, instead.

Take, for instance, the high-tech, compact Peak Design Travel Tripod. The aluminum version weighs in at 1.56 kg (3.44 lbs), while the carbon one is only 1.27 kg (2.81 lbs). That difference means you can comfortably carry more gear without skimping on other essentials, like coffee or trail mix.

Shop Now at MPB Upgrade 5: Capture cinematic video with an external HDMI recorder Photo: MPB

If you're experimenting with color grading your own footage, 8-bit 4:2:0 with a standard flat profile can be extremely limiting. Unfortunately, some cameras otherwise capable of rich images are limited to the depth of file they can record internally.

Of course, there's a way around this internal recording limitation: external recording! Something like the Atomos Shogun Flame 4K would be a fantastic way to upgrade your mirrorless camera to one that can get a cinematic look. This older recorder can spit out 4K 60P 10-bit ProRes footage onto SATA solid-state drives with added goodies like HDR. Plus, it gives you a far bigger screen than whatever's on the back of your camera.

Shop Now at MPB

Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR hands-on

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR is the latest addition to Nikon's range of lenses for the Z mount. It's a superzoom lens designed for full-frame cameras that extends from the wide-angle well into the telephoto range.

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.com

Nikon describes it as offering the highest zoom ratio in its class (the likes of Tamron's 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 means there are broader ranges available for APS-C), but we're struggling to think of a full-frame lens that's ever covered such a wide range. Let us know in the comments if you can think of one.

Wide and long

It's designed for travel and general all-round use, and becomes fairly small in its retracted state. It's still 142mm (5.6") long, even at its shortest, but that approximately doubles when you zoom the lens to its full extent. This is, of course, the price you pay for 400mm of reach on a large sensor.

In return, you gain a focal length that's usable for activities including many types of sports. The F8 maximum aperture at the long end of the zoom is likely to limit you to action occurring in fairly bright light, but means that you can make use of a modern AF system to capture family or friends competing, without having to commit to buying or renting something like the Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S, which can let in up to 3.2x as much light, but also costs over two-and-a-half times more.

The other benefit is that it can then be zoomed to give a wide-angle perspective or anything in between, without having to change lenses.

External controls

To keep things manageable there's a lock switch just behind the zoom ring. This helps to avoid the lens creeping out to full extension when it's hung over your shoulder or packed in a travel bag.

Behind this, there's a control ring that can be customized to control settings such as aperture, ISO or a number of other functions of your choice, or just used as a manual focus ring. It's a smoothly-rotating ring, so doesn't give any feedback if used to set settings that are set in steps. Video shooters looking to make predictable manual focus pulls are likely to appreciate that it can be set to give a linear focus response, rather than the default behavior in which the amount of focus movement is related to the speed you turn the ring.

That's about your lot in terms of external controls.

Drip and dust resistance

The lens has been designed to be "drip and dust-resistant," according to Nikon. This entails seals at all the joins within the lens, so it shouldn't immediately fill with water if it starts raining and you have to retract the zoom.

But, as is so often the case, Nikon makes no promises about the effectiveness of this design, stating: "dust and drip-resistance is not guaranteed in all situations or under all conditions." In other words, it's been designed to be used in the real world but you'll need to be somewhat sensible and careful with it.

Filters and VR

The relatively slow maximum aperture, starting at F4 and rapidly dropping down towards F8, has allowed Nikon to keep the lens down to a sensible diameter. 77mm filters aren't the cheapest, but they're typically less expensive than 82mm, which tends to be the next step up from here. Likewise, it'll be much easier to afford a filter for this lens than the 95mm filters taken by the 400mm F4.5 VR S.

Of course that slower aperture is also likely to reduce the need for filters, since you probably won't want to reduce the amount of light you're getting too much further.

The 28-400mm F4-8 has Nikon's 'Vibration Reduction' (VR) image stabilization system. This is rated as delivering up to 5.0EV of correction, which will be especially valuable to avoid hand-shake at longer focal lengths.

Nikon's more recent models (Z9, Z8 and Zf) can use their in-body stabilization in addition to the lens's stabilization, boosting the correction figure to 5.5EV. Older bodies can use the lens to correct pitch and yaw, then correct translational movements and roll using in-body IS.

VR should make it possible to hand-hold shots at the slower shutter speeds that the F8 maximum aperture can bring but, of course, only in terms of correcting for hand-shake: you'll still need fast shutter speeds for moving subjects.

Summary

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR offers a lot of flexibility in a package weighing 725g (∼26oz). The temptation of this flexibility might be for this to become a lens that stays on the camera body, but you'll miss out on a lot of your camera's potential if you take that approach, due to the relatively slow maximum aperture.

Buy now:

Buy at Amazon.com

In principle it could also be used by APS-C shooters, giving 600mm equivalent reach. However the short end of the zoom will now stop at 42mm equivalent, meaning it will lack any wide-angle capability. That and the correspondingly slower equivalent aperture figures mean you have to be certain that you need 600mm equiv. for this to make sense.

With an MSRP of $1,299, the 28-400mm isn't cheap. But our early impressions from the samples we've been able to shoot with a pre-production sample suggest that it delivers pretty decent performance as well as tremendous flexibility.

Click here to see our pre-production Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR gallery

Fujifilm has released firmware updates for some of its X and GFX-series cameras, including the newly released X100VI.

Recent Videos

The updates include bug fixes rather than new features, and fixes differ depending on which model you use. Here’s what to expect in Fujfilm’s latest batch of firmware updates.

Fujifilm X100VI

Fujifilm’s most talked about camera receives its first firmware update in the form of v1.01. This update fixes an issue for users who are unable to connect to the Fujifilm XApp via a WiFi connection.

Fujifilm X-S10

Users had previously complained that images were not transferring to their SD card when using their smartphone as a shutter release via the Fujifilm XApp. Fujifilm states firmware v3.11 fixes the issue.

Fujifilm X-T30 II

Fujifilm says little about the changes made in v2.04, only stating “other minor bugs have been fixed.”

Fujifilm X-T3/X-T4

The latest firmware versions fix a bug that caused the exposure of the preview image to differ from the recorded image when shooting in manual mode with the XF50mm F1.0 R WR. The updates also fix the same data transfer issue found with X-S10.

Fujifilm GFX S50 II

Fujifilm’s medium-format camera receives just one fix in its latest update. Firmware v2.11 fixes a known issue with the flicker reduction functionality, where flicker was occurring in “certain environments,” even after activating flicker reduction.

Fujifilm XApp

In some counties, users reported time synchronization discrepancies between Fujifilm’s cameras and the XApp. In North America, this seemed to impact users in Canada. Although Fujifilm states the update should resolve the bug, it did note that Area Settings will not update automatically in some regions, so users will need to update this manually via their camera settings after installing the update.

Updating your firmware

The easiest method to update is via Fujifilm's XApp. The app can be found in Apple's App Store for iOS users and in Google Play Store for Android users. When you open the app, if you've connected your camera to it previously, it should alert you that a new firmware update is available and ask if you want to download it. From there, follow the directions in the app.

If you prefer to skip the app, you can download the relevant update and put it on your SD card. Then, hold the DISP/BACK button when turning on your camera and you'll be prompted to allow the update to process. Press “OK” and select “Body,” and then select the .DAT file to begin updating the firmware.

Download now:

Direct from Fujifilm Apple App Store Google Play Store

Revisiting past pranks

Happy April Fools' Day! In internet lore, this is a hallowed day for outlandish stories, friendly pranks and the birth of tale tales. Over the years, we've created our fair share of them. Some scared us when too many people thought they were true, and others amused us years later when what we thought was a ludicrous proposal turned out to be an accurate prediction for the future.

With this being our 25th anniversary year (our first article was published in Dec 1998), we've been feeling nostalgic. Let's take a look at some of our past pranks from our first quarter century.

DPReview 25th anniversary

About this series:
Celebrate with us all year as we look back at a quarterly century, reflect on where we've been and look ahead to where we might be going. It's our party and everyone's invited!

Read the entire series here.

While this list is exhaustive, there's a chance we may have missed some. In the comments, let us know if we missed any of your past favorites.

The circular sensor that wasn't there

When we look back at the annals of April Fools' tomfoolery, one trick stands heads, shoulders, knees and toes above the rest. In 2010, we created a fake camera sensor company that said it planned to make circular sensors. Through an elaborate backstory, fake patents and a website, we tried to make it as 'real' as possible.

"The circular sensor brings you a host of new opportunities beyond the conventional boundaries of digital capture. No longer do you need to throw away half of the circular image seen by your lens, now you can use it all – getting more from your glass than ever before," the press release read.

The story walked the fine line between seeming plausible but not logical. It sparked some debate in our forums with some not noticing the date. We even managed to trick our good friends over at Steve's Digicams, who took the press release and reported it as news. Good times.

The ultimate food photography camera

In 2017, DPReview's Carey Rose was feeling somewhat spicy when he cooked up this tart of an idea. Samsung's then new line of Family Hub 2.0 refrigerators featured a built-in camera that allowed users to see all the eggs, hot sauces and leftovers inside without having to open the door.

Rose gave the fridge's camera the DPReview treatment, complete with a rundown of specs, in-studio testing and some in-field reflections (you'll want to opt for the most extended extension cord). We determined that the camera, combined with the fridge's LED lights, had made basic food photography as easy as can be.

"The camera fridge acts essentially as a large softbox or cove, with ample space to style your food with ease," Rose wrote at the time.

This prank actually started in a serious place. We were thinking about where imaging is going and how cameras were beginning to appear in doorbells, cars, robot vacuums and other unexpected places.

"Also, Samsung's exit from the consumer market was still relatively fresh in our minds," Rose recalls how the idea came about. "Other than phones and tablets, I think the fridge lineup was the only other product line of theirs that had anything imaging-related about it. Plus, let's be real, a fridge might be one of the edgiest of edge cases where consumer imaging might even be considered relevant, so it seemed extra ridiculous to me."

Readers seemed to pick up quickly that our review was a prank. If they didn't right away, they certainly must have by the time we got to the field tests with wild bears.

As is the DPReview way, commenters also joined in on the fun. At one point, someone pointed out that we did a poor job comparing it with actual competing models (apparently, LG also had a fridge with a camera in it at the time). Perhaps a round-up would have been appropriate the following year.

A DPReview Golden Ticket

Inspired by the 50th anniversary of 1971's Gene Wilder-led "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," we decided to hold a Golden Ticket contest of our very own. Readers were invited to enter for a chance to win a trip to visit us in Seattle for two days, tour our studios, meet the editors, borrow some equipment and work on a sample gallery with us. They would also go home with a prize pack that included a new camera, lens and some DPReview swag like t-shirts and stickers.

We created an elaborate scavenger hunt on social media and our website announcing the contest, but we made one mistake. We overlooked that we announced the contest on April 1. Most readers thought it was an April Fool's joke. It wasn't. Whoops!

Due to legal reasons, we couldn't change the terms of the contest at the last minute to start it on April 2, and in the end, we only saw about 30 people enter. Joseph N. from France won and wowed us with an exceptional sample gallery.

A pet cam reviewed

In 2018, DPReview's Dale Baskin wrote a review of the Petzi Treat Cam, a pet camera with a built-in treat dispenser.

Baskin had actually gotten a few emails from companies that wanted us to review remote pet feeders with integrated cameras. "To this day, I have no idea how I got on that press list," he recalls, "But one morning a lightbulb went on over my head, and I thought, 'Let's review one of these as a real camera!"

Baskin contacted the folks at Petzi, who thought it was a fun idea and sent us the Petzi Treat Cam. We ran the camera through field tests, examined image quality through our studio scene and, for good measure, compared it to a Fujifilm GFX 50S, a 50MP medium format camera.

"Because why not? The Petzi earned a positive 'paws up' rating," said Baskin. We gave the camera high marks for its easy setup and large treat reservoir, and we were impressed by the Petzi social media network where pets could follow other pets. Less impressive was the camera resolution.

"The article had a bit of a reverse April Fools' effect. Some readers thought we had made up the Petzi for April Fools' Day, and we had to explain that it was, in fact, a real product," said Baskin. "One reader even sent an angry (and, as far as I could tell, serious) email accusing me of selling out to Big Pet."

That would be the end of the story if not for a tiny screw-up. The review included a video Baskin shot with Carey Rose that was supposed to illustrate how difficult it would be to replicate Pezti's treat dispensing functions using a regular camera. The video was only supposed to be seen by people who read the review.

This video was meant to be a humorous example of what it would take to replicate the Petzi Treat Cam's remote feeder function using a regular camera. We accidentally pushed it to all of our YouTube subscribers.

But nothing ever goes perfectly, and we accidentally sent push notifications to tens of thousands of our YouTube subscribers who collectively said, WTF? Undoubtedly, it is the weirdest, most out-of-context video ever published on what would become DPReview TV.

"We were still getting emails about that one weeks later from confused subscribers," said Baskin. "It still feels a little bit strange that, to this day, my review of the Petzi Treat Cam is often the #1 hit when searching for the product on Google, but I'd like to think it's pretty good publicity."

Voice-controlled AI drones take to the sky

When we came up with this one, drones and smart speakers were pretty new in the marketplace, but it already seemed evident that combining the two only made sense. Then, for extra measure, we imagined a drone where you could tell it what to do and an onboard computer (we weren't quite calling it AI back then) would go out and fetch any image you wanted.

To sell it, we described how we'd tested the drone around Seattle by prompting it: "Hey drone, get me some images of Orca whales."Two hours later, the drone had returned with images and video it had captured of whales from the Puget Sound. We didn't fool too many folks, with many readers calling the two-hour run time impossible.

But little did we know in 2011 that in 2023, we'd be invited to review the real thing. Japanese upstart NisaymonoIt had announced the world's first autonomous AI drone, the Nisaymono Flight, and it was uncanny how close we were, even down to the voice prompts the real-life 2023 version used.

That time we accidentally invented mirrorless cameras, sorta

Leading up to April 1, 2008, DPReview's Richard Butler asked a friend to post an image to our forums under the guise that they'd seen this camera in the wild and wanted to know what it was. (It perhaps went out to a Flickr group as well, our memory is a bit hazy.)

The camera did not exist. It was a composite created from photos of three other cameras, and we wondered how folks would respond.

"A bit of a dud, this one," Butler recalled about the prank. "We mocked up the kind of camera we all thought we'd like, using the flip-up screen from a Sony DSLR, the lens of a Sigma DP1 and some of the styling of my 1970s Olympus 35RC rangefinder."

For the prank, we tried to make sure Butler was recognizable, along with London's Tower Bridge (a frequent feature of our sample galleries at the time) in the background.

Three cameras were composited together to create this final image.

Little did we know at the time that a rangefinder body type with a tilt screen wasn't too far off from what modern mirrorless cameras would start to look like.

"Unfortunately, no one really bit. I suspect we over-estimated how recognizable we were and, in the days before rumor sites got going, there was no real way to build up any momentum behind it," said Butler. "Still, if nothing else, I think we got the "what sort of camera would people be interested in" aspect right."

The mashup didn't look anything like any cameras of the day, but looking back, it sure does look an awful lot like cameras to come, such as the FujiFilm X100VI.

As for the 'sorta' in inventing mirrorless cameras, well...

Since both the Sigma and Olympus are fixed lens cameras, we can't quite claim to have invented the mirrorless camera (this was five months before we first had a need to use that term), but we did effectively prefigure the X100 by nearly two and a half years (except we thought a tilt-up screen would be useful, which would take Fujifilm another decade to implement).

So, 'sorta.'

The ultimate selfie stick

We don't see them as often today, but around 2015, a groundbreaking coalescence of technology, dexterity, and tubing came together to produce the selfie stick. An innovation in imaging support systems, the selfie stick became the must-have smartphone accessory for everyone, from influencers and tourists to grandparents and children.

It's hard to overstress this; the selfie stick was everywhere! If you weren't using one, you were probably being annoyed by one and taking to social media to complain about it. We decided to get in on the action and crafted a very tongue-in-cheek selfie stick buying guide.

When we tabulated the results, we had several five-star recommendations, including using your own arm.

And now, one final prank... ... that's not really a prank.

Thank you for making DPReview an amazing community and for choosing to spend your day with us. Whether you've been here since the beginning or just recently discovered us, we're glad you're here.

Today, we revisited only a few of our favorite April Fools' Day pranks over the past 25 years. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Now, if you'll excuse us, since we're 25 and in the US, we're finally old enough to rent a car with a surcharge, perhaps a road trip is in order.

In the meantime, we hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Did we miss any past pranks that were your favorites? Do you have any stories of having been fooled by us? Let us know in the comments.

Today, I'd like to tell you a nice story about mistakes, drone crashes, coincidences and one very cool shoot in which I took a panorama of Tambora Volcano in Indonesia.

Recent Videos

Tambora is a volcano on the island of Sumbawa. In 1815, Tambora produced the largest volcanic eruption in recorded human history, which spewed 37-45 cubic kilometers (8.9-10.8 cubic miles) of rock, weighing about 10 billion tons, into the atmosphere. This left a caldera measuring 6-7 km across and 600-700 m (2,000-2,300 ft) deep. The eruption caused a volcanic winter, with 1816 being the second-coldest year in the northern hemisphere since around 1400. Now, doesn't that sound like something you'd want to visit?

But first, let's go back in time to a few days after the beginning of my trip to Indonesia in April last year. After taking a few days to do some formalities and get my work permit to allow me to guide my workshop a few weeks later, I used the rest of my time before meeting my participants to do a bit of shooting by myself. I took a short ferry from Bali to the small Penida Island (Nusa Penida), where I settled for a few days in the southwest of the island, where I could shoot some nice beaches with my drone. Unfortunately, this plan went south quickly when I crash-landed my (previously) trusty DJI Mavic II Pro into a tree, followed by it falling to the side of a cliff without any chance of recovering it.

"This plan went south quickly when I crash-landed my (previously) trusty DJI Mavic II Pro into a tree..."

It always hurts losing a drone. Not only are they expensive, but I was now lacking one of the most important tools I have as a nature photographer, and I still had over a month of shooting ahead of me. Luckily, I had invited Noah, one of my workshop participants, to arrive in Indonesia 10 days early to do some shooting together, and he was scheduled to arrive a few days after I lost the drone. I immediately asked Noah for help, and he gladly agreed to have a new drone shipped to him and bring it to me when he arrived. And so, I got a sparkling new Mavic III Classic. The accident and its consequences would greatly affect the upcoming Tambora shoot.

Noah and I traveled to our first shooting location: Moyo Island, specifically the spectacular Mata Jitu waterfall. A short motorcycle trip from our lodge, Mata Jitu is a wonderful gem located in a valley. It boggles the mind to think that in the distant past, people found this waterfall hidden deep in the middle of the jungle without any aids or roads. The waterfall features cascading pools of turquoise water created over the millennia due to the minerals contained in the flowing water.

Mata Jitu Waterfall. The drone's stability allowed me to shoot a relatively long exposure while still maintaining sharpness. DJI Mavic III Classic,

F5.6 | 0.6 sec | ISO100

Mata Jitu is fed by a beautiful stream, which is so serene that it's almost always reflective. I took advantage and took an image of the stream and surrounding trees. For a longer exposure, I used an ND filter and a polarizer, which I positioned in a way that didn't hurt the reflection. The high humidity condensed on my front element, enhancing the magical feeling in the image.

Canon 5D4, Tamron 24-70mm F2.8 at 52mm

F8 | 15 sec | ISO100

After wrapping up the Moyo Island shoot, we took a 2-hour police boat (that's what we found, don't judge!) to the main Island of Sumbawa. We spent the night in a local hostel and prepared for the main event: the climb to Tambora.

Tambora Volcano is one of the most famous Indonesian volcanoes and one that produced the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history back in 1810. Before the eruption, it was a conic volcano, standing 4500m above sea level. Today, it's less than 2500m. Imagine an eruption so monstrous that it exploded through and destroyed 2km of solid rock. If you're not scared, you're not imagining hard enough.

Anyway, today the volcano is quite dormant, and you can easily climb up there, even scaling most of the way up with a 4x4, albeit in a crazy, hellish drive. The journey up the volcano begins next to the sea, in comfortable plains, but this quickly changes to denser and denser vegetation and alternating climate zones: fields, rainforest and finally, the barren wasteland you learn to expect when ascending a gigantic monster of a volcano. Our 4x4 was well-suited for the drive but kept overheating, which added some anxiety to the mix.

The entrance to Tambora National Park. Now that's gotta make you feel welcome! Our 4x4 making its way in the rainforest. Our Tambora camp. Much better than nothing!

After finally arriving at camp, we turned in as early as we could since a very early rise was awaiting us. We were up at 2 a.m. to have a quick breakfast and start our climb. The night was rainy, and it wasn't at all certain we would be able to get up there or even see the landscape, which was a bit discouraging. But the weather gods smiled upon us, and 2 hours' trailless climb later, we were standing on top of Tambora with plenty of time to go before sunrise. The sky was luckily (and surprisingly) clear.

I hiked around a bit to get behind a large peak on the rim and prepared my drone for liftoff. When I sent it away, I could see a wonderful cloud inversion on the far side of the caldera. Having the Mavic III meant that I had the reception and battery capacity to fly almost 5km (over 3 miles) away and shoot the caldera with the cloud inversion surrounding the drone's point of view from below. This definitely made the shot and made me feel very lucky to have lost my previous drone, even though I had to go through a lot of stress to get the new one. All is well that ends well.

"Tambora Sandwich": 18-image, 3 row panorama

DJI Mavic III Classic, wide-angle converter
F5.6 | 1/50 sec | ISO 100

Tambora's volcanic crater is so gigantic that I had to get creative. I put on the wide-angle lens adapter and positioned the drone in the best vantage point I could find. This meant having the entire bottom of the image filled with the cloud inversion. I then proceeded to shoot a 3-row, 18-image panorama to cover the entire subject (with some margins for error).

Compositionally, it was important to include the clouds on both sides of the crater, as well as the bottom of the image. This is done to show the extent of the cloud inversion, which made even the huge caldera seem relatively small. In addition, note both the large cloud located slightly off-center to the left and the smaller clouds inside the crater. These subjects' positions in the frame meant I had to have more compositional weight on the bottom right as a counterbalance. Luckily, the cloud inversion was thicker on the right, in addition to the prominence added by the light coming from the right side.

Noah and I, tired but satisfied on top of Tambora. Coffee was well-deserved.

Big thanks to Noah, who not only carried the new drone all the way from the US but also kindly allowed me to use his behind-the-scenes shots after my phone broke down during the trip.

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveler based in Israel. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates and to his YouTube channel.

If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Svalbard, Greenland, Madagascar, the Lofoten Islands, Namibia and Vietnam.

Erez also offers video tutorials discussing his images and explaining how he achieved them.

Selected Articles by Erez Marom:

• Landscape Composition - Balancing the weights
• Lava Frenzy: Shooting Fagradalsfjall Volcano
• Landscape Composition - Separation of Elements
• Parallelism in Landscape Photography
• Black Hole Sun: Shooting the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina
• Winds of Change: Shooting Changing landscapes
• Landscape Composition - Negative space
• Shooting Kīlauea Volcano, Part 1: How to Melt a Drone
• Whatever It Doesn't Take

$(document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({"containerId":"embeddedSampleGallery_5462766060","galleryId":"5462766060","isEmbeddedWidget":true,"selectedImageIndex":0,"isMobile":false}) });Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

Earlier this week, Nikon announced its new Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, a superzoom lens for Nikon Z-mount mirrorless cameras with a 14.2x zoom range. Ahead of the launch, we had an opportunity to shoot a small sample gallery around Seattle's Capitol Hill using a pre-production copy of the lens.

Due to the pre-production status of the lens, the photos in this gallery are out-of-camera JPEG images captured with a Nikon Z8 rather than converted Raw files, as is our normal protocol for lens galleries. We'll publish additional photos from this lens, converted from Raw files, once we receive a production copy.

View our Nikon Z 28-200m F4-8 pre-production sample gallery

Buy now:

$1297 at B&H Photo$1297 at Adorama$1299 at Amazon.com

Image: Ulanzi

Lens filters for smartphones are not a new concept. Designed to give photographers more creative and technical control over their images, there are several types on the market today that can control how much light comes into the camera, reduce reflections and flare or add more vibrancy to your images with different color tones.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

Up until a few years ago, photographers wanting to add a physical filter to a smartphone would need to attach a clamped filter that sits at the top of the phone’s camera lenses or use a third-party smartphone lens with filters.

Although useful, clamps tend to be bulky and aren’t always the easiest to align with your camera. Third party lenses offer more accuracy, but good-quality options can cost in excess of $100, without the inclusion of filters.

Ulanzi aims to be different by offering a lightweight foldable adapter ring that snaps on to the center of your MagSafe compatible device or case, which the manufacture says leads to a quicker workflow and more accurate alignment of the filter to the camera lens on the back of the phone. On an iPhone 14 or 15 it works by magnetically attaching to the rear using Apple's MagSafe attachment system.

For users without an iPhone, there are workarounds through the use of third-party smartphone cases with magnetic ring plates that emulating MagSafe. WIth such a case, you can attach Ulanzi’s adapter to the ring plate and use the filters as normal.

As we reported last week, the concept isn’t new. Tiffen recently released a similar product with its MagSafe 58mm Filter Mount. Both products approach a solution to adding filters in a similar manner but differ in design. The Ulanzi opts for compactness with a foldable design.

The Tiffen comes with one polarizing filter (you can buy other filters separately) at around $40. In contrast, the Ulanzi’s version comes as a kit for $219 with an ND filter, a polarizing filter, one soft focus filter and a selection of color effect filters. There’s a storage case as well. Having multiple filters packed in may be enticing to users seeking to experiment with different filters and want the simplicity of having them all packaged together.

Buy now:

$219 at Ulanzi

Image: Tamron

Tamron has announced it will release its popular 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 fast standard zoom for Nikon's Z-mount.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

Nikon already sells a 28-75mm F2.8 with an optical formula and calculated MTF charts that are a match for Tamron's original, stepper-motor driven 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD. The newer, linear-motor-driven G2 model features improved optical performance.

Buy now:

$999 at B&H Photo $999 at Adorama

The G2 uses a more complex 17 element / 15 group design and has a fractionally shorter minimum focus distance (18cm/7.1" vs 19cm/7.5") to deliver very slightly increased maximum magnification. The G2 is also a fraction lighter than the Nikon-branded 28-75mm, weighing 550g (19.4oz), rather than 565g (19.9oz). On the E-mount versions, Tamron claimed the VXD linear motor design was twice as fast as the RXD version.

The focal length range makes the 28-75mm a wide to short-telephoto lens for Nikon's full-frame Z-mount cameras but could, in principle, be used as a 42-113mm equivalent on DX APS-C bodies, if you wished.

Click here to see the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 gallery shot on Sony E-mount

The announcement adds a more affordable option for Nikon's Z-mount users, but the hope has to be that, letting Tamron compete against its own-brand lenses, might also indicate some relaxation of Nikon's restrictions around the mount. As the footnotes make clear, this lens is "developed, manufactured and sold under the license agreement with Nikon Corporation."

The Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD will be available from April 18th at an MSRP of $999. This is $100 more than the E-mount version and a match for the current price of the Nikkor Z 28-75mm F2.8. It's $200 below Nikon's launch price for the Nikkor version.

TAMRON announces the launch of fast-aperture standard zoom lens for “Nikon Z mount system”

Outstanding resolution and superb overall performance in a lightweight and compact 28-75mm F2.8 G2 that inspires creativity

28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A063) for Nikon Z mount

March 27, 2024, 11pm ET / 8PM PT, Commack, NY – Tamron announces the launch of the 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A063), a fast-aperture standard zoom lens, for Nikon Z mount full-frame mirrorless cameras1. The lens will be available April 18, 2024, at $999 USD / $1399 CAD.

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is compact and easy to use yet has excellent optical performance and is compatible with the latest digital cameras with increasingly high pixel resolution. The AF drive uses a linear motor focus mechanism VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) that is fast, highly accurate and quiet. The lens also excels at close-up shooting, achieving an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.7. Additionally, the lens design takes operability into consideration by including a coating with excellent scratch resistance on the barrel of the lens and a rubber focusing ring for a comfortable, secure grip among other features.

TAMRON pioneered the category of compact fast-aperture standard zoom lenses for mirrorless models. Now the 28-75mm F2.8 G2 will be available for Nikon Z mount as the ideal everyday lens for Nikon full-frame mirrorless camera users.

Product highlights

1. Best image quality in the standard zoom lens class

The new zoom leverages the latest design expertise and comprises an optical construction with 17 elements in 15 groups. Two optimally arranged LD (Low Dispersion) and GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements control optical aberrations to the highest degree. The lens provides high-resolution performance from edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner over the entire zoom range, even at wide open aperture. In addition, the soft, beautiful, round bokeh that can be achieved with a fast-aperture lens adds a distinctive dimension, especially to portraits. The overall compact size and high performance can be used advantageously with top-class, ultra-high-resolution mirrorless cameras.

2. Fast, quiet VXD linear motor for high-speed and high precision autofocus

The AF drive system employs TAMRON’s VXD linear motor focus mechanism. The high-speed, high-precision AF is exceedingly responsive and provides dependable and accurate focusing performance from MOD to infinity, despite the fast F2.8 aperture. The lens delivers excellent focus tracking of moving objects, so you are always ready for fast action. Additionally, the focus motor is quiet, so it's ideal for shooting both still images and video in situations that demand low noise.

3. Lightweight and compact

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is a fast-aperture standard zoom lens with a remarkably compact and lightweight design, just 4.7” (119.8mm) long. The maximum diameter is 75.8mm and it weighs only 19.4 oz. (550g). Filter size is 67mm. With a size that's easy to carry and a light weight that’s well-suited for handheld shooting for extended periods, the 28-75mm F2.8 G2 will surely become your favorite zoom for travel, street shooting, everyday carry, and spontaneous photo opportunities.

4. MOD of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.7 for creative close-ups

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 features an MOD of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end. The working distance shrinks to around 1.7” (4.4cm) when used at MOD. Because the maximum magnification ratio is 1:2.7, you can get close to your subject for wide macro photography, enabling powerful visual impact with the subject positioned large in the frame while keeping a wide view of the background.

5. TAMRON Lens Utility™ expands the possibilities of still photography and video shooting

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is compatible with the dedicated TAMRON Lens Utility software developed in-house by TAMRON that empowers users to easily update the lens to the latest firmware without going through the camera2 and includes functions to support focusing operations and other actions when shooting still images or video. By utilizing a wide range of functions3, users can expand the breadth of expression in still images and video. For example, A-B Focus allows users to limit focusing to two pre-selected focus points, shifting focus from one subject to the other with just a click of the Focus Set Button. Users can also choose between Linear and Non-Linear, which affects how the focus shifts during manual focusing.

6. Enhanced overall lens design for user-friendly operation

Every individual part of the lens has been carefully scrutinized, right down to the fine details, resulting in an enhanced design that optimizes both operability and ergonomics. The surface of the lens exterior is glossy black. Improved abrasion resistance makes the lens barrel harder to scratch and resists fingerprints. Additionally, the grip performance has been improved. The smoothly curved, elegant surface of the brand ring creates a dignified appearance with a design that signifies functional beauty and high quality.

7. Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating provide extra protection

1. The lens for Sony E-mount previously launched on October 28, 2021.

2. To connect your PC and lens, use the TAMRON Connection Cable (USB Type-A to Type-C/ Model CC-150, or USB Type-C to Type-C/ Model CC-350) sold separately. To connect your smartphone and lens, use the TAMRON Connection Cable (USB Type-C to Type-C/ Model CC-350) sold separately. Lens firmware updates are not supported with the Mobile version. Performing firmware updates requires the TAMRON Lens Utility for PC and a computer.

3. The ring function (Focus/Aperture) is not supported for Nikon Z mount.

Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 specifications

(Length and weight refer to E-mount version)

Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Sony has announced major firmware updates for four of its current full-frame range, bringing many features and behaviors up to its latest standards and adding C2PA authenticity verification capabilities.

Sony a1 f/w v2.00

Firmware v2.00 for the Sony a1 is perhaps the most extensive, adding features that have appeared in other models in the three-and-a-bit years since it was launched, such as the lens breathing compensation function. It also adds a handful of new features and modifications of behavior, including an option to ensure the EVF remains on, regardless of the LCD position, and relay playback of images across multiple media. Among the extensive list of additions an updates are features such as Timecode Sync, previously only available in Sony's Cinema Line cameras.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

A series of FTP options, including SFTP support are also added.

The firmware doesn't activate the C2PA function – which not only authenticates the camera and date/time but also that the photo is of a 3D subject, not a photo of a photo – but instead adds the capability to the camera. Once installed, users need to activate a separate license via the Creators' App to use the function.

Sony a7S III f/w v3.00

Firmware v3.00 brings many of the updates seen in the a1, including Timecode Sync, breathing compensation and relay playback. It also adds the ability to close the mechanical shutter when the camera is turned off, to mitigate dust ingress, and the ability to transfer Raw files to smartphones.

In addition to the C2PA capability, firmware v3.00 includes the ability to add DCI 4K 24p shooting. Again a license needs to be downloaded to a camera running the new firmware to actually activate the function.

Sony a7 IV f/w v3.00

As one of the most recently updated cameras on this list, the a7 IV gains fewer features than the other cameras here. But in addition to C2PA capability, it adds network streaming, direct cloud upload support and an expansion of the features accessible via software development kit (SDK).

Sony a9 III f/w v2.00 [Expected April 9th]

As the newest of the cameras here, the a9 III receives fewer additions and updates than the a1 and a7S III, as in many instances they are gaining the features that the latest a9 introduced. However, in addition to details such as outputting lens names in video file metadata, the a9 III gains the promised ability to use the camera's full shutter speed range when continuous shooting. But beyond this, the a9 III gains a small array of feature expansions and refinements being added across the four cameras, including the ability to extract stills from video capture, to take advantage of its lack of rolling shutter.

Sony Electronics Delivers Firmware Updates including C2PA Compliancy as a Next Step to Ensure Authenticity of Images

More than 45 Updates for the Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 7 IV will also improve Shooting Functions and Workflow

SAN DIEGO, March 27, 2024 – Today, Sony Electronics delivers the highly anticipated firmware updates for the Alpha 1 (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 7S III (Ver. 3.00), Alpha 7 IV (Ver. 3.00), and after April 2024, the Alpha 9 III (Ver.2.00). The update contains some of Sony’s most impactful technology, including Camera Authenticity Solution, the proprietary in-camera digital signature and C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) format support1. Together, these tools will make it possible for news agencies to ensure the authenticity of images, contributing to industry efforts to protect creators, and society from fake imagery.

Additionally, the firmware updates include many requested features to improve everyday use. The update evolves shooting functions and post-shooting workflow and brings advanced movie features like breathing compensation. It also includes new remote-control capabilities, new features for professional applications, and expanded access to cloud services applications.

“There is nothing more core to our mission than listening to the voices of the photographers, videographers, and filmmakers who shoot with Sony Alpha cameras. We know this community has been asking for these updates, and we’re happy to deliver. Each of these updates are designed to promote ease of use for our creators and allow them to maximize the strengths of their cameras,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “We’re especially pleased to deliver C2PA compliancy with this update. This compliancy paired with our unique digital signature technology, allows us to offer the most secure and comprehensive solution to protect professional photographers, news agencies, and society from manipulated imagery.”

Camera Authenticity Solution

Last year, Sony announced its commitment to developing technology in its cameras to aid in the fight against manipulated imagery and AI-generated fakes. The severity of this issue is only increasing and it’s a complex problem that requires the focus and attention of our entire industry.

One critical part of the solution is making more Sony cameras C2PA compliant. C2PA is a Joint Development Foundation project, where Sony is a steering committee member. C2PA aims to develop an end-to-end open technical standard to provide publishers, creators and consumers with opt-in, flexible ways to understand the authenticity, and provenance of different types of media. The C2PA is a standards-setting body that will develop technical specifications on content provenance and authentication by certifying the source and history of media content. With this firmware update, the authenticity information embedded on images from Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 7 IV can be maintained from capture through publication. This provides professional photographers with the ability to preserve their digital signature from the camera, while tracking the editing history throughout revisions.

Another critical component of the solution is Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology2 that signs images in real-time. This new feature certifies the authenticity of an image at the point of capture and creates a ‘digital birth certificate’ that is retained throughout revisions. The signature contains metadata including 3D-depth information captured through the proprietary technology in the image sensor developed by Sony. This depth information can show if the image captured was of an actual 3D object, vs a photograph of an image or video, providing an extra level of protection and even more assurance of the content’s authenticity, and making Sony’s solution especially unique for photojournalists and news agencies.

Sony’s solution also helps protect the authenticity of content by including an Image Validation Site, which verifies the image even after edits have been made by C2PA-compliant editing software. This service confirms the authenticity of the photo was taken by a specific camera and that the object of the photo is 3D. This service will initially be offered to select news media agencies, expanding to other agencies at a later date.

Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution overview diagram Example image of 3D Image verification Shooting and Playback Updates

The firmware updates include over 10 new features, as well as improvements to existing features, designed to improve the user’s overall shooting experience. These improved capabilities showcase Sony’s commitment to continuing to evolve the functionality of Sony’s existing camera models. A few highlights of the firmware update functions include:

• Relay Playback: Enables seamless sequential playback from one memory card slot to another on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III.
• Playback Filter Condition: Lets users categorize image playback based on select criteria including date, folder, file format, and more on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III
• Breathing Compensation: The highly requested Breathing Compensation function3 is now available on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
• Upgrade DCI 4K / 24.00p Upgrade License on Alpha 7S III: via a free downloadable license through Creators’ Cloud4.
• Sync Release function: Enables simultaneous shutter release with two or more multiple cameras connected to the main camera5 on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 9 III.
• Focus frame display: Focus frame will be displayed on the Remote Camera Tool screen on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 9 III.
• Enhanced image stabilization: The camera body and lens effectively work together to correct larger blurs6 on the Alpha 1.
• Increased upper limit of recordable images in a folder from 4,000 to 9,999 on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, A7 IV, and Alpha 9 III.
• Matching the time code with other devices is now possible with a dedicated adapter cable (sold separately)7 on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
• Up to 20 IPTC presets can be on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
• Custom Grid Line is available as a paid license basis for some models8.

File Transfer and Network Connectivity

Additional updates aimed to optimize the post-production workflow efficiency include improvements to International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) preset and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transfer operability. To streamline processes for users, expanded cloud upload and application services will be available. Key updates include:

• Cloud upload (camera direct) function allows users to upload images directly to the Sony’s Creators’ Cloud9. Key additional features include simplified camera software updates, direct camera registration to the Creators’ Cloud, and a flexible system for uploading, storing, and sharing content. Additionally, the capability to manage video and LUT files via mobile apps, along with the transfer of RAW files to smartphones, optimizes the creative process in fast-paced environments.
• FTP Transfer Improvements: A “Protected Images Only” option for the Auto FTP Transfer and a “Protect Image in FTP Transfer” option for the FTP transfer function have been added. Available on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III.
• Support for USB streaming10 on the Alpha 1.
• Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) has been added to secure protocol on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III and WPA3-SAE is now supported for wireless LAN on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
• Network streaming enables direct live streaming from the Alpha 7 IV to a streaming sitevii.
• Expansion of app support with Creators' App and Monitor & Control app now supported with the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.

Many of these updates are applicable to multiple cameras, however for a list of each body’s specific update please check the Sony website.

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with Sony's imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony α - Alpha brand.

1. This feature is available to some news organizations at the press release timing.
2. Both Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology and C2PA compliancy are currently available through a separate upgrade license.
3. For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/breathing/)
4. For regional app/service availability, check here. To use this service, it is necessary to download and install the upgrade license.
5. Remote Camera Tool Version 4.1.0 is required to activate the function.
6. For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/fnc1002/)
7. A dedicated adapter cable, which is sold separately, is required to connect to the timecode source equipment.
8. Availability varies depending on country and region. Available through the Upgrade and License Management Suite at https://ulms.sony.net.
9. For regional app/service availability, check here. Creators’ App Ver.2.3.1 or later is necessary. Settings must be made in the Creators' App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators' App support website (https://www.sony.net/ca/help/opr/)
10. When connecting to a device with a USB Type-C port, please use a commercially available USB cable or a conversion adapter.

Image: Ricoh

The Ricoh GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF are variants of the company's existing fixed-lens APS-C premium compacts. They feature a unique "highlight diffusion filter" instead of the ND filter fitted in the standard versions of both cameras.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

Ricoh says the HDF has been developed using its inkjet technology and adds a diffusion effect to the images, particularly visible in highlight areas, comparable with a 'black mist' filter. This, it says gives images "resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies."

By replacing the switchable ND filter in the optical path, the HDF effect can be turned on or off, depending on what you're trying to achieve in each shot. By default, the Fn button will be set to engage and disengage the HDF fitler.

Other than the filter, the cameras gain more customization around white balance (which will come to the standard GR III and GR IIIx in a forthcoming firmware update). There's also a Zone Select AF feature that lets you select a zone within which the camera narrows down when focusing.

The shutter buttons of the HDF versions of the cameras are dark silver, rather than black, to denote the difference, in every other respect, the HDF versions of the cameras are identical to their conventional versions.

Ricoh announces GR series cameras featuring built-in highlight diffusion filter

RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF soften light sources and diffuse highlights for more expressive images that create a sense of depth and emotion

PARSIPPANY, NJ, March 27, 2024 — Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF premium digital compact cameras. These new versions of the acclaimed RICOH GR III and RICOH GR IIIx cameras feature a newly-developed Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) that diffuses highlights for softer light, creating more expressive images with a sense of depth and emotion. The HDF, which can be turned on and off in a single action, allows the user to add a totally different kind of visual expression to captured images.

Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special- effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to produce images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the HDF can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention.

“The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF inherit the fundamental merits of our GR series – exceptional image quality, flawless point-and-shoot operation and outstanding portability,” said Ken Curry, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “The new GR HDF models give users a new creative option that expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography.”

| Pricing and Availability |

The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF will be available in April at www.us.ricoh- imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,069.95 for the RICOH GR III HDF and $1,149.95 for the RICOH GR IIIx HDF.

| Main features of the new RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF |

• Single-action switching to the new, built-in HDF to create softer light, more expressive images:
  The new GR HDF versions incorporate the newly developed HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) to emphasize highlights and produce softer light and more expressive images. Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special-effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to capture images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the Highlight Diffusion Filter can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention. This creative versatility expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography.
• The color of the shutter-release button has been changed to dark silver to subtly differentiate the HDF models from other GR series models and to symbolize the effortless shift of visual expression. The default setting of the Fn (Function) button has also been changed to the ON/OFF switching of the HDF,* allowing the user to quickly engage the HDF with a press of a button.
• The user can pre-program up to three white-balance settings as the base white balance.** It is also possible to couple the base white balance with the White-balance Fine Adjustment function.
• The new models feature Zone Select AF,*** which automatically sets the focus at the most appropriate point within the image area after the user shifts the 3X3 focus area to the desired zone.

* The user can also select another function as the default setting of the Fn button.
** This function can be added to all RICOH GR III- and GR IIIx-series models using function- expansion firmware, which is scheduled to be released along with the market launch of these new models.
*** The 3X3 focus area is identical in size to that of the Auto-area AF (Center) mode.

Image: Meike

Meike Global has released its first APS-C lens for Fujifilm, Sony and Nikon cameras. The new 55mm F1.4 targets photographers looking for a fast prime lens. At $200, the lens could be a sound budget alternative to similar lenses available on the market.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

Buy now:

$200 at B&H Photo$200 at Meike

The 55mm F1.4 uses 11 elements in 8 groups and has nine aperture blades. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.6m (23.6”) and weighs 286g (10.1oz). Along the barrel, there is an AF/MF switch, a manual focus ring and an aperture ring. Meike has included a USB-C port at the rear of the lens, which it says will be used to install future firmware updates.

The $200 asking price is notably cheaper than other fast, APS-C prime lenses around the 55mm focal length.

Image: Meike

Meike’s 55mm lens has a de-clicked aperture ring, which may present an issue for users seeking a tactile response or greater precision. Meike also confirmed to DPReview that the lens isn’t weather-resistant, which may not be a surprise at this price point, but it’s good to know exactly what you’re buying.

Another consideration: although the company has a large catalog of manual focus lenses, this is only the Hong Kong-based manufacturer's fifth autofocus lens. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s good to keep in mind that the company is relatively new to implementing the technology.

The Meike 55mm F1.4 APS-C is now available.

$(document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({"containerId":"embeddedSampleGallery_3516193867","galleryId":"3516193867","isEmbeddedWidget":true,"selectedImageIndex":0,"isMobile":false}) });Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

The Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art is a lightweight prime lens aimed at travel, portrait and street photographers. At 745g (26.3oz) and 109mm (4.3") in length, it's also light and portable – Sigma claims it is the lightest lens of its type.

We got our hands on the lens recently, and it happened to be cherry blossom season, so you know we had to visit them for a sample gallery. We also made street portraits and visited Seattle's nightlife to make the most of our time with the lens.

View our Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art sample gallery

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

Buy now:

$1399 at B&H Photo$1399 at Adorama

Image: Nikon

Nikon has announced the Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, a superzoom lens with a 14.2x zoom range. Nikon tells us the lens is designed to meet the needs of both photo and video users.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

The 28-400mm F4-8 comprises 21 lens elements in 15 groups, including three aspherical and four ED lens elements, with nine aperture blades. It has a close focus distance of 0.2m (7.8") at 28mm and 1.2m (3.9 ft) at 400mm and a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.35x at 28mm.

Buy now:

$1297 at B&H Photo$1297 at Adorama

Additionally, the lens includes Nikon's vibration reduction (VR) technology, delivering 5.0 stops of image stabilization at 400mm, per CIPA standard, and up to 5.5 stops using Nikon's Synchro VR technology when paired with select Nikon cameras, including the Z8 and Z9, that have in-body stabilization.

Autofocus comes in the form of a stepping motor to deliver fast and quiet autofocus, and manual focus includes support for a linear focus response, which should appeal to video shooters.

This photo of the Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, captured during our hands-on time with the lens, shows its size relative to the Nikon Z8.

Weighing in at 725g (1.6 lbs), the lens is 85mm (3.4") in diameter and 142mm (5.6") long when collapsed. It uses a 77mm filter thread.

The lens includes a compact, square lens hood, and Nikon describes the lens as dust and drip-resistant.

Pricing and availability

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR will be available from mid-April at a suggested retail price of $1,299.

Nikon 28-400mm F4-8 VR pre-production sample gallery

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

$(document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({"containerId":"embeddedSampleGallery_5462766060","galleryId":"5462766060","isEmbeddedWidget":true,"selectedImageIndex":0,"isMobile":false}) }); The All-In-One Lens that Goes the Distance: Nikon Releases the Nikkor Z 28-400mm F/4-8 VR Full-Frame Super Zoom

Versatility and Portability with Wide-Angle to Super-Telephoto Coverage

MELVILLE, NY (March 27, 2024) Today Nikon Inc. announced the release of the NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, a supremely versatile high-power super-zoom lens for Nikon Z series full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras. This latest addition to the expanding line of NIKKOR Z lenses offers the highest zoom ratio in its class*1, making it a must-have for travel, sports, backyard wildlife and more.

“So many photographers and creatives will love the versatility of the NIKKOR Z 28-400mm, which gives you clarity, range and fantastic backgrounds,” said Naoki Onozato, President and CEO, Nikon Inc. "Wherever your travels lead, this is definitely a lens to consider packing.”

The NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a high-magnification zoom lens that covers a broad range of focal lengths — from 28mm to 400mm. Whether up close or far away, from landscapes to distant vistas, users will appreciate the extreme versatility and powerful capabilities of the 14.2× zoom. Although it is a super-telephoto zoom lens with a range up to 400mm, it’s also the lightest in its class*1, weighing only approximately 1.6 lbs (725 g), making it easy to carry when traveling.

This new lens also has a remarkably close minimum focus distance*2 of only 7.8 in. (0.2 m) at the maximum wide-angle position and 3.9 ft. (1.2 m) at the maximum telephoto position. The maximum reproduction ratio of 0.35x lets users capture close-ups at short distances for food, flowers and animals. When shooting far away, users can fill the frame with their subject and still have a pleasing blurred background.

The NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR uses a stepping motor (STM), which enables fast and quiet autofocusing, allowing rapid focus on moving subjects. The lens also features a vibration-reduction (VR) function with performance equivalent to 5.0 stops, which helps achieve sharp photos and stable video with ease, even when handheld.*3

Primary features of the NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR

• Covers a broad range of focal lengths— from 28mm to 400mm, with a 14.2× zoom which is a first among NIKKOR Z lenses.
• A minimum focus distance of 0.2 m at the maximum wide-angle position and a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.35× allow users to get closer to their subjects for dynamic expression.
• A total length of approx. 5.57 in. (141.5 mm) and a weight of approx. 1.6lbs (725g)– the lightest lens in its class– make this an easy lens to carry and shoot hand-held.
• Stable VR performance equivalent to a 5.0-stop increase in shutter speed effectively reduces blurring in dimly lit surroundings and with hand-held shooting. When paired with a compatible camera, Synchro VR can be activated to achieve up to 5.5-stop stabilization*4 by combining in-camera VR and lens VR.
• Stepping motor (STM) enables high-speed AF drive.
• Support for linear MF drive enables smooth focusing, which is especially useful for video shooting.
• Comes with a compact, square lens hood that combines superior performance and usability.
• Designed to be dust- and drip-resistant with thorough sealing on various portions including movable parts of the lens barrel to keep dust and water droplets from entering the lens.*5

Price and Availability

The new NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens will be available in mid-April for a suggested retail price of $1299.95*. For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the vast collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit Nikonusa.com.

*1. Among lenses with a zoom ratio of 10x or over for full-frame/FX-format interchangeable-lens mirrorless cameras, announced as of March 27, 2024.
*2. When capturing close-ups with the lens hood attached, take care that the lens hood does not come into contact with the subject.
*3. Measured in accordance with CIPA standards with VR function set to “NORMAL”, and zoom at the maximum telephoto position.
*4. Measured in accordance with CIPA standards with VR function set to “NORMAL” when combined with cameras that support Synchro VR.
*5. Thorough dust- and drip-resistance is not guaranteed in all situations or under all conditions.

Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR specifications Principal specificationsLens typeZoom lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length28–400 mmImage stabilizationYesCIPA Image stabilization rating5 stop(s)Lens mountNikon ZApertureMaximum apertureF4–8Minimum apertureF22–45Aperture ringNoNumber of diaphragm blades9OpticsElements21Groups15Special elements / coatings3 Aspherical; 4 EDFocusMinimum focus0.20 m (7.87″)Maximum magnification0.35×AutofocusYesMotor typeStepper motorFull time manualUnknownFocus methodExtending frontDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight725 g (1.60 lb)Diameter85 mm (3.33″)Length142 mm (5.57″)MaterialsPlasticSealingYesColourBlackZoom methodRotary (extending)Power zoomNoZoom lockYesFilter thread77 mmHood suppliedYesTripod collarNo

Buy now:

$1297 at B&H Photo$1297 at Adorama

Image: Sigma

Sigma has announced the 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art, its second F1.2 lens for the E and L full-frame mirrorless camera mounts.

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

The company says the lens is designed give full detail levels even at maximum aperture. It uses 17 elements, four or which are aspherics, in 12 groups and has thirteen rounded aperture blades. It has an internal focus design with an 'HLA' high-thrust linear actuator to drive it.

The 50mm F1.2 will focus as close as 40cm (15.8"), giving up to a 1:6.2 reproduction ratio.

It weighs 745g (26.3oz) which Sigma says makes it the lightest lens of its type. Its 109mm (4.3") length makes it less than 1mm longer than the smallest of the major makers' 50mm F1.2 lenses.

Sigma says the lens will be available from April 18th at an MSRP of $1,399.

Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art sample gallery

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

$(document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({"containerId":"embeddedSampleGallery_3516193867","galleryId":"3516193867","isEmbeddedWidget":true,"selectedImageIndex":0,"isMobile":false}) });

Press Release:

SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN

Unveiling another SIGMA Art line F1.2 lens. Elevating photographic mastery beyond conventional limits.

1. Highest descriptive power to take advantage of F1.2 brightness
2. Lightest weight lens body in its class, suitable for a wide range of applications
3. A wealth of functions for professional use and excellent build quality

The lightest in its class* ― Bright F1.2 maximum aperture and the highest level of descriptive power from SIGMA’s Art line

SIGMA's Art line has been offering new possibilities and surprise for expression, and now the SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art is here to break the standards. SIGMA's focus with this lens is on the descriptive power that is perfectly usable from the widest aperture, and on portability that allows the high performance to be demonstrated in any field. In terms of image rendition, SIGMA achieved high resolving power from the maximum aperture throughout the entire focus range, while also enriching the beauty of the large bokeh effect at F1.2. In addition, the lens construction and mechanical design have been stripped down to the bare essentials, resulting in a significantly compact and lightweight body. The lens is also equipped with a full range of functions suitable for professional use, including high-precision AF using the latest HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) that reduces volume while maintaining the same thrust. We hope users will enjoy the superb Art F1.2, which will transform everything they capture and even their photographic experience into something extra special.

[Key Features] 1. Highest descriptive power to take advantage of F1.2 brightness

The SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art has been designed with an emphasis on high resolution from the maximum aperture to the full focus range and large, beautiful bokeh expression. The contrast between the sharpness of the focus surface and the melting bokeh effect creates a three-dimensional effect thanks to its F1.2 aperture. In addition, the 13-blade diaphragm allows for beautiful bokeh expressions. Focus breathing is also well-suppressed that the F1.2 rendering can be fully utilized in video recording.

Brightness of F1.2 maximum aperture and high resolution from minimum to infinity focus
The latest optical design achieves high resolving power with each aberration thoroughly suppressed from the maximum aperture. The lens is capable of rendering details without color bleeding in any situation. In addition, the incorporated floating focus is advantageous in improving short-range performance, ensuring a stable, high-level image quality throughout the entire range from the minimum focusing distance to infinity.

Rich and beautiful bokeh without color bleeding
By correcting spherical aberration, sagittal coma flare, axial chromatic aberration, and other aberrations, the lens delivers natural bokeh images that blur smoothly and without color bleeding from the focal plane. Double-line bokeh is also suppressed, allowing users to take advantage of the mellow bokeh effect in their expression.

Rounded diaphragm with 13 blades
The lens incorporates SIGMA's first 13-blade diaphragm, which maintains a circular shape even when stopped down from the maximum aperture. The surface accuracy of the aspherical lens has been enhanced to the utmost to enable smooth and beautiful round bokeh expressions.

Designed to minimize focus breathing
Optimization of the focus group arrangement and aspherical shape significantly suppresses focus breathing. The change in angle of view due to focus shift is minimized, creating a natural-looking focus shift when recording video.

Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
Flare and ghosting, which reduce image quality, are addressed under all conditions of incident light, based on the most advanced simulation technology. High backlight resistance enables clear and sharp images under any lighting conditions.

2. Lightest weight lens body in its class*, suitable for a wide range of applications

By uncompromisingly pursuing high optical performance and portability, which are inherently contradictory, the highest level of performance has been condensed into the lightest lens body in its class. The SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art can be used not only in limited situations and applications, but in all kinds of shooting environments.

Dual HLA incorporating a new system
A new system was developed that significantly reduces the volume while maintaining the same thrust of the HLA, which is characterized by its high driving accuracy and quietness, and is featured in each of the two focus groups. This technological innovation has realized both high-speed autofocus and a compact lens body.

Lens construction and mechanical design stripped down to the absolute minimum
Each piece of glass is made as thin as possible while employing glasses with a high refractive index and four aspherical lenses. The high level of production technology at SIGMA’s only manufacturing base, the Aizu factory, provides the exacting precision necessary for processing these thin glass elements and making this mass production possible. In addition, the floating focus ensures high performance while shortening the overall length, resulting in a compact lens. In the mechanical design phase, emphasis was placed on weight reduction. Through the systematic elimination of individual components, SIGMA attained the distinction of producing the lightest lens in its class, weighing a mere 745g / 26.3oz.*2

3. A wealth of functions for professional use and excellent build quality

In addition to various functions that support photography, such as the AFL button*3 and an aperture ring, the construction of the lens body itself and its high-quality touch and feel are also pursued. The SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art is designed with high functionality and reliability to meet the stringent demands of professionals, as well as excellent build quality for long-lasting, reliable use.

Proud to be a tool of expression, excellent build quality with SIGMA’s Art line specifications
By assembling high-precision parts made of lightweight and strong TSC*4 and other materials, the lens has the high level of rigidity and durability of SIGMA’s Art line specifications without sacrificing portability, as well as excellent build quality that allows for long-lasting and reliable use as a photographic tool.

Various shooting assist functions
The lens is equipped with an AFL button which can be assigned to a range of functions via the menu on selected cameras. In addition to the aperture ring, the lens is equipped with an aperture ring lock switch and a click switch to turn the click on and off.

Dust and splash resistant structure*5 and water and oil repellent coating
In addition to a dust and splash resistant structure, the front element of the lens features a water and oil repellent coating, allowing photographers to shoot without concerns even in harsh outdoor environments.

Including a petal-type hood with lock
A dedicated petal-shaped hood is supplied. A locking mechanism is provided for secure attachment.

[Additional features]

• Lens construction: 17 elements in 12 groups (4 aspherical elements)
• Inner focus system
• Compatible with high-speed autofocus
• HLA (High-response Linear Actuator)
• Compatible with Lens Aberration Correction*6*7
• Supports DMF and AF+MF
• Compatible with AF assist (for Sony E-mount only)
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Water and Oil Repellent Coating (front element)
• Aperture ring
• Aperture ring click switch
• Aperture ring lock switch
• AFL button*8
• Focus Mode switch
• Support for switching between linear and non-linear focus ring settings (for L-Mount only)*9
• Dust and Splash Resistant Structure
• Petal-type hood with lock LH782-03
• Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only)
• Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
• Every single lens undergoes SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system
• 13-blade rounded diaphragm
• High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount
• Mount Conversion Service available
• “Made in Aizu, Japan“ craftsmanship

*As an AF 50mm F1.2 interchangeable lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. (As of March 2024 by SIGMA)
*2 These figures are for L-Mount
*3 Function available on supported cameras only. Available functions may vary depending on the camera used.
*4 TSC (Thermally Stable Composite) is a type of polycarbonate with a thermal expansion rate similar to that of aluminum. It has a high affinity to metal parts, which contributes to high quality product manufacturing.
*5 The structure is designed to be dust and splash resistant, but not waterproof. Be careful not to bring the lens in contact with a large amount of water. Water inside the lens may cause major damage and even render the lens unrepairable.
*6 Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections or auto correction functionality may vary depending on the camera model.
*7 On cameras where lens aberration correction is controlled with ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ in the camera menu, please set all aberration correction functions to ‘ON‘(AUTO).
*8 Function available on supported cameras only. Available functions may vary depending on the camera used.
*9 Function available on supported cameras only.

Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art specifications Principal specificationsLens typePrime lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length50 mmImage stabilizationNoLens mountL-Mount, Sony E, Sony FEApertureMaximum apertureF1.2Minimum apertureF16Aperture ringYesNumber of diaphragm blades13Aperture notesRounded bladesOpticsElements17Groups12Special elements / coatings4 aspheric elementsFocusMinimum focus0.40 m (15.75″)Maximum magnification0.16×AutofocusYesMotor typeLinear MotorFocus methodInternalDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight745 g (1.64 lb)Diameter81 mm (3.19″)Length109 mm (4.29″)Filter thread72 mmHood suppliedYesHood product codeLH782-03Tripod collarNo

Image: Fujifilm

Updated March 21st

Recent Videos!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false';t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a&cid=a1b625fb-cd44-410e-9479-699e835fd645';cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "1cad57d1-aae3-42ce-aa46-cb49bb02d99a" }).render("0f952e209d6147a793d43f13d9e1cfa2", (renderError, playerApi) => {window.playerApi = playerApi}); });

When Fujifilm announced its new X100VI rangefinder-style camera at a press event in Japan last month, it teased a special version of the camera: the X100VI Limited Edition. Following an announcement on its Instagram channel today, we now know that sales of the Limited Edition model in the US will be limited to just 300 cameras.

Fujifilm UK has revised its plan for distributing its 110 units and is now asking prospective buyers to register for the Fujifilm X mailing list. A link to join a ballot will be sent out on March 25th, making it easier for photographers outside London to apply.

According to Fujifilm, 100 cameras will be sold daily in the US from Midday Eastern Time March 21st to March 23rd on a first-come, first-served basis, and you'll need to buy them directly from Fujifilm's online store, so if you want one, you'll need to move quickly (and maybe have a bit of luck to boot).

Here's a rundown of where to order the X100VI Limited Edition in different countries:

• US: Fujifilm online store (300 cameras, March 21-23, first come, first served)
• UK: Ballot of applicants via Fujifilm X email list (110 cameras)
• Australia: Fujifilm House of Photography (75 cameras, window closed)

Have information on where to order the X100VI in other markets? Let us know in the comments, or send us a message, and we'll add it to the list.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FUJIFILM X/GFX USA (@fujifilmx_us)

The X100VI Limited Edition will have a production run of just 1,934 cameras worldwide, a nod to the company's founding in 1934. Limited Edition cameras are available in silver and have Fujifilm's original logo engraved on the top plate and matching lens cap. Each camera will be individually numbered from 0001 to 1934, with numbers engraved on the camera's hot shoe. The camera will also include a titanium shutter button, a soft-release shutter button accessory, a special strap, and Fujifilm history cards.

At the camera's launch event, Fujifilm indicated that the Limited Edition would have an MSRP of $2,000, a $400 premium over the standard model's list price of $1,600. However, considering the cult following recent models of the X100 series have developed, we'll likely see prices go higher on the resale market. Although one hopeful eBay seller famously listed a Limited Edition model at an eye-watering $18,000, a search of sold items on eBay shows that at least a couple of Limited Edition cameras have sold for prices over $4,000.

Even the standard edition X100VI can be hard to come by right now, but unlike the Limited Edition, it's available to order today.

Buy now:

$2999 at Amazon.com$1599 at B&H Photo$1599 at Adorama